Any individual whose death would create financial hardship and loss for his or her dependents or business should have life insurance. This includes the following individuals:

• Single or married parents with children or other dependents.
• Married, single-income couples where the nonworking spouse has insufficient work skills or savings to survive should the breadwinner die.
• Business owners who want the value of their businesses to be passed on to their heirs, or who want to preserve its value if a key person is lost.
• Those whose estate exceeds the tax-free transfer threshold for estates or who need additional liquidity at the time of death to avoid discount sales of estate assets. 

While life insurance may offer benefits for other people than those listed above, it is not requisite for everyone to have those benefits.