What does it mean for a life insurance policy to be "fully paid-up"?

A life insurance policy being described as "fully paid-up" means that all the required premium payments have been completed and that no further payments are necessary to keep the policy in force. Once a policy reaches this status, the policyholder does not need to make additional payments, and the coverage remains active for the life of the insured, or until any applicable expiration. This concept is particularly beneficial as it ensures that the policyholder has secured their insurance coverage without the ongoing financial obligation of continued premium payments.

In contrast, ongoing premium payments indicate that the policy is not fully paid-up and still requires financial contributions from the policyholder. A canceled policy implies that it is no longer active, which is not the case for a paid-up policy. Lastly, only paying the base premium would suggest that not all financial obligations have been met, leaving the policyholder still responsible for additional premiums to maintain the coverage in force.