Biblical Life Insurance Wisdom: How to Protect Your Family Without Wasting Money

Life Insurance Through a Christian Lens:

As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of the financial resources God has given us. This includes making wise decisions about protecting our families while avoiding financial pitfalls. Proverbs 13:22 reminds us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” But how do we balance this responsibility while ensuring we don’t fall for industry sales tactics that push overpriced, unnecessary policies?

When I started my career at Thrivent Financial, I obtained my life insurance license and spent nearly two years in the industry. During that time, I saw firsthand how whole life insurance was aggressively pushed on people who didn’t actually need it—all because of the higher commissions we made as agents. We were told to focus on whole life instead of term in every situation, and I was even pitching to people with no debt, no dependents, and no real reason to have a permanent policy.

Even worse, the insurance industry often sells policies like variable universal life (VUL) as investments, misleading people into thinking they’re building wealth when, in reality, there are much better ways to invest.

This post will break down a biblical perspective on life insurance, when whole life actually makes sense, and why Lemonade is my recommended provider for fair-priced, modern coverage.

1. Biblical Stewardship & Life Insurance: The Right Perspective

The Bible teaches us to prepare for the future, but it also warns us against poor financial decisions.

Providing for Your Loved Ones – 1 Timothy 5:8 says, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives… has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Avoiding Financial Burdens on Family – Having life insurance ensures that your spouse, children, or parents don’t inherit debt or funeral expenses they can’t afford.
Being a Wise Steward – Proverbs 21:5 reminds us, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Buying the right insurance, not just any insurance, is part of that diligence.

The key is getting coverage that actually fits your needs—not what an insurance agent wants to sell you.

2. What I Saw at Thrivent: Selling Whole Life Over Term—No Matter What

Many companies, including faith-based ones like Thrivent, claim to have consumers' best interests at heart. While there are many great advisors in the industry, the overarching focus often leans more toward sales numbers than truly helping people.

At Thrivent, I was trained to cold call everyone—young professionals, college grads, and even people with no financial dependents. The focus? Whole life insurance—always. Why? Because it paid higher commissions than term life insurance.

Even when term life would have been a much smarter financial choice, we were expected to push whole life. Here’s what that meant:

🚩 Young people with no liabilities being sold expensive whole life policies instead of being encouraged to invest in their future.

🚩 Clients being told cash value was a great “investment”, when in reality, it grows slowly and has fees that eat away at returns.

🚩 No conversation about term life insurance, even when it would have been a better fit for many clients.

This is where I disagree with much of the industry—insurance and investing should be separate. Your life insurance policy is not an investment, and if someone is selling you on the "cash value," they’re likely overcharging you for something that won’t serve your financial future well.

I’m not criticizing Thrivent—there are many great advisors and agents who genuinely want to help but I strongly disagree with some of the overarching sales practices. The emphasis was more on getting new people to cold call everyone and convince them to buy policies, instead of truly understanding their needs and advising them accordingly and the same goes for many other financial services companies as well.

3. Whole Life vs. Term Life: What Actually Makes Sense?

To be fair, whole life insurance has its place—but only in very specific situations.

✅ When Whole Life Makes Sense:

Special needs situations where a lifelong policy is necessary
High-net-worth individuals using it as an estate planning tool
Families who have long-term dependents and will always need financial protection

🚫 Why Whole Life is Over-Promoted:

It’s expensive – Premiums are much higher than term life, making it a poor fit for most people.
Cash value is overhyped – The returns are often lower than what you’d get investing in a Roth IRA or 401(k).
Better alternatives exist – A cheaper term policy + smart investments often leave you better off financially.

💡 A Smarter Strategy for Most People:

Buy affordable term life insurance that only covers necessary expenses (mortgage, debts, funeral costs).
Invest the rest of your money in a Roth IRA, index funds, or real estate.
By the time your term policy expires, you should have enough savings that you no longer need life insurance.

This approach aligns with biblical stewardship and financial wisdom—ensuring your family is protected without wasting money.

4. My Recommendation: Lemonade – A Fair & Modern Alternative

As someone who has worked in the industry and now provides Christian financial guidance, I’ve seen how traditional insurance companies push expensive policies that don’t always fit real needs. That’s why I personally recommend Lemonade—a simple, affordable, and transparent option for life insurance.

Why I Like Lemonade

✅ Affordable Term Life Insurance – Covers what you actually need, without overpriced extras.

✅ Simple & Digital – No aggressive sales tactics, just easy and straightforward coverage.

✅ Built for the Modern World – Hassle-free policies with fair pricing.

💡 Want to Check It Out?

If you’re looking for an honest, budget-friendly life insurance option, you can explore Lemonade through my referral link:

👉 https://lemonade.com/r/nicholasjenkins8

This way, you get solid protection for your loved ones without wasting money—something I believe in both financially and biblically.

Protect Your Family the Right Way

Life insurance isn’t about sales tactics or complex financial products—it’s about stewarding your resources wisely and ensuring your loved ones are cared for if the unexpected happens. From a biblical perspective, providing for your family is an act of love and responsibility (1 Timothy 5:8). However, that doesn’t mean blindly overpaying for policies that don’t fit your actual needs.

By focusing on what truly matters—covering key expenses like a mortgage, student loans, or funeral costs—you can protect your family without unnecessary financial strain. In many cases, affordable term life insurance is the best solution, allowing you to invest wisely in your future instead of locking money into expensive policies that may not be necessary.

At the end of the day, insurance should bring peace of mind, not financial burden. My hope is that you feel empowered to make a wise, informed decision—one that aligns with both good financial stewardship and biblical wisdom.