What type of insurance provides protection for a specified term without any cash value?

Term insurance is specifically designed to provide coverage for a specified period, commonly ranging from one to thirty years. The primary feature of term policies is that they offer a death benefit to the beneficiaries if the insured passes away during the term of coverage. These policies do not accumulate cash value, which differentiates them from whole life or endowment policies.

Whole life policies, on the other hand, are designed to last for the entire lifetime of the insured and do accumulate cash value over time. Endowment policies are similar, as they also include a cash value component and provide a payout either upon the death of the insured or if the policy matures within a specified term. Participating policies, often associated with whole life insurance, provide policyholders with dividends, reflecting the company's performance, but again, these policies also build cash value.

Thus, term insurance is the correct choice as it exclusively offers a death benefit for a set duration without any cash value accumulation, making it an essential option for individuals looking for straightforward, temporary protection.