Most insurers present a range of hypothetical returns in illustrations—often a low, mid, and high scenario—showing how the policy’s cash value and death benefit might evolve. While these can guide your understanding of the product, it’s critical to:

• Examine Conservative Returns: The mid-to-lower range scenario is often more realistic for planning, ensuring you aren’t counting on rosy returns that might not materialize.
• Factor in All Fees: Confirm the illustration includes every cost—subaccount expenses, administrative fees, rider costs, and COI. Some presentations highlight returns before these are deducted, which can be misleading.
• Remember Market Cycles: Market performance rarely moves in a straight line. A 6% average annual return assumption might see some years at +20% and others at -10%. This volatility affects the policy’s actual value at any given point.