If you’re like most people, you probably have a mortgage that you’ll be paying off for decades. Taking out a mortgage worth hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of dollars comes with many risks. Fortunately, home ownership also has benefits such as ensuring your family has a roof over their head and the potential to make a significant profit should you decide to sell.

But what happens if you sustain an injury or become sick to the point where you can no longer work? What about if you pass away before your mortgage has been repaid, leaving your family with the burden of covering the payments? Too many people assume such situations will never happen to them, but disasters can and do happen – frequently.