Interesting thread. My choice is basically this:

Reason I buy Insurance: Is to pay to my next of kin if anything should happen to me. To get a lump sum if anything should happen to me and damn it I am still alive!

Which company: Heck I dont care. All insurance products are about the same. Packaged and named differently.

Criteria: An agent that I know well, that will be in the business for real and for good. Another issue is, he should be slightly younger than me. Why? Simple. He should be running around doing my errands should anything happen to me. Get an old agent that goes before me? Not a good idea.