Research the insurance company. You need to purchase your life insurance through a reliable company: this way you can be sure that in the event of your death, your beneficiaries will actually receive what they are due. There are a number of agencies that rate companies in terms of financial soundness and reliability. They assess the insurer's ability to pay on time and meet all financial obligations. The four main agencies are Moody's, Standard and Poors, A.M. Best and Fitch.