Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.
Policygenius life insurance review 2021
Calculate the coverage you need, compare rates from 13 companies and buy a policy — all on one site.
finder.com's rating: 3.5 / 5
★★★★★
- Get a quote if… you want to compare quotes from multiple insurers online.
- Choose a different service if… you want to work with an insurer directly.
18 to 85
Issue Age
$50,000 to $10,000,000
Coverage
Depends on provider and policy
Medical Exam Required
Details
| Policies | Term, Whole, Universal, Quality of Life, Variable |
|---|---|
| Coverage maximum | $10,000,000 |
| Term lengths | 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years |
| Medical exam required | Depends on provider and policy |
| Available states | All 50 states |
| Issue age | 18 - 85 years old |
Pros
- Allows you to compare several policies you could be eligible for using a two-minute quote form
- Offers a calculator that lets you get an idea of just how much life insurance you need
- Guides you through the application process with its customer support team
- No need to give up identifying information to get a quote
Cons
- Online quotes aren’t always available for all providers
- The methodology behind which companies are suggested isn’t clearly provided
- It’s not clear which types of life insurance the quotes are for outside of the basic term and whole life
| Riders |
Accelerated death benefit rider Accidental death benefit rider Child rider Critical illness benefit rider Guaranteed insurability rider Long-term-care rider Return-of-premium rider Spouse rider Term insurance rider Waiver-of-premium rider |
|---|
Review by
Rhys Subitch
rhys.subitch@finder.comRhys Subitch is the loans editor at Finder, guiding Americans toward smart borrowing decisions. With over half a decade of experience researching, editing and writing for a Fortune 500 company, university and several independent publications, Rhys brings readers the most up-to-date and curated info in the lending sphere. They make frequent appearances on Finder's YouTube channel to talk through loan topics that range from the very basics to the latest government assistance programs. Before specializing in lending, Rhys was a personal finance writer for Finder’s credit cards, insurance, banking and mortgage verticals. They hold a BA in sociology and a certificate in editing from the University of Washington, Seattle.
Expert review
As an online life insurance broker, Policygenius makes it easy to compare policies and rates from multiple life insurance companies at once. You can also apply for a policy directly through the site, and the service is free. However. it only partners with a handful of insurers, so it may be worth doing some research on your own to make sure you’re looking at all your options. This is a key consideration if you’re a high-risk applicant, such as a senior, smoker or someone with a serious health condition.
Policygenius life insurance rates
Policygenius is an insurance broker, so it doesn’t actually sell policies. However, they do offer average quotes based on the insurance companies they partner with. These are the estimated monthly premiums for a $500,000, 20-year term life policy for a man and woman in great health.
| Age | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $27.32 | $20.89 |
| 25 | $26.67 | $20.81 |
| 30 | $27.46 | $21.88 |
| 35 | $28.97 | $24.39 |
| 40 | $39.02 | $32.42 |
| 45 | $59.10 | $46.36 |
| 50 | $93.23 | $71.03 |
| 55 | $150.72 | $105.66 |
| 60 | $262.16 | $189.08 |
What affects my rate with Policygenius life insurance?
Each insurance company has its own underwriting standards and criteria, and some are more lenient than others when it comes to health conditions, DUIs and hobbies. Since Policygenius is a broker, the rate you’ll get will reflect the insurer you’re matched with as well as your “risk profile,” which is made up of these factors.
- Personal medical history. If you have a history of major health conditions like diabetes, heart disease or cancer, you can expect to pay more for coverage.
- Family health history. There’s not much you can do about your family’s health. One option is to search for a provider that doesn’t consider it as heavily. Still, your other health and lifestyle information may still be scrutinized.
- Your health criteria. Weight, cholesterol, psychiatric diagnoses and serious medical conditions can also affect your premiums. Your risk profile may not be rated as high if you can manage conditions with medication, therapy or other treatment.
- Tobacco or alcohol use. Frequency and when you last used often impacts how heavily these are weighted. It should be noted that even occasional tobacco use can result in much higher premiums.
- Driving or criminal convictions. The frequency of the convictions and the time since the last one are considered when evaluating your risk under these criteria.
How to get a quote from Policygenius life insurance
Follow these steps:
- Go to Policygenius’ homepage and click the Life button.
- From there you’ll provide some personal information, including your gender, birthdate, ZIP code, citizenship and whether you are married. Then click Next.
- You’ll then be asked some general health questions. After answering, click Get My Quotes. If you answered yes to any of the treatment- and medication-related questions, click Next, and you’ll be taken to another screen where you can provide further details.
- After completing all of the health-related questions, you’ll be asked to provide your email address so you can save your progress. You will then be able to view your quote, which you can further customize.
- If you’re happy with the policy options, click Next: Pick An Insurer. From there you will be presented with options from multiple providers. If you need help making a selection, there is live chat help available from the page.
- To continue with a provider and start the application process, click continue next to your desired provider and policy. Policygenius will then guide you through the application process.
- Once you’ve completed the application and are approved, register your online account with the provider to take full advantage of your policy. There you can manage your policy and possibly set up auto-pay to ensure payments are made on time.
Which life insurance companies does Policygenius work with?
Policygenius partners with most major life insurance companies in the US, including:
- AIG
- Legal & General (formerly Banner Life)
- Brighthouse
- Guardian Life
- John Hancock
- Lincoln Financial
- Mass Mutual
- Mutual of Omaha
- Pacific Life
- Principal
- Protective
- Prudential
- SBLI
- Transamerica
What types of life insurance coverage does Policygenius offer?
Policygenius doesn’t sell policies. The insurers it partners with each offer different levels and types of coverage, which may include:
- Term life. Most policies cover you from 10, 20 or 30 years. Once the coverage ends, your premiums can increase depending on the provider. Outliving the policy means no you won’t see a payout.
- Return of premium term life. If you outlive your policy, you’ll be paid back the premiums that you’ve paid over the years.
- Whole life. Premiums are typically higher than a term policy, but coverage is permanent as long as you stay on top of your payments. Policies can also gain cash value.
- Universal life. A type of whole life that gives you the option to change your premium throughout the life of your policy. Lowering premiums and borrowing from the cash value can decrease the value of the payout.
- Variable life. This type of permanent policy allows you to invest your payments in subaccounts, allowing you to earn dividends.
- Variable universal life. A combination that brings you the ability to change your premiums from universal to the subaccounts of variable life.
- Accelerated life. This type of policy can be purchased in just a few weeks, without having to take a medical exam.
What riders can I add to my Policygenius life insurance policy?
You can add riders to your policy for a fee, and some insurers offer more than others. Here are a few riders you may want to look for:
- Accelerated death benefit rider. A terminal illness diagnosis that gives you less than 12 months to live, slightly more in some states, could get you access to some or all of your benefit.
- Accidental death benefit rider. An additional amount is paid if your death is caused by an accident.
- Child rider. Generally small amounts of coverage for your children — adopted, step or biological — can be bought using this rider.
- Critical illness benefit rider. Pays out a lump sum benefit if you suffer a critical illness, such as a stroke.
- Guaranteed insurability rider. Allows you to purchase additional insurance at specified dates without having to take a medical exam.
- Long-term-care rider. Allows you to pull money from your death benefit to cover care expenses if you’re diagnosed as chronically ill.
- Return-of-premium rider. Reimburses you for any premiums paid if you outlive the term of your policy.
- Spouse rider. Pays out a death benefit if your spouse dies.
- Term insurance rider. Adds additional insurance to your permanent policy for a specified amount of time.
- Waiver-of-premium rider. If you become disabled or have to move to an assisted-living facility, you could be relieved of your premium payment.
Policygenius life insurance reviews and complaints
Policygenius is accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and has an A+ rating for its operations and the way it interacts with customers. Customers award the broker 4.68 out of 5 stars, which is relatively high for an insurance-related company. The BBB has recorded just seven complaints in the last three years, pointing to high levels of customr satisfaction.
On TrustPilot, Policygenius has 4.7 out of 5 stars based on nearly 2,000 reviews, with users raving about the customer service and the simple, straightforward process to get insurance.
| AM Best financial rating |
Not Rated |
| BBB accredited | Yes |
| BBB rating | A- 4.64/5 out of 135 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8/5 out of 1880 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 22 January 2021 |
Get free quotes and compare life insurance policies on your own
Frequently asked questions about Policygenius life insurance
Life insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our experts analyze life insurance companies to help you to find the strongest possible policy and premium for your family’s needs. We assess their financial strength, customer satisfaction, policy features and riders. We then give each insurer a score between one and five stars that reflects their offering and reputation in the industry.
