Which of the following is NOT guaranteed in a whole life policy?

In a whole life insurance policy, the death benefit is guaranteed, meaning that the insurer will pay a specified amount to the beneficiaries upon the policyholder's death. Additionally, there is a guaranteed financial return associated with these policies, typically in the form of cash value accumulation that grows over time. Policy loans are also a standard feature, allowing policyholders to borrow against the cash value, which can be repaid or deducted from the death benefit.

However, the dividend scale is not guaranteed. While many whole life policies are designed to pay dividends based on the insurer's performance, these dividends can fluctuate annually depending on the company's profitability, mortality experience, investment returns, and expense factors. Therefore, there is no assurance that a policyholder will receive dividends, making this element uncertain and not guaranteed in the context of whole life policies.