9 Best Life Insurance Companies of 2023

Why you should trust us: Life insurance reviews at Money are based on our comprehensive insurance knowledge and meticulous analysis of company data from authoritative channels. To determine the best option for each category, we thoroughly evaluated 20+ life insurance companies while looking at numerous criteria. These criteria were tailored to the specific attributes of each insurance company, ensuring a comprehensive and well-informed assessment. Our dedication to this research process encompassed numerous hours of investigation and, even more, creating this informative guide to equip readers with the most insightful information.

Selecting the right life insurance company is a pivotal decision that impacts the financial security and well-being of you and your loved ones. We recognize the gravity of this choice, and our mission is to empower you with the knowledge you need to make an informed selection.

You can read more to learn about each company's operations and what fits your life insurance needs and circumstances best.

Our Top Picks for Best Life Insurance Companies

• State Farm - Best Overall
• Bestow - Best No-Exam Life Insurance
• Ethos - Best for Same-Day Coverage
• Policygenius - Best Online Life Insurance Broker
• Haven Life - Best Term Life Insurance
• Ladder - Best for Flexible Coverage
• New York Life - Best Whole Life Insurance
• Nationwide - Best for Bundling Discounts
• Northwestern Mutual - Best for Policy Customization

Best Life Insurance Companies Reviews

To pare down our list of the best life insurance companies, we evaluated 23 life insurance carriers and brokers based on factors such as coverage options and riders, price, application process, customer satisfaction and financial strength. Our analysis determined the best company overall is State Farm, which excels in several of our criteria.

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: State farm is our choice for the best life insurance company overall because of its excellent reputation for customer service and outstanding record for financial stability.

State Farm is a leading insurance company and one that holds excellent financial strength and customer satisfaction ratings. In 2022, for the third year in a row, J.D. Power named State Farm the top company in its U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study, which measures overall satisfaction based on responses from almost 6,000 customers.

Additionally, State Farm has an A++ (superior) rating from AM Best — the highest rating possible — indicating its financial stability. It's also received fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size.

State Farm sells term policies (10, 20 or 30 years), plus whole and universal life insurance policies. Although most of its plans require medical exams, it does have some no exam options.

Read our full State Farm Life Insurance review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: We chose Bestow as the best life insurance company for no-exam life insurance coverage because it issues term life policies quicker and easier than others on the market. Bestow policies offer an unusually high death benefit for policies that don’t require a medical examination.

Bestow is our choice for individuals who want life insurance coverage without the hassle of completing a medical exam. The company only sells term insurance policies and you can purchase up to $1.5 million in coverage from the comfort of your home. The company claims you can get a quote and purchase your policy within minutes.

Instead of a medical exam, Bestow uses your personal information and medical history, hobbies and lifestyle to determine your eligibility for this type of coverage and life insurance rates.

The company’s policies are issued by top-rated insurer North American Company for Life and Health Insurance or by Bestow Life Insurance Company. Additionally, life insurance from Bestow is now sold through Lemonade’s app and website.

Read our full Bestow Life Insurance review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: Ethos is our pick as the best life insurance company for same-day coverage because it accommodates a wide range of potential applicants. Even people who struggled to qualify for insurance in the past have success.

With the use of proprietary technology, Ethos has simplified its application and underwriting processes so that most applicants can get life insurance coverage the same day they apply.

Ethos offers 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-year term life policies to applicants between the ages of 20 and 65. Coverage amounts range from $20,000 to $2 million, yet the amount you qualify for will vary. Most applicants don't have to undergo a medical exam.

Those between the ages of 65 and 85 automatically qualify for guaranteed issue whole life policies — with no medical exam required, regardless of their medical history. Coverage amounts range from $10,000 to $25,000. While these policies don’t have a waiting period, they offer graded benefits for the first two years of coverage. This means that if you died within two years of your policy's effective date, your beneficiaries would receive 100% of the premiums you paid plus 30%. This does not apply to accidental deaths.

Policies sold by Ethos are issued by the following carriers:

• Legal & General America: Term, fully underwritten and simplified issue term life

• TrueStage via CMFG Life Group: No-exam term life and whole life

• Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.: Term and simplified issue term life

• Mutual of Omaha: Accidental death insurance with guaranteed coverage

Read our full Ethos Life Insurance full review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: We chose Policygenius as the best online life insurance broker because it offers one-stop access to policies from a wide range of partners, including some of the best life insurance brands mentioned on our list. Unlike some other comparison sites, this one pledges not to sell your information to third parties.

Policygenius is an online insurance broker that offers life, home, auto and disability insurance.

Quickly obtain a premium estimate by entering basic personal information. When you’re ready to explore policies in-depth, provide additional details to compare rates from various insurers.

The range of term life insurance policies is extensive, ranging from 10 to 40 years in 5-year increments. Policygenius also offers whole, universal and no-exam policies.

It maintains an extensive library of educational resources for those new to life insurance. If you need additional help choosing a policy or coverage amount, PolicyGenius’ licensed insurance agents can give you personalized assistance over the phone.

Read our full Policygenius review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: Haven Life is our choice as the best life insurance company for term life policies because it offers up to $3 million in coverage — higher than the average. It also offers additional perks such as online will and estate planning services.

Haven Life offers 10-, 15-, 20-, 25- and 30-year term policies with coverage amounts ranging from $25,000 to $3 million. These policies are underwritten by MassMutual or C.M. Life (a subsidiary of MassMutual), which have superior financial strength ratings.

Haven Life offers two types of term life insurance policies: Haven Term and Haven Simple. Haven Term includes Haven Life Plus, a rider that provides access to an online service to create a will or trust, fitness and sleep tracking apps and an online storage vault for important documents. The availability of additional riders varies.

Applicants up to 64 years old can get up to $3 million of coverage through Haven Term. Haven Simple, a simplified issue policy that doesn't require a medical exam, is only available to applicants ages 20 to 55. These policies are available in 5, 10-, 15-, and 20-year terms with coverage from $25,000 to $1 million.

Read our full Haven Life Insurance review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: We picked Ladder as the best life insurance company for flexible coverage because it allows you to increase or decrease your coverage as your needs change. Additionally, premiums start at just $5 per month, so you can purchase a life insurance policy even if you’re on a tight budget.

While Ladder exclusively offers term life insurance if you're 20-60 years old, we’ve found it to be the best insurer for those seeking flexible, affordable coverage. By completing a simple 3-step online application, policyholders can access up to $3 million in coverage. Ladder doesn't charge cancellation fees, so you can cancel your coverage at any time, with no strings attached.

Read our full Ladder Life Insurance review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: We picked New York Life as the best life insurance company for whole life coverage because it offers various permanent policies. Its term life policy also includes the option to convert to permanent coverage down the road.

New York Life is one of the best companies for those seeking permanent coverage. Besides a term-to-permanent conversion option, it also sells several types of permanent policies: whole, universal and variable universal life. While more costly, these policies build cash value in addition to providing a death benefit. You can also customize your coverage through several add-ons, including an accidental death benefit rider, a chronic care rider and a living benefits rider.

New York Life has a solid reputation and underwrites AARP’s life insurance program. Plus, since it’s a mutual insurance company, its policyholders own part of the company's shares. Depending on the type of policy you have, you may be eligible to receive dividends.

One potential drawback, however, is that New York Life doesn’t provide quotes online. For details on its policies and rates, you have to work with an agent.

Read our full New York Life Insurance review

*Sample pricing based on a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health for a $500,000 20-year term-life policy. Your rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Why we chose it: We chose Nationwide as the best life insurance company for bundling discounts because it’s relatively rare to get a break on your life insurance rates by bundling it with policies. It writes term, whole life, variable and universal policies, and has several optional riders you can use to adjust your policy to your needs.

Nationwide is a leading insurance company in the U.S. It has high ratings from third parties like AM Best, which rates financial stability, and J.D. Power, which scores customer satisfaction.

Read our full Nationwide Life Insurance review

*Northwestern Mutual does not provide quotes online. You must consult an advisor to get an estimate.

Why we chose it: Northwestern Mutual is our pick for the best life insurance company for policy customization because it offers more riders than most insurers, allowing you to customize your policy as much as you like. Insurance riders allow you to get coverage for loved ones, access your benefits under special circumstances or even waive your premiums if you become ill.

Like most national insurers, Northwestern Mutual offers a variety of life insurance products, including term, whole, universal and variable universal life insurance.

As a mutual company, it also pays dividends to policyholders. If you purchase insurance through the company, you could be eligible for annual dividend payments.

Northwestern Mutual is a reputable company that is usually listed at the top of the life insurance industry rankings. It ranks 8th out of 21 companies in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study and, according to NAIC data, has received fewer complaints than other companies of its size.

Read our full Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance review

Other life insurance companies we considered

We evaluated life insurance vendors and companies based on customer service, product offering, simplicity of underwriting, ability to pay claims on time and high ratings.

The following companies have competitive offerings but aren't among our top picks because they didn't excel in one of several of our criteria.

Lemonade

Lemonade offers term life insurance with no medical exam. Customers can complete the full online application in around five minutes and purchase 10- to 30-year term policies with up to 1.5 million in coverage. Policyholders must download Lemonade’s mobile app to manage their policy, submit claims and access customer service.

Why Lemonade didn’t make the cut: The company is not among our top picks because it has limited insurance offerings and its website lacks information about riders and policies.

MassMutual

MassMutual’s insurance portfolio includes term and permanent life insurance, including a term life policy that can be purchased online. Customers can also convert their term life insurance to a permanent policy without a medical exam. MassMutual features a life insurance calculator to help prospective clients assess their insurance needs.

Why MassMutual didn’t make the cut: Unlike other insurers in our top picks, this company provides limited optional riders to enhance or modify coverage.

Guardian Life

Guardian Life's insurance portfolio includes term, whole and universal life policies. Those interested in a term life policy can get an online quote on Guardian Life’s website, but they must contact an agent or provider to purchase a policy or get quotes for permanent life insurance.

Why Guardian Life didn’t make the cut: Unlike our top life insurance companies, Guardian offers few optional riders, and its website provides very little information about policies.

USAA

USAA offers two term life insurance policies and three permanent options. Policies start at $12 a month and, depending on the policy type, USAA may offer up to $10 million in coverage. Additionally, as a policyholder, you get free assistance for your survivors along with the option for disability protection and simplified whole life coverage for your children.

Why USAA didn’t make the cut: The company provides few details about available riders and cash value policies on its website. To learn more, you must speak to a USAA representative over the phone.

Life Insurance Guide

Table of Contents

• What is life insurance?
• How to compare life insurance policies
• How to purchase life insurance
• Cost of life insurance
• What’s the best place to get life insurance quotes?
• What’s the difference between term, whole and universal life insurance policies?

To compare life insurance policies efficiently and make better-informed decisions, it's important to understand how life insurance works and know the difference between types of life insurance policies.

What is life insurance?

Life insurance is a contract between a policyholder and an insurer, in which the insurer guarantees to pay a sum of money to the life insurance beneficiary upon the policyholder's death. This sum of money, known as the death benefit, is funded by premium payments made by the policyholder throughout their lifetime.

How to compare life insurance policies

Here are some steps to follow when shopping around for life insurance and comparing policies:

1. Understand how different types of life insurance policies work: Your first step should be to learn about the differences between term versus whole life insurance. Term life could be a good option if you fit the following profile. You're relatively young and healthy and looking to replace your income for a specified period, such as the duration of your mortgage or your children's school years. If you need lifetime coverage, want your investment to grow over time and can afford higher premiums, a permanent life insurance policy could be right for you.

2. Choose a policy term: If you're sold on term life insurance, your next step should be to choose a life insurance term length. To do that, consider how long you need to provide for your dependents and the duration of other financial obligations like student loans and mortgage payments. The longer the term, the higher your premium, so account for that as well.

3. Determine how much coverage you need: Calculate how much life insurance you really need to replace your income for your dependents. Factor in your final expenses, potential lifestyle changes (like moving) and hidden income (like benefits). Then, subtract other potential sources of income for your loved ones (like Social Security benefits) and account for inflation.

4. Shop for quotes: Once you've decided on a type of policy and coverage amount, get life insurance quotes from several different companies. Insurers price risk differently, so you could get widely different estimates based on your age, gender, health and lifestyle.

5. Make an apples-to-apples comparison: Ensure you're evaluating policies on equal grounds by getting quotes for the same type of policy, term length (if applicable) and coverage amount. You should also account for unique policy features or benefits, optional riders and discounts. Lastly, consider the insurers' reputation for customer service and financial stability.

How to Purchase Life Insurance

Once you've chosen a policy and shopped for quotes, consider how you want to purchase life insurance. You can buy some types of policies online — particularly term, no-exam and guaranteed-issue ones — but applying for certain types of permanent coverage may require speaking with an insurance agent.

Alternatively, doing business with an insurance broker could save you some legwork, as they can help you compare different life insurance options.

Before going through with the purchase, however, thoroughly evaluate the insurance company to ensure it aligns with your specific requirements. Also, consider speaking to a financial advisor regarding your personal finance goals before making a final decision.

How to choose the best life insurance company for you

When searching for the best life insurer, consider the following factors.

Policy types

Not every company offers both term and permanent life insurance plans. Newer insurers offering coverage you purchase entirely online may offer only term life and guaranteed-issue policies.

Application process

Some life insurance companies offer a fully online process. Others require you to work with an agent during the underwriting process.

Medical exam requirements

Depending on the type of policy and carrier you choose, you may need to undergo a medical exam. Some, but not all, companies offer no-exam life insurance.

Riders

Insurance policies can be modified with additional benefits known as riders. Some companies include riders in the cost of the policy, while others sell them separately. However, the availability of riders varies by company, and some don't offer any.

Coverage

Minimum and maximum coverage amounts can vary significantly from one insurance company to another.

Pricing

Again, since insurance companies price risk differently, you could get widely different premiums depending on the insurance you choose to do business with. With that in mind, it's always best to compare rates from various companies before committing to a policy.

Company reputation

Make sure you're doing business with a reputable company that's on strong financial footing and is known for its excellent customer service.

For insights into the financial strength of most U.S. life insurance companies, consult AM Best. For customer reviews (complaints included), look to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the American Customer Satisfaction Index and the latest J.D. Power Individual Life Insurance Study.

Cost of Life Insurance

According to LIMRA's 2022 Life Insurance Barometer Study, more than half of Americans believe the cost of life insurance is three times higher than it actually is. This common misconception can leave families in financial hardship upon the death of their primary breadwinner.

In reality, life insurance costs vary widely depending on a number of variables. Besides the type of policy, coverage amount and term length you select, factors such as your sex, age, health history, occupation and even your lifestyle and hobbies can influence your premiums.

People who drink, smoke or participate in high risk activities like skydiving or rock climbing will cost more to insure. The same applies to applicants with chronic health conditions or dangerous jobs such as fishers, roofers or construction workers.

Below you’ll find sample rates from multiple insurance companies in the U.S. We obtained some of this information directly from company representatives and/or rate calculators featured on the carriers' websites.

Disclaimer: The following are sample rates for a 35-year-old female or male in excellent health. Your own rate will depend on your age, health and sex, among other factors.

Term life insurance - $500,000 policy

Permanent Life Insurance - $250,000 policy

Most common reasons life insurance won’t pay out

Life insurance carriers may withhold the death benefit from your beneficiaries in the following circumstances:

• You withheld information or lied in your insurance application regarding your health, family history, hobbies or upcoming travel plans.

• You die by suicide within one to three years of getting the policy and there’s a suicide clause in place.

• You die participating in a risky hobby for which there’s an exclusion clause.

• You’re murdered by someone who is a designated beneficiary in the policy.

• Your death took place during the policy’s contestability period.

What’s the best place to get life insurance quotes?

You can get life insurance quotes directly from insurance companies. In fact, most of the companies in our top picks offer online life insurance quotes. However, that will entail doing the legwork yourself if you plan to compare quotes from multiple insurers (which we highly recommend).

Alternatively, you can look for an independent life insurance agent or broker who can help you compare policies from different carriers. An insurance marketplace like Policygenius could also be a great alternative if you'd rather explore products and compare premiums yourself.

If you have questions, our picks for the best life insurance companies have insurance agents available to help by phone. For example, if you are a transgender or non-binary person, an agent can better help you navigate the application process. They can also help you choose riders and identify discounts for which you may qualify.

What Is the Difference Between Term, Whole and Universal Life Insurance Policies?

Life Insurance Glossary

What is a policyholder?

The policyholder is the person who purchased the life insurance policy. For individual life insurance, the policyholder and the insured are one and the same. If you have a group policy through your employer, you are the insured and your employer is the policyholder.

What is a beneficiary?

The beneficiary is the person, organization or charity that receives the life insurance payout or death benefit.

What is a primary beneficiary?

The primary beneficiary is the person, persons or entity with the first claim over the death benefit. You can designate more than one primary beneficiary and choose what percentage of the total payout each will receive.

What is a contingent beneficiary?

The contingent beneficiary is a backup beneficiary who will receive the death benefit if the primary beneficiary dies before the insured or cannot be found. You can also select more than one contingent beneficiary or choose an entity or organization.

What is a death benefit?

The death benefit is the amount the beneficiaries receive from a life insurance policy if the insured died when the policy was in effect.

What is an accelerated death benefit?

The term accelerated death benefit refers to a policy provision or rider that allows the policyholder to access a portion of the death benefit while they’re still living. While specific requirements and qualifying conditions vary by insurer, you must generally be diagnosed with a terminal illness or serious chronic condition to trigger this benefit.

What is survivorship life insurance?

Survivorship policies insure two people. The death benefit is paid out to the beneficiaries only when both of the insured have died.

What is insurance underwriting?

Insurance companies use underwriting guidelines to determine how much your policy will cost based on your health issues and family history, among other factors. They do so by classifying policyholders into risk pools. The higher the risk, the higher the premium.

What is the cash value of a life insurance policy?

Permanent life insurance policies (e.g. whole or universal life insurance) accrue cash value as you pay premiums. Once you have built enough cash value, you can borrow against your policy or use the funds to cover premium payments or purchase additional coverage. If you borrow against your policy and fail to repay the loan in full before your death, the amount you owe will be deducted from the death benefit.

What is the cost of insurance (COI)?

The COI is a charge or rate that applies to certain types of life insurance, particularly universal life. It's the minimum premium amount that must be paid to fund the death benefit and keep the policy active, and generally includes mortality costs, administrative fees and other expenses.

What is a rider in insurance?

Riders, also called endorsements or add-ons, are provisions that can be added to a policy to augment or modify coverage. They generally increase the cost of a policy and, in most cases, must be opted into. Examples of common life insurance riders include accelerated death benefit, accidental death benefit, chronic illness, long-term care and return of premium.

What is a disclaimer?

In life insurance, a disclaimer refers to the act of disclaiming the proceeds of a policy. This happens when a beneficiary declines to receive or fails to claim the death benefit. In such cases, the death benefit goes to the remaining beneficiaries. If there are no other beneficiaries, the death benefit goes to the insured's estate.

What is a contestability period?

The first two years of your policy. The life insurance company can review your policy during this period of time and refuse to pay a claim if they find out the insured has committed fraud.

Latest Life Insurance News

Between beneficiaries and annuity holders, United States life insurance companies paid out a record $200 billion in 2021, according to the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). The ACLI also reported that, in the same year, close to 46 million life insurance policies were purchased. That’s a 6% increase from 2020, with coverage overall exceeding $21 trillion.

While term life insurance and permanent life insurance are the most well-known types of policies, life insurance is not a monolith.

Some customers may benefit from specialized products, such as disability insurance, which offers financial protection if you cannot work due to a severe illness or injury. Another is Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance, often offered as a rider (supplemental coverage) with existing life insurance coverage.

(LTC) insurance is another specialized insurance product worth looking into. It provides coverage for extended care services not typically covered by health insurance or Medicare. In light of the rising costs of care, and given that most of us will require long-term care in our lifetime, LTC insurance can be a good investment for those looking to afford long-term care services later in life.

How We Chose The Best Life Insurance Companies

Our methodology for creating our Best Life Insurance Companies list includes the following factors:

• The ability to pay claims on time

• Customer experience and product offerings

• Financial strength ratings as reported by credit rating agencies like AM Best

• Customer satisfaction ratings as reported by J.D. Power in the latest U.S. Life Insurance Satisfaction Study

• The number of complaints regarding their individual life insurance policies, based on National Association of Insurance (NAIC) data

• Their selection of insurance plans and related products

• The simplicity of the underwriting process

We also interviewed representatives from companies as part of our research process. However, while we always try to include accurate and up-to-date information on regulatory and legal actions, we don’t claim this information is complete or fully up to date. Rates are subject to change. As always, we recommend you do your own research as well.

Summary of Money’s Best Life Insurance Companies of 2023

• State Farm - Best Overall
• Bestow - Best No-Exam Life Insurance
• Ethos - Best for Same-Day Coverage
• Policygenius - Best Online Life Insurance Broker
• Haven Life - Best Term Life Insurance
• Ladder - Best for Flexible Coverage
• New York Life - Best Whole Life Insurance
• Nationwide - Best for Bundling Discounts
• Northwestern Mutual - Best for Policy Customization