Should you borrow against your life policy?

BIG QUESTION

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The purpose of life insurance is to protect the financial interest of your dependants and provide you with peace of mind. However, life insurance can also be used as collateral in case you have no other option and need money. Certain life policies—those with a savings and investment orientation—are pledged to borrow against. The same is not the case with term policies against which one cannot borrow. Further, insurers and lenders have different criteria on the loan amount and tenure of the loan that one can take when using their life policy as collateral.