The needs approach determines the amount of life insurance required by identifying the financial obligations that survivors will face if the insured dies prematurely. Rather than assigning a generalized economic value to the insured ' s future earnings, the method focuses directly on the actual financial needs that death would create.

The analysis may include immediate cash requirements such as final expenses, medical expenses, outstanding debts, emergency funds, and estate-settlement costs. It may also consider continuing needs such as mortgage payments, family income, education funding, dependency periods, and other objectives. Existing assets, survivor income, savings, investments, and existing insurance may then be deducted to determine the remaining insurance requirement.

The human life value approach, identified separately in answer C, estimates the present economic value of an individual ' s future earnings or contributions. It is therefore conceptually distinct from the needs approach.

Retirement investment strategy is primarily an accumulation and retirement-planning issue, while business valuation is relevant to business-insurance arrangements such as buy-sell funding. Neither represents the primary purpose of the personal needs analysis.

Accordingly, the needs approach determines the financial requirements arising from an untimely death, making A correct.

Study Guide Reference: Life Insurance Basics — determining the amount of life insurance; needs approach; survivor needs; human life value approach.