For instance, some people buy life insurance to provide protection to help pay off their home loan in case they die before the mortgage is paid off.
In this instance, a level term life insurance policy of 20 or 30 years may fit your life insurance needs. It offers the most affordable protection for your family to fit the need.
If you have needs of 30 years or less, a term life plan may be good, while a permanent life insurance policy can provide lifetime coverage, but usually costs a lot more.
Here's an article with more information on finding the best life insurance to buy and explaining how the two basic types (Term and Permanent) of life insurance work.