Similar to The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity is structured as a confession. Cain once again uses the first-person narrative style, providing an intimate glimpse into the workings of an ordinary man who becomes a criminal. A key to Cain's effective storytelling, which roots his tales in a believable reality, is his ability to give his characters specialized knowledge in a particular trade or profession. In Double Indemnity, for instance, he offers insights into the skill of selling insurance policies. A notable trait of Cain's narrator in this story is his reluctance to reveal certain details, such as the more gruesome parts of the murder. This approach serves two main purposes. First, it allows Cain to exercise his technique of "selective realism" by not detailing lurid or violent events, thereby inviting readers to use their imagination to fill in the gaps and draw their own conclusions about the societal commentary Cain is making. Second, it highlights a facet of the narrator/protagonist, who is bold enough to commit murder but still human enough to shy away from focusing on the most disturbing parts of his crime.

Cain is still celebrated today as a novelist who vividly depicted 1930s California. The setting of Double Indemnity goes beyond mere background; it provides a believable environment where the characters enact their dramas. It mirrors what Cain perceived as the defining traits of the people in his world. Walter Huff and Phyllis Nirdlinger exist in a society where desires can be fulfilled quickly and with minimal effort. It's a world where furniture is purchased on installment plans, bungalows in the Hollywood Hills are rented for fifteen dollars a week, and single professional men can afford both a houseboy and a new car. Unlike the desolate landscape of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934), this is a more refined society, yet its orderliness makes the murder even more shocking. Cain suggests that this lifestyle fosters a fundamentally fatalistic worldview. Huff articulates this mindset in an extended passage, comparing himself to a croupier in life's casino, watching as the wheel spins and decides its own stopping point. His zest for life dulled, Huff confesses that he no longer trusts the reality of this world. Consequently, he stands by passively, yielding to the darker human impulses that compel him to commit murder.

Similar to The Postman Always Rings Twice, the film Double Indemnity achieved significant acclaim. Released in 1943, it was directed by Billy Wilder and featured Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in leading roles. The screenplay was penned by Raymond Chandler, earning him an Academy Award nomination. Upon its release, the film received positive reviews and continues to be a popular attraction at arts and repertory theaters across numerous cities. Film historians assert that Double Indemnity played a crucial role in loosening the restrictions imposed by the censorship code. Many experts consider it the prototype for numerous subsequent films where the protagonists are outright villains.