Best life insurance brokers
- Maximum coverage
- Up to $3 million
- Medical exam required
- No
- Financial strength rating
- A- to A+
- Availability
- 49 states (not available in NY)
Best Life Insurance Companies
- Best broker
Ethos Life Insurance4.8(474) - Best direct provider
Fidelity Life4.3(135)
By:
Ashley Eneriz
+2 more
Edited by:
Kathryn Parkman
Fact-checked by:
Jon Bortin
Best Life Insurance Companies
It’s hard to think about not being there for the people you love. But planning ahead with life insurance can help make sure they have financial support in the worst-case scenario.
Life insurance companies often make similar promises — affordable coverage, flexible policy options, peace of mind for your family. The right fit for you depends on how you want to shop and what coverage you need.
Based on our analysis of customer reviews, policy options and other features, Ethos Life Insurance is our top pick for comparing life insurance options through multiple providers. Fidelity Life stands out as a direct provider that underwrites, issues and manages its own policies.
Why trust ConsumerAffairs?
- Our recommendations are based on what reviewers say.
- 4,886,447 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
- We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
- We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
- Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
We compared life insurance companies based on customer reviews, coverage options, policy flexibility and financial strength. We also looked at things like no-exam coverage and optional riders to reflect the real-life shopping experience. See our full methodology below to learn more.
Our picks for the best life insurance providers
| Company | Customer rating | Our pick for | AM Best financial strength rating* | Coverage types | Additional riders | No-medical-exam policies | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ethos Life Insurance | Learn More | 4.8
474 reviews
474 reviews
| Best broker | A- to A+ | Term, permanent |  | | 49 states (not available in NY) |
 Fidelity Life | Learn More | 4.3
135 reviews
135 reviews
| Best direct provider | A- | Term, permanent, accidental death | | | 48 states (not available in NY or WY) |
*As of publishing
Best direct provider
- Maximum coverage
- Up to $2 million
- Medical exam required
- No
- Financial strength rating
- A-
- Availability
- 48 states (not available in NY or WY)
Compare more life insurance providers
4.8
474 reviews
Term life and whole life policies with benefits up to $1.5 million. No medical exams or blood tests. Same-day coverage. Noncommissioned sales representatives. Policies for ages 20 to 85. Backed by top carriers.
5.0
120 reviews
Offers only term life insurance. Coverage up to $3 million available online. Prices start at around $10 a month. Backed and owned by MassMutual. Instant coverage up to $1 million available for healthy applicants under 59.
5.0
49 reviews
Fully licensed and regulated digital insurance company. Provides 10-, 15-, 20-, 25- and 30-year term life insurance policies. Locks rates upon approval. No medical exam requirement. Rates start at $9 monthly.
5.0
20 reviews
Offers term, whole, universal and variable life insurance policies. Optional long-term care coverage riders available. Provides term life quotes and life insurance applications online.
4.3
135 reviews
Life insurance policies. Permanent and term life insurance. Accidental death coverage. Final expenses coverage. Life insurance riders. Online life insurance calculator. Same-day approval and coverage.
2.4
556 reviews
Offers term life, whole life and children’s life insurance policies with coverage up to $100,000 in some states. No medical or physical exam required. No waiting period. Rates start at $3.49 per month for adults.
1.6
33 reviews
Offers a variety of supplemental health, group and special risk insurance policies. Doesn’t offer all its products in every state or provide online quotes. U.S.-based customer service. Family-operated for over 80 years.
1.6
113 reviews
Provides term and permanent life insurance policies to New York residents through in-home sales. Terminal illness rider available at no cost. Specializes in supporting and working with labor and credit unions.
1.3
270 reviews
Provides whole, term and universal life insurance, including whole life insurance policies for children. Lets you get a quote or apply for select policies online. Helps determine your life insurance needs online.
1.3
178 reviews
Sells term and permanent life insurance. Offers the Aspire program for people with diabetes. Vitality program rewards healthy living with up to 15% in savings. Term coverage is available for up to 20 years and $65 million.
1.3
565 reviews
Offers two term life insurance policies for coverage of up to $5 million and terms of up to 35 years. No online quotes or pricing information. Applicants can be up to 70 years old. Maximum coverage age is 95.
1.3
158 reviews
Offers term, universal and permanent life insurance plans starting at $16 per month. Also helps people with retirement and estate planning. Some policies require a medical exam. Online quotes not available.
1.3
99 reviews
Offers term and whole life insurance policies in addition to auto insurance. Coverage terms up to 30 years for amounts up to and potentially exceeding $5 million. Quotes available online and through agents.
1.3
202 reviews
Offers permanent and term life insurance policies. Provides local support services along with 24/7 telephone support. Not available in Massachusetts. Term life rates start at $15.02 per month for a 10-year term.
1.5
20 reviews
Offers term, whole, universal and indexed universal life insurance. Provides a life insurance coverage calculator on its website. Contact an agent for a quote. Agents available in just six states.
1.0
195 reviews
Provides permanent and term life insurance with nine optional riders. Covers people ages 18 to 64. No medical exams required. Monthly term rates typically $25 to $90. Whole life rates around $40 to $120.
1.2
64 reviews
Offers death benefit protection with four types of annuity products and two types of life insurance. Hybrid policy option available. Prices vary based on factors like age, health and selected coverage.
1.2
320 reviews
Offers term, whole and universal life insurance with up to $2 million in whole life coverage and up to $10 million in term life coverage. Adults up to 80 years old can apply. Term policies typically cost $31 to $177 per month.
1.1
264 reviews
Offers life insurance for AARP members through New York Life. Term and permanent group coverages available. No medical exam required. Coverage varies up to $100,000 for adults up to the age of 80. Rates fixed for select policies.
1.0
264 reviews
Provides quotes in less than a minute. Offers permanent and 10-, 15-, 20- or 30-year term life insurance policies. Buy insurance online if you qualify. Features a calculator to help you estimate your life insurance needs.
1.2
88 reviews
Insures members of the military and their families. Offers term and permanent life insurance policies with the option to update your policy over time. Online quotes available. Life insurance rates start as low as $12 per month.
1.0
647 reviews
Provides term life, group variable universal life, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Doesn’t offer life insurance policies for individuals (at the time of publishing).
1.0
270 reviews
Offers term life insurance directly and issues a multitude of insurance products through partnered brands, including AIG. Online quotes and policy management available. Issues policies in New York through a partner company.
1.0
101 reviews
Independent affiliate of the Gerber baby food brand offering life insurance for children and adults. Grow-Up Plan protects children under 14 with a coverage policy they take ownership of when they turn 21.
1.0
90 reviews
Provides term, whole and universal life insurance policies. Online quotes and local agents available. Life Compass feature helps you find a policy. Issues coverage to adults up to the age of 75. Term coverage starts at $75,000.
1.0
274 reviews
Provides term, universal and guaranteed-issue whole life insurance policies. Online policy management available. Guaranteed acceptance for whole life insurance policies for applicants 50 to 80 years old with no medical exam.
1.0
236 reviews
Term and permanent life insurance available. Choose policy terms between 10 and 30 years. Provides free medical exams, a 30-day money-back guarantee and flexible payments. Sample monthly rates range from $24.64 to $310.41.
1.0
63 reviews
Provides term, whole and universal life insurance plans. Select coverage policies come with fixed premiums and limited flexibility in changing policy details and monthly payment amounts.
1.0
98 reviews
Offers group voluntary life insurance that includes a living benefit option, an accidental death and dismemberment rider and a disability waiver. Employee coverage up to $250,000. Quotes available through representatives.
1.0
32 reviews
Offers term and whole life insurance policies, plus two types of annuities. Guarantees level premiums. Customizable riders and add-on benefits available. Provides life insurance quotes online or by phone.
1.0
38 reviews
Life insurance coverage up to $50,000 with no medical questions, excluding the accidental death benefit rider. Take policy with you if you retire or change jobs. Provides quotes and a coverage calculator on the website.
1.0
133 reviews
Helps you compare life insurance quotes from 13 different providers in minutes. Lets you choose from multiple offers. Doesn’t charge additional fees for its services. Apply directly on the website.
1.0
56 reviews
End-to-end life insurance platform covering quoting, underwriting and policy administration. Supports online and in-person sales, integrates with existing systems and supports term life, indexed universal life and annuities.
1.0
25 reviews
Offers term and whole life insurance policies. Gives rate reductions of up to 25% for new term life insurance policies. Get a quote and apply online. Whole life insurance coverage can exceed $1 million.
1.0
37 reviews
Offers life insurance and other products through its three subsidiary insurance companies: Bankers Life, Colonial Penn and Washington National. Subsidiaries have more than 3.2 million policies total.
1.0
27 reviews
Offers whole and term life insurance policies exclusively in Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio and Vermont. Quotes available via local independent insurance agents. Provides an online life insurance calculator.
Offers life insurance and complimentary will creation. Provides free online quotes and applications. Adjustable term lengths and coverage options. Financial organizational tools for families. Not available in all states.
Life insurance matching tool. Partners with Fidelity Life, Mutual of Omaha, Prudential and others. Easy application process online or by phone. Free to use. Live customer support. Quote ranges not disclosed.
Mutual insurance company. Wholly owned by policyowners, not shareholders. Pays annual dividends to qualifying policyowners. Term and whole life policies. Disability and long-term care insurance.
Online life insurance company offering three life insurance options: traditional, no-exam and guaranteed. Independent broker. Simple application process. Provides benefit amounts between $50,000 and $5 million.
Partners with Life Quotes Inc. to offer term, whole and universal life insurance policies. Medical interview required for coverage over $250,000. Get a free quote online or by phone.
Matches you with independent agents for term and permanent life insurance policies. Works with over 250,000 qualified agents in the U.S. to evaluate options from up to 45 insurers. Apply in as little as two minutes.
Offers term, whole and universal life insurance with coverage ranging from $5,000 to $1 million. Burial insurance also available. Helps you get and compare quotes online. Rates start as low as $14 per month.
Offers six life insurance policies, including term, whole, children’s, senior and DreamSecure Flexible insurance. Doesn’t always require a medical exam. Provides a discount for bundling life and car insurance.
Offers term, whole, universal and ERIExpress life insurance policies in just 12 states and Washington, D.C. Quotes and a coverage calculator available online. Get $250,000 of coverage for as little as $14.24 per month.
No longer offers life insurance. Provides car, motorcycle, homeowners and renters insurance policies. Free online quotes within an average of six minutes. An Allstate company.
Term-life insurance company. Not available in all states. Annual income protection up to $500,000 per year/$10 million per plan. Must be between 18 and 50. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Offers term life insurance coverage online. Decrease or increase your coverage as often as you need. Cancel at any time. No cancellation or alteration fees. Provides a price-lock guarantee and online applications.
Banner Life Insurance
Term life, universal life and pension risk transfer services. Instant approval available for eligible applicants through digital underwriting. Policies available in 49 states.
Guardian Life Insurance
Life, disability, dental and other benefits. No-medical-exam options for qualifying applicants. More than 160 years in business. Coverage available in most states through financial representatives.
Protective Life Insurance
Term, whole and universal life insurance policies with coverage up to $50 million and terms up to 40 years. No-medical-exam options for qualifying applicants plus online quotes and policy conversion options.
Symetra Life Insurance
Term and universal life insurance with competitive rates. Coverage available via independent agents and financial professionals. No-medical-exam options and accelerated underwriting available for qualifying applicants.
Showing 5 of 52
Life Insurance Buyers Guide
Jump into our guides and start learning
In this guide
Life insurance is not a one-size-fits-all product. Your age, health, lifestyle and the type of policy you choose can all affect how much you pay and how much coverage your loved ones receive. This guide explains how life insurance works, what affects the cost, which type of policy may fit your needs and how to avoid overpaying for coverage.
Policies require regular monthly premiums that can start for as low as $11 per month.
Jump to insightCompare policy types, costs, customer service and company reputation to find life insurance that fits your needs and budget.
Jump to insight“Term” life insurance usually covers you for 20 to 30 years. “Whole” life insurance lasts your entire life and slowly builds cash value over time.
Jump to insightHow much does life insurance cost?
Life insurance probably isn’t as expensive as you think. Some of the life insurance companies featured on our site have term life insurance policies starting at $11 per month. Longer terms and higher payouts generally increase your monthly premiums.
Life insurance costs vary based on your age, gender, health and lifestyle.
After the age of 40, you can expect life insurance costs to increase by about 10% each year. Women often pay lower premiums than men because they tend to have longer life expectancies.
Life insurance costs also rise dramatically depending on the policy type. Alvaro in Florida said he initially paid $41.19 per month for a $10,000 policy. Within months, he learned that maintaining the same coverage would cost $81.38 per month.
» MORE: Life insurance statistics
How to choose life insurance
When comparing life insurance companies, there are several factors to consider: policy types and features, premiums, customer service and company reputation.
Policy types and features
Different companies may offer different types of policies — some with additional riders or add-on life benefits. Make sure the company you’re considering offers the type of policy you need. Also, look at the features each policy offers, such as riders for disability or critical illness.
Premiums
The cost of life insurance can vary widely between companies. Compare like-for-like policies (same term length, coverage amount, etc.) to get an accurate price comparison.
You want to do the math to make sure your policy is worth the monthly premium to avoid the situation Theresa’s aunt experienced. She said, “My 91-year-old aunt will be paying this policy, which only has a value of $5,000 until she is 95.”
She explained that the aunt had already paid $10,850 into the policy. “They do not stop it after a certain point, she will have to pay for it until the age of 95 or lose it.”
Customer service
Look for reviews and ratings about the company’s customer service. Jennifer from Florida was able to get her life insurance quote immediately and finished her application in an hour.
“The representatives were very efficient and followed through afterwards making sure that I have resources to contact if I have some questions and clarifications throughout the process,” she said.
Company reputation
Research the reputation of the insurance companies you’re considering. Look for any major complaints or legal issues and consider the company’s history and longevity in the industry. When searching for company reviews, look for reviews about the sign-up process and the claim process, since many reviewers have issues with a company once it comes time to request a payout.
What are the different types of life insurance?
There are two main types of life insurance: term life and whole life. Term life insurance typically costs less than permanent coverage and may not require a medical exam. Whole life insurance tends to cost more than term life insurance and may require a medical exam, depending on the policy type.
Term life insurance
“Term life insurance is like your auto or home insurance — it only pays out if there is a claim made,” said Keith Hawsey, principal agent at Hawsey Insurance Group.
Hawsey explained: “Term life insurance does not offer any value other than the death benefit. Many people would like to have a policy that they could get more benefits from while living, so carriers have developed ‘term life with living benefits’ that will pay out a portion of the benefit before dying when there is a loss of activities of daily living: eating, bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting and cognitive impairment.”
Additionally, term life insurance has age restrictions, with many companies limiting coverage for those 65 years or older. You can choose a 10-, 20- or 30-year term, and once that term is up, you might be able to take out another policy at a higher cost.
» MORE: What is group term life insurance?
Whole life insurance
“Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that allows the policyholder to accrue a cash value in a tax-deferred account,” said Kate Long, consumer financial wellness advocate at Assurance.
Some whole life policies require lifelong payments, while others let you pay for a limited time and keep coverage for life.
“Whole life insurance can be a good fit for risk-averse consumers who know they will have lifelong dependents, such as a child with a disability, because they protect your money with little risk and provide coverage for your entire life.”
» MORE: Types of life insurance
Pros and cons of life insurance
Having life insurance can bring peace of mind to anyone who has dependents or who just wants to ensure their loved ones aren’t burdened with unpaid bills after they’re gone. It can be expensive, though, and your beneficiaries won’t know if a company is easy to work with until they need to make a claim.
Consider these pros and cons of life insurance before signing up for a policy.
Pros
- Financial protection
- Affordability (term life insurance)
- Predictability (whole life insurance)
Cons
- Lower rate of return on cash value
- Higher premiums for older policyholders
- Complexity
FAQ
What is life insurance and how does it work?
Life insurance will cover your loved ones financially, with an agreed-upon amount of money, in the event of your death. This coverage can provide a safety net for your family, ensuring they have the necessary funds to cover bills, debts, funeral costs and living expenses.
When you sign up for life insurance, you will designate a beneficiary, a term length for the insurance (which can include the rest of your life) and the amount of the payout. If you die, the policy pays a death benefit to your designated beneficiary.
» READ MORE: How to find an unclaimed life insurance policy
Who needs life insurance?
Life insurance is beneficial for anyone who has financial dependents or obligations. The following people should consider life insurance to protect their loved ones:
- Parents with minor children: If a parent dies, the loss of their income or caregiving abilities could create financial hardship. Not only will your children and partner benefit from your life insurance payout for everyday bills like the mortgage payment, but it can also help fund future needs like college tuition.
- Adults responsible for siblings or aging parents: If you are financially responsible for siblings or aging parents, life insurance can provide for them after your death.
- Individuals who want to protect their family from costs: Even for those who are not married or don’t have children, life insurance can provide funds for your funeral or to pay off your mortgage so your family does not have to deal with selling your home while grieving.
- High-income individuals looking for a tax break: Certain types of life insurance policies come with tax advantages. For example, the death benefit is typically tax-free, and some policies offer a cash value component that can grow on a tax-deferred basis.
When should you get life insurance?
Life insurance is generally cheaper when you’re younger and healthier. It gets more and more expensive as you go through life. If you’re worried about the cost, always remember that today is the youngest you’ll ever be. Fortunately, if you are over the age of 35, it’s not too late to buy life insurance. If you are 50 or over, you can still get life insurance, but the options will be limited and it will cost more.
Can I change my life insurance policy later?
Yes, many life insurance policies allow you to adjust your coverage as your needs change. However, changes may result in higher premiums or may require a new medical exam.
How much life insurance do I need?
This depends on your circumstances. A common rule of thumb is to get coverage that's 10 times your annual income. You should also consider your debts, future expenses like college tuition for your kids and funeral costs.
» MORE: What is AD&D insurance?
Disclaimer
Information in this guide is general in nature and is intended for informational purposes only; it is not legal, health, investment or tax advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from its use.
Methodology: How we found the best life insurance companies
The ConsumerAffairs Research Team compared life insurance companies using verified customer reviews and the policy features that matter most when shopping for coverage. Reviews reflect feedback submitted to ConsumerAffairs between May 1, 2023, and April 30, 2026.
We looked at:
- Customer satisfaction with staff, coverage, customer service, sales experience and pricing
- Types of life insurance offered
- Availability of no-medical-exam policies
- Optional riders and add-on benefits
- Financial strength ratings
- Company responsiveness
How scoring works
Companies earned a score from zero to 10 for each metric.
- The top-performing company for a given metric earned a 10.
- Other companies were scored relative to that leader.
Our picks reflect the companies that scored highest across the factors we believe matter most when choosing life insurance.
Guide sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this guide include:
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “Life Insurance.” Accessed May 20, 2026.
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