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Finder’s life insurance experts spent over 500 hours analyzing quotes and policies from 100+ companies, fact-checking their approval process, age cutoffs, medical exam requirements and more. We highlight the fine print as well as each company’s strengths and downsides.
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How much does life insurance cost?
The average cost for life insurance is less than $50 a month, according to our price analysis of 14 different life insurers across different ages. For example, a $500,000, 20-year term life policy for a healthy person between ages 25 and 40 costs around $28 a month.
However, your rate depends on many factors like your age, gender, health, job or smoking habits. The coverage amount, term length and the type of policy come into play too.
Insurers weigh factors differently, which is why it’s important to compare quotes from multiple companies.
How much life insurance do I need?
Choose the right amount of coverage — known as your policy’s face value — based on your budget. When you’re doing the math, factor in:
- Income. The golden rule is to buy a policy that would replace your income and cover your family’s cost of living for five to 10 years. To do this, multiply your salary by five or 10.
- Assets. Throughout your life, you may gain assets like a house, car or 401(k) that your life insurance policy should protect. Add the value of these assets to your coverage amount.
- Financial responsibilities. Total all of your expenses now and any future expenses you can expect, including childcare or college tuition.
Life insurance quote comparison
To find the best deal on a comprehensive life insurance policy, look at coverage amounts compared to your premiums and other features that attract you to an insurer, including:
- Minimum and maximum coverage. Learn your insurance policy’s limits and what your loved ones will receive after you die. Some insurers cap coverage for specific careers and age groups.
- Age restrictions. Research whether your age will affect getting approved or whether a policy stops covering you at a specific age. Seniors may find limited insurance options.
- Policy features and riders. If your policy’s features don’t offer the flexibility you’d like, ask about riders that can customize your policy.
- No medical exam policies. You can buy coverage without taking a medical exam or with only a short health questionnaire, though this policy may cost more than standard policies.
- Combining different policies. You might buy multiple policies through one company for a cheaper rate than separate insurers, such as standalone disability income, critical illness and life insurance policies.
- Specialty policies for your job. If you encounter risks on the job, make sure a policy doesn’t exclude paying out for those situations. You could buy from insurers that specialize in your field.
Life insurance definitions
If you see insurance terminology that you don’t know, use our life insurance definitions to make sure you understand every detail about your policy.
What is life insurance and how does it work?
Life insurance offers a financial safety net to your loved ones in case you die. You pay a premium to maintain your policy, and when you die, your insurer pays out a death benefit to your beneficiaries — and they can use the money however they like. There are a few different policy types, but they all serve the same purpose: to protect your family financially if you pass away prematurely.
Who needs a life insurance policy?
If you have loved ones who depend on you financially, you most likely need life insurance. Your policy can help provide for their needs when you’re gone, which is why life insurance is important.
Those with the greatest need for life insurance are:
- People with children or other dependents
- Main income earners
- Those with cosigned debt
- Business owners
- Homeowners
- Those with medical expenses
- Wealthy individuals planning their estate
- Stay-at-home parents or partners
- Those who may need future long-term care
Take our quiz: Do you need life insurance?
How do I buy life insurance online?
1. Compare policies
Get quotes from a range of insurers to find a policy that suits your budget and needs. Once you’ve settled on a policy, choose your coverage amount and select riders.
2. Apply for coverage
Submit your personal and contact details, including income and employment information. You might have to fill out a health questionnaire or take a medical exam, too.
How do I get coverage if I have a medical condition?
Having a pre-existing condition like heart disease complicates getting life insurance, but you can find a policy. Boost your chance of getting approved:
- Explain your condition. Give the name of your condition, details about your medications and list any treatments or surgeries you’ve had.
- Request a doctor’s letter. Your insurer will ask for an Attending Physician’s Statement, so you’ll need to contact your doctor about this official letter.
- Apply with multiple insurers. Since some insurers are more lenient than others, get multiple quotes to score the cheapest rate.
- Take a medical exam to set your risk level. If your results aren’t ideal, you might apply for a no-exam policy, but brace for higher premiums.
Medical conditions that can raise your rates
Expect to pay more for coverage if you have a pre-existing condition or a family history of the following conditions:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Specific cancers — e.g. lung, skin, colon, bowel, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Parkinson’s disease
- Aneurysm
- Cardiomyopathy
- Huntington’s disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Porphyria
- Sickle cell anemia
The guidelines vary between providers. Some insurers might only hike up your rates if a parent suffers from one of those conditions (rather than a sibling). Others will charge a higher premium if your family member died prematurely from a serious disease — the diagnosis is less important. And some insurers are more lenient about mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
To find out exactly how your family history will be treated, ask the insurer when you apply for coverage.
What if you’re adopted?
If you’re adopted and don’t know your biological family’s medical history, your insurer won’t penalize you. It’ll calculate your rates based on your personal health history only.
When is life insurance paid out?
The death benefit is paid out when you die, typically as a lump sum — but you can specify paying the death benefit in installments or annuities. Your beneficiaries can use the money however they wish, including:
- Mortgage payments.
- Living expenses — like utilities or car insurance.
- Cosigned debt that won’t disappear when you die — like student loans or credit cards.
- End-of-life expenses — including funeral costs and medical bills.
- Child care.
- Long-term care — like a nursing home or medical expenses for ailing parents.
- College tuition.
Is the death benefit taxed?
No, your life insurance payout isn’t taxable income unless your estate is worth more than the federally set threshold, according to the IRS. If so, your estate will be subject to federal estate taxes. The life insurance payout is considered part of your estate.
Can I access the money before I die?
Tap into your policy while you’re alive in several ways, including:
Living benefits riders
Some insurers offer living benefits riders that offer early payments in particular cases. Types of living benefits:
- Accelerated death benefit rider. If you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness, this rider pays a portion of the death benefit.
- Critical illness rider. If you’re diagnosed with a critical but not terminal illness like heart disease or stroke, this rider pays a lump sum.
- Disability income rider. If you can’t work due to total disability, this rider will pay a monthly benefit for a set time.
- Long-term care rider. If you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness, you can use the death benefit to pay for a nursing home or similar expenses.
Cash value in permanent policies
These policies accumulate cash value over time. Once you’ve built up enough cash value, you can begin to borrow against your policy.
What are the types of life insurance I can buy?
Life insurance plans are lumped into several main types of life insurance: term, permanent, no-medical exam and group life policies.
Compare the main types of life insurance
Features like whether a policy is permanent or temporary or has fixed monthly premiums could help you decide which policy type is right for you.
| Feature | Term | Whole | Universal | Variable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifelong coverage |  |  | | |
| Requires medical exam | | | | |
| Fixed premiums | | | | |
| Builds cash value | | | | |
| Offers tax-free loans | | | | |
What is temporary life insurance?
Temporary life insurance is similar to a test drive of your insurance policy while underwriting is underway. While you’re supplying documentation and medical tests, you pay your premiums and get the coverage you’re applying for on a temporary basis. If something happens to you before your actual insurance policy is finalized and signed, your family can make a death benefit claim for the full amount of your temporary coverage.
Can anyone get temporary life insurance?
Before you’re offered TLIC, your insurer will ask you medical and health questions. If you have a disqualifying medical condition, you won’t be offered temporary coverage. Your age may also make you ineligible, depending on which insurance company you’re working with.
As with any life insurance policy, if you lie on your application, your coverage can be revoked, and your death benefit claim can be denied.
What life insurance riders can I get?
Most insurers allow you to add riders to your policy, including these popular ones:
- Conversion rider. Lets you convert term to permanent life insurance within a set time frame.
- Waiver-of-premium rider. Waives premiums if you become unemployed or fully disabled and can’t work.
- Child rider. Pays out if your child dies, and typically expires when your child gets married or turns 25.
- Return-of-premium rider. Reimburses you for premiums paid if you outlive your term life policy.
- Guaranteed insurability rider. Lets you boost coverage without another health questionnaire or medical exam.
- Cost-of-living rider. Keeps your policy’s death benefit in line with inflation.
How do I take out a life insurance policy on someone else?
It’s possible to buy life insurance for someone other than yourself. But you must meet a couple criteria first.
- You have to prove an insurable interest. Insurable interest is the possibility that you’ll suffer a financial loss if the person you’re insuring dies. For example, if you rely on your parents for financial support, you could take out a policy on them.
- You must have permission. The other person has to give you written approval allowing you to take out the policy. This might be in the form of key man insurance, for example, where a company insures its CEO after getting permission.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to buy directly or through a broker?
Both brokers and agents work on behalf of insurers to sell you a life insurance policy, but they have a few differences:
Buying from a broker
- Open to various insurers, offering a wide variety of products.
- Can flex their market knowledge to find coverage that suits your circumstances.
- Can offer advice on the type of life insurance or annuities you need, evaluating your situation.
- May offer higher coverage levels and stronger features due to shopping the market.
Buying from an insurance company
- Limited to one insurer’s products, though with expertise to talk about them in detail.
- May let you sign up online or by phone with immediate conditional approval.
- Online companies may offer faster approvals.
Guide to life insurance agents
What if I already have life insurance through work?
Group life insurance is a solid employee benefit but may be capped at small amounts like $100,000, leaving you underinsured. Group policies may not let you keep your coverage if you change jobs either.
How do I adjust my coverage level?
Some policies allow you to increase or decrease your coverage. Variable life, universal life and variable universal life are permanent policies that give you the freedom to change your coverage amount, but this will also affect the death benefit. Decreasing term life insurance lowers the death benefit gradually as you age, which is ideal for those who know they’ll pay down their debt over time.
Read more on this topic
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- VA life insurance
VA life insurance might be a good fit for veterans with health problems, or heavy tobacco users — but healthy veterans may be better off looking elsewhere.
- Should I apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
This federal long-term disability insurance program is free, but it comes with many eligibility requirements.
- What medical conditions qualify for disability insurance?
A list of medical conditions covered under short-term, long-term and Social Security disability insurance.
- How do life estate deeds work?
Life estate deeds allow you to transfer your property to beneficiaries while you’re still alive.
- How does disability insurance with child support work?
You could reduce your child support payments while on disability, though payouts count as income.
- Best burial insurance
These 6 life insurance companies offer the best policies to pay for funerals and final expenses.
- How to pay for a funeral with life insurance
How the death benefit can help to cover the costs of your funeral and burial.