Life insurance in America has traditionally been dominated by mutual insurers. Twelve of the fifteen largest life insurers are mutuals.

What kind of bank gives back 65 percent-often less-of what you deposit? Indeed, when you compare the services of a bank and an insurance company, common sense suggests something is out of whack.

Rule of thumb: The more trimmings an insurance plan has and the harder someone is pitching it, the faster you should run.

The industry cannot long offer unneeded or overpriced insurance if people will not buy it.

You want 21 percent risk free? Pay off your credit cards.

The life insurance policies advertised on the radio with the line "You cannot be turned down for this coverage!" are actually saying, "For policies this small, it would cost us more to decide whom to turn down than simply to accept everybody - and make them pay through the nose."

One of the advantages of the book's having been out there for more than a quarter century is that there's been time for people to report back on what it's done for them.