Life Insurance is a racket

My mother has had a life insurance policy for 8 years with Discovery - never missing a payment. Now that she wants to cancel the policy due to financial reasons, she has been told that the policy has no cash value and that all the money she has paid over the years she won't see a cent of. I am guessing that this is standard practice at all the companies but it does not change the fact that it is really horrible practice. I do not expect that this post will change anything but I wanted you to know that I think it is disgusting.