How much life insurance does a creator actually need?

The 10–15× rule

The most common starting point is 10 to 15 times your annual income, plus any debt you'd want cleared. The multiple exists so your family can replace your income for years, not months, while they figure out what's next.

It's a rule of thumb, not a recommendation. It's a starting point for a conversation with a licensed agent — and the number our estimator uses.

Creator-specific adjustments

If your content keeps earning after you're gone, some of that income persists — but payouts, contracts, and platform access get complicated fast, and 'complicated' means slow.

If you have business partners or an LLC, there may be buy-sell obligations worth covering separately. If nobody depends on your income, a smaller policy covering debts and final expenses may be enough.

Picking a term length

Pick the term that covers your obligation window: until the kids are grown, until the mortgage is done, or until the business can stand without you. Twenty years is the most common answer for a reason.