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Best life insurance for people who play sports
Athletes can find a winning policy with these 5 life insurance companies.
People who enjoy playing sports are typically healthier and in better shape than people who don’t. However, life insurance companies consider athletes a higher risk than people who simply exercise.
When it comes to buying a life insurance policy, many providers shy away from insuring athletes. Fortunately, you can get coverage with some companies that are more lenient when it comes to sports — but expect to pay a slightly higher premium than you would if you stayed on the sidelines.
The 5 best life insurance providers for people who play sports
The following five life insurance companies stand above the rest when it comes to underwriting leniency for sports and competitive rates.
- Best overall life insurance company for sports: Prudential
- Best for extreme sports and other high-risk activities: Mutual of Omaha
- Best for people okay with exclusions: Principal
- Best for people wanting to give back: Foresters
- Best if you have a health condition: Legal & General
Best overall life insurance company for sports: Prudential
Prudential is a financially strong insurer with classifications that serve many types of people — including athletes. Prudential offers a variety of plans, but its specialty is term life insurance. Outside of its more lenient underwriting standards, Prudential also has a number of riders to customize your policy with.
Best for extreme sports and other high-risk activities: Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha doesn’t officially specialize in life insurance for extreme sports and high-risk activities, but you’d be forgiven for thinking that. Its competitive rates and lax underwriting guidelines allows most thrill seekers to buy a policy, regardless of sport or hobby. It also offers permanent life insurance, including a guaranteed issue whole life policy that functions as final expense coverage.
Best for people okay with exclusions: Principal
Principal takes a different approach to people involved in sports and high-risk hobbies by excluding those activities. You’ll have coverage the rest of the time, but your benefit won’t be paid out if you passed away while playing the sport or due to an injury from it. The benefit of this is Principal won’t charge you higher rates for being involved in those activities.
Best for people wanting to give back: Foresters
Foresters Financial will contribute an amount of its own money equal to 1% of your death benefit to the charity of your choice if you pass away while the policy is in force.
Foresters offers standard term life insurance options and has lenient underwriting guidelines that mean it’s easier to get a policy if you play sports. It also offers various member benefits, such as discounts on financial and legal services, emergency grants and terminal illness loans.
Best if you have a medical condition: Bestow
Have a pre-existing condition from being active like tennis elbow or knee pain? You can get a quote and sign up online without getting a medical exam, plus enjoy some of the best rates and high maximums on term life insurance for no-exam policies. However, you won’t be able to get a policy if you’re over 55 or live in New York state.
How we picked the best providers
Our writers and editors are committed to being objective and empowering our readers to make educated decisions.
When analyzing life insurance providers, we assess the insurer’s reputation in the industry, as well as its product lineup, rider selection and underwriting standards. To determine industry reputation, our editorial team researches each company’s financial strength, accreditations and ratings, and reads customer reviews.
Financial ratings for the providers we reviewed
The financial strength of a life insurance company helps determine its ability to quickly pay out claims. Financially strong mutual companies can also pay out dividends to permanent life insurance policyholders, though these are never guaranteed.
| Agency | Prudential | Mutual of Omaha | Principal | Foresters | Legal & General |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.M. Best | A+ | A+ | A+ | A | A+ |
| Moody’s | Aa3 | A1 | A1 | N/A | N/A |
| Standard & Poor’s | AA- | AA- | A+ | N/A | AA- |
| Fitch | AA- | N/A | AA- | N/A | AA- |
| J.D. Power | 3 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 | 3 out of 5 | N/A | N/A |
Customer reviews
We looked to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to help us determine customer service levels and find customer reviews for each life insurance provider. Ratings and reviews reflect each company as a whole, not solely its life insurance component.
| Provider | BBB rating | Customer reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Prudential | D- | 1 out of 5 stars |
| Mutual of Omaha | A+ | 2 out of 5 stars |
| Foresters | A+ | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Principal | A+ | 1 out of 5 stars |
| Legal & General | A+ | N/A |
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Bottom line
Playing sports can make finding affordable life insurance more difficult than it should be with many providers, but it’s not impossible. Try getting a quote from life insurance companies that have more lenient underwriting guidelines and consider asking to exclude coverage relating to injuries caused while playing your sport, if you’re comfortable with that.
Before deciding on a life insurance provider, be sure to check out our list of the overall best life insurance providers.
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