Common Gap. DEFINITION of 'Common Gap'. A price gap found on a price chart for an asset. These gaps are brought about by normal market forces and, as the name implies, are very common. They are represented graphically by a non-linear jump or drop from one point on the chart to another point. In general, there is no major event that precedes this type of gap.
Most term life insurance policies sold today come with a conversion feature that allows you to convert some or all of your term life insurance policy to a permanent policy like whole life, universal life or variable life. Some term policies also allow you to convert your term policy to a permanent policy in phases.
The primary difference is that the universal life policy shifts some of the risk for maintaining the death benefit to the policy owner. In a whole life policy, as long as every premium payment is made, the death benefit is guaranteed to the maturity date in the policy, usually age 95, or to age 121. A UL policy will lapse when the cash values are no longer sufficient to cover the cost of insurance and policy administrative expense.