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Fabric life insurance review 2020
Apply for term life insurance or an accidental death policy in five minutes.
finder.com’s rating: 4.0 / 5.0
★★★★★
Get a quote if…
- You’re looking for a simple term life policy, or want to buy accidental death insurance right now.
Pick something else if…
- You have complex life insurance needs, or if you live in Montana.
25 to 60
Issue Age
$100,000 to $5,000,000
Coverage
No
Medical Exam Required
Details
| Free Quote | Online |
|---|---|
| Insurance Products | Term (w/ option to convert to Whole), Accidental death |
| Issue Age | 25 to 60 |
| Coverage Amount | $100,000 to $5,000,000 |
| Term Lengths | 10, 15, or 20 years |
| Cost | As low as $6 a month for Accidental Death insurance |
| Medical Exam Required | No |
| Ways To File A Claim | Sending a message to Fabric's support team |
| Ratings, Accreditation and Memberships | A.M. Best: A+, BBB: A+ |
| State Availability | Available in all states except NY, CA and MT |
| Customer Service Options | Online |
Expert review
Review by
Katia Iervasi
katia.iervasi@finder.comKatia Iervasi is a writer from Sydney, Australia. Her writing — and curiosity — has taken her around the world, and she now calls New York home. With a journalistic eye for detail, she navigates insurance and finance for Finder, so you can splash your cash smartly (and be a pro when the subject pops up at dinner parties).
Expert review
Fabric’s platform is innovative and easy to use — but it has its limitations. If you have complicated life insurance needs, or want to enhance your policy with riders, it may be too simple for you.
What types of life insurance does Fabric offer?
This online-only insurer has two life insurance products. All policies are issued by Vantis Life Insurance Company.
Fabric Instant
This accidental death policy is available for those aged between 25 and 50, and coverage terminates when the policyholder turns 60. It’s a month-to-month product, so you can end your coverage at any time.
The policies are issued instantly, without a medical exam.
Fabric Instant only pays out a death benefit if you die accidentally. You won’t receive anything if you’re paralyzed or lose a limb, your hearing or sight as a result of an accident.
Fabric Premium
This is a 10, 15 or 20-year term life insurance policy. In most states, you can purchase Fabric Premium right away. But if you live in California or New York, you’ll need to buy Fabric Instant first. Once you’re approved for Fabric Premium, the insurer will cancel your Fabric Instant policy. If your application is rejected, you’ll still be covered for accidental death.
Fabric’s term life insurance policy is open to those between the ages of 25 and 60. You can purchase between $100,000 and $5 million in coverage, in increments of $50,000.
The premiums stay the same for the life of the policy.
Unlike the accidental death policy, Fabric Premium is medically underwritten. You’ll need to complete a long-form application, and most likely undergo a medical exam. Young, healthy applicants may be able to skip the exam in favor of a phone interview. Fabric also offers a no-exam policy, with coverage up to $1 million.
You can increase your coverage at any time by contacting Fabric. If you want permanent protection, you have the option to convert to a whole life policy with Vantis Life Insurance Company.
What riders can I add to my life insurance policy?
At this time, you can’t add any riders to your policy.
How much does Fabric life insurance cost?
It depends on the type of insurance you’re applying for.
- Fabric Instant
The rates are the same for all applicants.You’ll pay $6 a month for $100,000 in coverage, $15 a month for $250,000, and $30 a month for $500,000.These prices are pretty competitive — keep in mind that Fabric doesn’t cover accidental dismemberment. - Fabric Premium
Since the term life policies are medically underwritten, the rates vary. The rate you’re offered reflects your age, health, lifestyle, occupation and hobbies, as well as where you live.Let’s say you’re a 35-year old nonsmoking female living in Illinois. You can expect to pay $14.55 a month for a $250,000, 20-year term life policy, according to Fabric’s online pricing tool as of April 2019.
How do I get a low rate?
For Fabric Premium, underwriters assess the following factors:
- Tobacco use. To reach Fabric’s Ultra Select rate class, you’ll need to prove you haven’t touched tobacco within the last five years.
- Age. Young, healthy applicants tend to pay lower premiums.
- Driving record. To score a cheaper rate, your recent driving record must be free of moving violations, DUIs and reckless driving.
- Health. The insurer records your cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI and family medical history, and usually charges higher rates when there’s a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, melanoma, strokes or diabetes.
- Occupation. People with dangerous jobs may pay higher premiums.
- Hazardous lifestyle. Fabric favors applicants with low-risk lifestyles. If you spend your free time scuba diving, skydiving or race car driving, you’ll probably be charged a higher rate.
- Alcohol and drug use. To enter the top-rate tiers, you must have no history of alcohol or drug abuse or treatment within the past 10 years.
Pros and cons of Fabric life insurance
Pros
- Quick online application. Fabric claims the application takes five minutes or less to complete.
- Guaranteed approval for Fabric Instant. The accidental death policy is issued instantly.
- Ability to upgrade to a permanent policy. If you have Fabric Premium, you can convert to a whole life policy with Vantis Life Insurance Company at any time.
- Excellent customer service. Fabric is praised for its prompt and efficient customer service.
- Flexibility with the medical exam. Some term life applicants can forgo the medical exam.
- Bonus features. The site offers Fabric Wills, a free will-writing tool, as well as Fabric Vault to help couples to consolidate their finances.
- Credit card payments. Unlike many major insurers, Fabric allows you to pay your premium with a credit card.
- Fabric app. The insurer has app that allows user to apply for a policy, create a free will, and store important financial information and documents. It’s available on the App Store, and the Android-compatible app is in development.
- Financial strength. Fabric’s policies are underwritten by Vantis Life Insurance Company, which boasts an A+ (Excellent) rating with AM Best and is wholly owned by Penn Mutual, a mutual life insurance company established in 1847. This illustrates its ability to pay out claims.
Cons
- Not nationwide. Fabric’s policies aren’t available in Montana.
- Restricted coverage. You can’t customize your term life policy with riders, and the accidental death policy doesn’t pay out a benefit for dismemberment or paralysis.
- Age limits. If you’re over 60 years old, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
- Short support window. There’s only one way to contact the Fabric team: live chat. It’s active from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
Compare life insurance companies like Fabric
Fabric life insurance reviews and complaints
Fabric is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating for its service and interaction. To date, the BBB has recorded 0 complaints. The company acts as a middleman between its underwriter and customers. Vantis Life Insurance Company issues the policies, and has been in the life insurance business for 77 years. The insurer is also accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and holds an A+ rating.
On TrustPilot, Fabric has a five-star rating based on over 1,200 reviews. Customers commented on the fast, simple application, and the fact that some policies can be issued instantly. They also appreciated Fabric’s added-value features, such as the free will-writing tool and the ability to send your beneficiaries a breakdown of your policy.
Since launching in 2017, Fabric has received a lot of positive press attention for its easy-to-use platform.
How does Fabric protect my data?
The company only discloses your information to third parties for legitimate business purposes, or as required by law. It encrypts and backs up your data, and protects it with layers of security software, such as strict routers and firewalls. Fabric uses multi-factor authentication, and all employees undergo security operations training.
How do I sign up?
Applying is as easy as filling in an online application.
These are the steps:
- Go to the Fabric website.
- On the right-hand navbar, click Life insurance.
- Press Get started.
- Select your Age and Gender. Click Next.
- Outline your family situation and tap Next.
- Answer questions about your health, tobacco use and whether you have life insurance coverage. Press Next.
- A list of coverage options will pop up, Choose the policy that suits your needs and budget. Click Next.
- Fill out the form with your personal and contact information.
- Enter your beneficiary’s name and payment information.
I’ve signed up. What happens next?
Accidental death policies are issued instantly. If you applied for a standard term life policy, Vantis Life Insurance Company will assess and make a decision about your application. The turnaround time varies from case to case, but typically, you can expect your policy to take effect in three to four weeks.
If you opted for a no-medical exam, you may qualify for up to $1 million in coverage without needing to take another medical exam or answer questions about your health. Fabric uses complex algorithms to assess your riskiness first, and then sends some applications to Vantis to be reviewed by underwriters.
More about Fabric life insurance
Fabric is a fintech startup that was founded in 2017 by Adam Erlebacher and Steven Surgnier. Based in New York, it was designed with new parents and millennials in mind. It aims to simplify the process of buying life insurance by doing away with agents and offering a straightforward, online application.
The startup is backed by the financial strength of Vantis Life Insurance Company, which is part of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company.
While Fabric life insurance may be have a quick and easy application process, make sure to weigh your options by comparing providers and policies.
Frequently asked questions
Life insurance ratings
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★★★★★ — Poor
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