Level premium billing

Allows the insured to pay a specific amount of premium on each due date during the policy year that is based on an estimated annual premium. An adjustment is made at the end of the policy year for coverage changes that occurred during that year.

Level premium insurance

Life insurance for which the cost is evenly distributed over the period during which premiums are paid. Premiums are the same from year to year. Protection in the earlier years is more than the actual cost, building up a reserve, and in the later years, less than the actual cost.

leveraged employee stock ownership plan (LESOP)

Plan that borrows money and uses the funds to purchase stock of the employer. In turn the employer makes contributions to the plan on behalf of the participating employees. These are tax deductible for the employer and tax deferred for the employee. The ESOP uses the contributed money to pay the loan back and slowly gives the stock to the employees. Also see employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) .