Under a 20-pay whole life policy, for the policy to pay the death benefit to a beneficiary, the premiums must be paid for how long?

In a 20-pay whole life insurance policy, the premiums are structured to be paid over a span of 20 years. This means that the policyholder is required to make premium payments for exactly 20 years. Once this payment period is complete, the policy becomes fully paid up, meaning the policyholder no longer has to make premium payments and the death benefit is guaranteed for the insured's lifetime.

The key aspect of this policy is that as long as the premiums are paid for the full 20 years, the beneficiary will receive the death benefit upon the insured's death, regardless of when that occurs after the premium payments are completed. This structure allows policyholders to enjoy the benefits of whole life insurance, including a guaranteed death benefit and cash value accumulation, without the burden of ongoing premiums for the rest of their lives.

This is why the option indicating that premiums must be paid for 20 years or until death is correct, as it aligns with the foundational principles of a 20-pay whole life policy.