Cash value

The cash value of an insurance contract, also called the cash surrender value or surrender value, is the cash amount offered to the policyowner by the issuing life carrier upon cancellation of the contract. This term is normally used with a life insurance or life annuity contract.

To receive the cash value, the policyholder surrenders their rights to future benefits under the policy.

Cash values are usually associated with whole life insurance or endowment life insurance and other forms of permanent life insurance. The contract determines for each possible cancellation date the related cash value. If the investment of premiums is contractually made in an individual account, the cash value is the value of the investments in that account at any particular time minus a surrender charge. Such cash value credited to an individual account during the tenure of the policy keeps growing with every payment of premium. It also increments due to interest credited.

The policyholder may also be able to use the cash value as collateral on a loan.