Scottsdale, Arizona
Term life insurance, without the six-week wait
The old version of this meant a paramedic at your kitchen table and a month of silence. It doesn't work that way now. Most applicants apply online in about ten minutes, never see a medical exam, and get a decision before they put the phone down.
Sullivan James is an independent insurance agency in Scottsdale, licensed in Arizona and writing coverage since 2016.
Start your applicationWhat it's for
One question, and only one
If your income stopped tomorrow, does your family keep the house? That is the question term life exists to answer. Everything else about it — the term lengths, the riders, the underwriting classes — is detail hanging off that one sentence.
Term life covers a defined period rather than your whole life, which is why it costs a fraction of permanent coverage. It fits the years when other people depend on your earnings: while the mortgage runs and while the children are still children.
Same price. Different phone number.
Buying life insurance direct and buying it through an agency cost exactly the same. The carrier pays the commission out of the premium either way — going direct does not save you the money, it just means nobody is holding the file.
The difference shows up in five years, when you buy a bigger house or have another child and need to know whether the coverage still fits. That is a thirty-second conversation with an agent who has your file, and an afternoon with a call centre that doesn't.
How much
Most people carry whatever work handed them
Group coverage through an employer is usually one to two times salary. The common guideline is ten to twelve. That gap is the whole reason this page exists — and four numbers decide where you actually sit.
The mortgage
The balance, not the payment. If the house is meant to stay in the family, the loan has to be payable without the income that was servicing it.
Income replacement
The years between now and when the household would no longer depend on your earnings. This is usually the largest number and the one most often left out.
Getting the kids through
Childcare, school, and college — costs that continue on their own schedule regardless of what happened to the income.
What's already there
Subtract savings and any group coverage through work. Group coverage is usually one to two times salary and usually ends with the job, so it rarely closes the gap on its own.
Add the first three, subtract the fourth. That number is your starting point, and you choose the final amount during the application.
How it works
Three steps, one afternoon
01
Six fields, about a minute
Name, contact, ZIP and state. Enough to know we can help you and to reach you if anything stalls. No health questions here.
02
The application, about ten minutes
You answer health and lifestyle questions with the carrier directly and choose your coverage amount and term length. Most applicants get an underwriting decision immediately rather than waiting weeks.
03
We stay on the file
The policy is issued by the carrier and the documents come to you. Sullivan James remains your agent of record, so when the situation changes there is someone to call who already knows your coverage.
Questions
The ones worth asking first
Do I need a medical exam for term life insurance?
Most applicants don't. Underwriting is accelerated and based on your answers plus data the carrier can already access. Some applications are referred for additional review, and a small number still require an exam.
How much term life insurance should I carry?
A common starting point is ten to twelve times your income. Then adjust for what is actually owed: your mortgage balance, other debts, and what it would cost to get your children through school. Subtract savings and any coverage you already hold through work.
What term length should I choose?
Match the term to the obligation. If the point is to cover a 30-year mortgage, a 30-year term fits. If it is to get two young children to independence, 20 years often covers it. A term that ends while the obligation continues is the most common mistake.
Is employer life insurance enough?
Usually not. Group coverage is typically one to two times salary against a common guideline of ten to twelve, and it generally ends when the job does. It is a supplement to an individual policy, not a replacement for one.
Does buying through an agency cost more than going direct?
No. The premium is the same either way — the carrier pays the agency commission out of it whether or not an agent is involved. What differs is whether anyone picks up the phone in five years when you have a new house and another child.
Is Sullivan James the insurance company?
No. Sullivan James is an independent insurance agency in Scottsdale, Arizona. Policies are issued by the carrier, and no coverage is in force until the carrier issues the policy and the first premium is paid.
Which states can Sullivan James write term life in?
Arizona, where the agency holds a resident license. Applicants outside Arizona are still welcome to get in touch — a licensed agent follows up personally.
Ten minutes, and it's off the list
Nobody wakes up wanting to buy life insurance. It sits on the list for years because the old version was miserable. This one isn't.
Start your applicationOr call (480) 382-7332 and talk to a licensed agent.
Sullivan James Insurance is an independent insurance agency, not an insurance company. Policies are issued and underwritten by the carrier. No coverage is in force until the carrier issues the policy and the first premium is paid. Approval is not guaranteed and is subject to underwriting. Sullivan James holds a resident life license in Arizona; applicants residing elsewhere are contacted personally by a licensed agent.