Mutual of Omaha offers the best child life insurance today. This company provides both standalone life insurance for children and term life child riders, giving families flexible options. The best choice for you depends on your needs. Below are the top life insurance companies for kids by category to help you find the right fit.
Best Life Insurance for Children (2025)
Mutual of Omaha, Gerber, North American, Protective Insurance and State Farm are the best life insurance companies for children.
Compare the top insurers below.
Select age group
Updated: December 4, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Mutual of Omaha provides the best life insurance for kids. Its Children’s Whole Life Insurance offers lifetime protection and guaranteed premiums for children aged 14 days to 17 years.
Gerber is the best life insurance company for babies, offering a unique benefit that doubles the coverage amount once the child turns 18.
North American ranks first for indexed universal life insurance for children, offering coverage for kids as young as 15 days old.
Protective Insurance has the best child term rider, which allows parents to extend coverage to their children. State Farm has the best customer service for those shopping for a child rider.
What is the Best Life Insurance for Children?
Mutual of Omaha | $50,000 | 14 days to 17 years old | |
Gerber | $50,000 | 14 days to 14 years old | |
North American | $50,000 | starts at 15 days | |
Protective | $25,000 | 15 days to 18 years old | |
State Farm | $20,000 | 15 days to 25 years old |
Best Child Life Insurance Overall
Mutual of Omaha
Overview
Mutual of Omaha provides a range of products, including term life, whole life and universal life insurance, ensuring customers can access diverse options that suit their needs and circumstances. With 116 years of experience, Mutual of Omaha has also established itself as a premier children's life insurance provider.
Its Children's Whole Life Insurance covers children from 14 days old to age 17 and guarantees never-increasing premiums and lifetime coverage.
The Dependent Children’s Rider can be added to a base policy. It allows coverage extension to all unmarried dependent children in the household, including automatic coverage for children born or adopted after the rider is issued.
Best Life Insurance for Babies
Gerber
Overview
Gerber stands out in the children’s insurance space with its Grow-Up® Plan, a whole life policy designed for children as young as 14 days to 14 years old. This policy costs as low as $3.70 per month, though actual premiums depend on the child's age, coverage amount selected and state of residence. Coverage ranges from $5,000 to $50,000, with guaranteed premiums that never increase and cash value that grows steadily over time.
The coverage amount automatically doubles during the year the child turns 18, at no added cost. At age 21, ownership transfers to the child, who can continue the policy, access accumulated cash value, or expand protection through a guaranteed purchase option. With strong financial stability and affordable monthly premiums, Gerber delivers lasting protection and long-term value for families.
Best IUL for Children
North American
Overview
North American has a robust lineup of Indexed Universal Life products, including Builder Plus IUL 4, Smart Builder IUL, and Protection Builder IUL 2. These policies can be issued starting at 15 days old, providing death benefit protection and indexed cash value growth through features like floors, caps and flexible loan options.
North American holds A+ ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings, demonstrating strong financial stability. Its products work well for long-term planning, but details specific to children’s coverage are not fully available online, and pricing requires a custom quote.
Best Child Rider
Protective
Overview
Protective Insurance provides children’s coverage through its Children’s Term Rider, available for children aged 15 days to 18 years. It's offered as a rider on adult policies. Protective provides affordable, family-wide protection with a single flat annual charge covering multiple children.
When each child reaches age 25, they can convert to a permanent life policy up to five times the rider amount (no underwriting required). Coverage continues even if the insured parent passes away, and the rider remains effective until age 75.
Best Customer Experience
State Farm
Overview
State Farm ranks first for customer experience for people buying child rider coverage. The company ranks first in J.D. Power’s U.S. Life Insurance Study and holds an A++ A.M. Best rating, reflecting both service quality and financial strength. Families can benefit from its nationwide agent network and digital tools, including an online portal, mobile app and Life Enhanced® app for wellness and planning.
State Farm's Children's Term Rider provides flexible and comprehensive coverage for children up to age 25 or until the policyholder turns 65, with $5,000 to $20,000 coverage per child. It can be conveniently converted to permanent insurance, ensuring long-term security for the child, regardless of future health changes. The option to buy up to five times the amount of coverage on the child's 18th birthday adds another layer of adaptability and foresight to its offerings.
How Does Child Life Insurance Work?
A life insurance policy for children is typically a whole life policy, a form of permanent life insurance designed to last their lifetime. Premiums and death benefits are guaranteed, while cash value growth is guaranteed at minimum rates specified in the policy contract. Cash value accumulates throughout the policy's duration and can be accessed later.
Whole life insurance differs from term life insurance, which offers level premiums and death benefits for a certain number of years and doesn't build cash value. While more expensive, buying whole life insurance for a child can be cost-effective compared to waiting until children are old enough to buy their own term life policy.
How Much Does Child Life Insurance Cost?
Policies cost an average of $10 to $30 per month for $10,000 to $25,000 in coverage, though some insurers have different coverage limits. A child rider added to a parent’s policy is often cheaper, averaging just $5 to $10 per month.
These costs are estimates based on industry averages. Individual rates vary by insurer and coverage amount. Consult with licensed insurance professionals for personalized quotes.
Best Life Insurance for Kids: Bottom Line
Buying life insurance for children helps secure their future financial stability. It ensures that financial support will be available for expenses like funeral costs or counseling in the event of an unforeseen tragedy. Securing a policy at a young age can also lock in lower premiums and guarantee insurability, regardless of future health changes, providing a financial safety net that can be beneficial throughout a child's life.
We analyzed offers from various companies to determine the best life insurance for children. Mutual of Omaha is the best overall company. Gerber is the best option for babies, while North American has the best indexed universal life insurance for children Protective Insurance is the top choices for a child rider, while State Farm has the best customer service for those looking for a child rider.
Life Insurance for Children: FAQ
We answer common questions about life insurance for kids:
What’s the best type of life insurance for children?
Term life insurance with a child rider offers the best value for most families, covering all children for $50 to $100 annually. Standalone whole life policies work better when you want higher coverage amounts or guaranteed lifelong protection. Choose based on your budget and coverage needs.
What is a child rider for life insurance?
A child rider is an add-on to your life insurance policy that covers all eligible children in your household for one flat annual fee. Coverage ranges from $10,000 to $25,000 per child and remains active until age 18 or 25, depending on the policy terms.
At what age can you buy life insurance for a child?
Most insurers allow parents to buy coverage once a child is 14 to 15 days old and up until age 18. Some carriers accept applications for infants as young as one week old, while others require waiting until 30 days after birth.
Age requirements vary by state and insurer. Some states may have additional restrictions on buying life insurance for minors. Consult your state's insurance department or a licensed agent for specific requirements in your jurisdiction.
Can grandparents buy life insurance for grandchildren?
Grandparents can buy life insurance for grandchildren, but parental consent is usually required. A parent may need to sign consent forms and provide access to health information if requested. Many grandparents use children's life insurance to contribute to long-term financial security or legacy planning.
Can you get life insurance on an unborn child?
You can't purchase life insurance for unborn children. Most insurers require children to be at least 14 or 15 days old before issuing coverage, though some allow enrollment immediately after birth.
Our Review Methodology
Finding the best life insurance companies for children can be overwhelming, especially when balancing protection needs with budget realities. Most parents don't know where to start or what actually matters when evaluating insurers for children's policies.
How We Evaluated Insurers
- Financial Strength Analysis: We examined each company's A.M. Best ratings and years in business to identify insurers with proven staying power. Children's life insurance is a long-term commitment, so financial stability isn't negotiable. Companies with strong ratings demonstrate they can pay claims and weather economic downturns.
- Customer Experience Assessment: We analyzed complaint index data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to understand how insurers treat policyholders when problems arise. Lower complaint ratios indicate fewer customer disputes relative to market share, suggesting better service quality.
- Buying Process Evaluation: The evaluation included application processes, focusing on:
- Online tools and educational resources for parents
- Product materials that explain coverage clearly
- Payment flexibility to fit family budgets
- Customer support accessibility during the decision process
- Product Range Review: The analysis covered the policy types each company offers for children and families. Some insurers specialize in whole life for minors, while others provide broader family coverage options.
We didn't factor in affordability because children's life insurance quotes aren't publicly available and require individual underwriting based on the child's age, health and policy type.
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About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.