Do you need to have a life insurance policy for a certan amount of time before it will pay out?

Assuming he qualifies for a traditional policy then it's generally considered in effect (conditionally) at the moment the application is complete, a deposit is paid, and the conditional receipt is given. If he gets hit by a bus crossing the street from the insurance agent's office then it should be covered (on the condition that they would have covered him if they did the entire underwriting process).

Insurance does not work like that. You would not get anything back for paying into insurance for a year. You need to have it for YEARS to get something back from paying into insurance and even then it's not even near what you paid over the years.

If your check is accepted and you received you policy, the policy is in force. If you have a loss on a covered peril (a death in the case of life insurance) the next day it will be covered. The exceptions to this would be anything that is excluded in the policy. In life policies they sometimes have waiting periods for pre-existing conditions or suicide. Outside of that, you have coverage. There are numerous types of life insurance, some with cash balances and some with fixed terms that are done as soon as the expiration date hits. You should talk to a local agent about your options. Start by talking to your auto insurance agent for options.