People don’t like to talk about life insurance. And that’s understandable — it can be a gloomy subject. But it’s also an important one.

If you suddenly weren’t in the picture, would your family be able to pay the rent or mortgage? Would your children be able to afford school? Would your partner be able to afford child care? Life insurance makes sure that the people you love will be taken care of when you can’t be around for them anymore.

There are really only two types of life insurance, although the two types come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. The biggest difference between them is how long the coverage lasts.

• Permanent life insurance covers you for your entire life. Your death is certain. And when you die, it pays the death benefit.

• Term life insurance covers only a part of your lifetime. When that part or term ends, so does the coverage. It only pays a death benefit if you die within the designated term.

Which policy should you choose? It depends on a lot of factors: your age, your budget, and your specific needs.

If you die early, exactly how much money will your loved ones need? How much will it take to pay off debt? How much to replace your income? Is providing funds to cover college costs for your children important, and if so, how much money will that take? How do you account for inflation?

Call a local insurance agent to help you make sense of all the options, they can help you work through different scenarios, ensuring that your family is financially secure when you aren’t there to take care of them anymore.