Life Insurance
Buying life insurance can be an invasive process. Until recently, it was primarily done in person or over the phone. Now, you can apply for life insurance online, with many companies offering term life insurance online with $1 million or more in coverage. Some even provide whole life insurance with or without a medical exam.
If you’re curious about buying term life insurance online, the process is surprisingly easy and can take just a few minutes with some companies. MoneyGeek has compared policy offerings and features, coverage availability and pricing to find the best online life insurance quotes and providers. We determined that Haven, Ethos, Sprout, Bestow, Fabric and Ladder have some of the best options for term lengths, coverage amounts and pricing.
Best Overall Online Life Insurance Company: Haven Life
pros
Up to $3 million in term coverage
Income replacement coverage and disability insurance available
Cheap term life insurance
cons
Most applying for more than $500K will require a medical exam
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek's Take: Haven Life is our choice for the overall best online life insurance company because it offers cheap term life coverage, with many qualifying for coverage in minutes and without a medical exam.
Haven Life offers up to $3 million in term life insurance coverage to applicants between 18 and 64. You can choose from term lengths of 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years of coverage. Haven Simple is no medical exam life insurance for coverage up to $500,000. Haven Term allows coverage up to $3 million, but most applicants will be required to complete a medical exam for approval. When we compared online life insurance quotes, we found Haven has some of the cheapest rates for healthy applicants.
Haven also offers income-replacing decreasing term life insurance online, which doesn’t require a medical exam. You choose a term length and coverage amount between $1,000 and $8,000 per month, and payouts will be paid monthly to the beneficiary upon the insured’s death for the rest of the term. For example, if you buy a 20-year term Haven Secure online life insurance policy and die in year five, your beneficiary will receive the payout monthly for 15 years.
Policy Types Offered:
- Haven Secure
- Haven Simple
- Haven Term
Best Value for the Money: Ethos
pros
No medical exam required
Healthy applicants can get competitive rates through Ethos’ fully underwritten process
Complete the application process in minutes
cons
Coverage max is $1.5 million
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek’s Take: Ethos is our pick for the best value for the money because you can get competitive rates online with no medical exam through its modern, fully underwritten process.
At Ethos, you can opt out of the medical exam and still use your good health to get competitive pricing. Ethos’ modernized, fully underwritten process uses a detailed application instead of a medical exam to create your policy. If you aren’t in the best health, the Ethos simplified issue process asks just a few health questions and doesn't involve a medical exam.
Ethos offers up to $1.5 million for applicants aged 20–64 in term life insurance online, with most getting a response within minutes of applying. If you’re still alive at the end of the term, Ethos allows you to apply for a coverage extension to get more years out of your online life insurance policy. Once approved, coverage becomes available immediately, with the only exclusions being suicide in the first two years or lying on the application, which can prevent your beneficiary from getting paid the death benefit (both of which are standard on all life policies).
Policy Types Offered:
- Simplified issue term life
- Fully underwritten term life
Best if You're Healthy and Active: Sproutt
pros
Recommends carriers based on detailed health questionnaire
Works with multiple carriers to find the best rate for your health and lifestyle
Can speak with an advisor if needed
cons
High QLI score doesn’t guarantee the best rates
Limited online information
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek’s Take: Sproutt rewards a healthy lifestyle with the best online life insurance rates using its Quality of Life Index, making it our top choice if you are healthy and active.
At Sproutt, you can apply for up to $4 million in term life insurance online if you are between 18 and 60 years old. The company acts as a broker and is contracted with a long list of top-rated life insurance companies to offer competitive pricing. Unlike other online life insurance companies that ask just a few questions before providing a quote, Sproutt asks detailed health questions upfront using its Guided Artificial Intelligence Assessment platform, which provides an individual Quality of Life Index (QLI) score.
Through this process, Sproutt can recommend carriers that present your best chance of approval based on your health and lifestyle answers. If you’re healthy and active, you will get the best online life insurance quotes, but even if you aren’t as healthy, you can still qualify for affordable rates for term life insurance with and without a medical exam. Though Sproutt mainly focuses on term life insurance, they also offer permanent coverage.
Policy Types Offered:
- Term life
Best for Easy Application: Bestow
pros
No medical exam required
Most can get approved in 10 minutes or less
Green card holders are eligible
cons
Coverage limited to $1.5 million
Not the most competitive rates
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek’s Take: Bestow’s fast and easy 100% online application process for no medical exam term life insurance is one of the best in the industry, making it our winner in this category.
Bestow focuses only on term life insurance online and has a fast and easy application process. Most applicants are approved in less than five minutes. Anyone from 18–60 can apply for up to $1.5 million in coverage, as long as they are in generally good health and have never been convicted of a felony. Bestow uses an entirely online process from quote to decision, with accelerated underwriting that verifies application questions instead of having you complete a medical exam.
This data-focused underwriting process allows Bestow to provide an answer in just a few minutes, with most getting approved instantly. With Bestow, you can choose from 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years in coverage. With no riders or other features to think about, Bestow’s straightforward process makes it easy to decide which policy to choose — simply pick a term length and coverage amount, answer a few questions and get an answer, all in a few minutes.
Policy Types Offered
- Term life
Best for Online Life Insurance With No Medical Exam: Fabric
pros
Can pay premiums with credit or debit card
Apply online or through the mobile app
Receive a free will in minutes
cons
Acceptable but unimpressive rates
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek’s Take: If you prefer no medical exam term life insurance, Fabric is our choice for the best online life insurance policy.
Sign up for term life insurance and get a free will — that’s the offer from Fabric, a company that provides term life insurance to applicants aged 17–60 for a term between 10 and 30 years. It takes one minute to get an online life insurance estimate from Fabric, and most can apply for coverage in 10 minutes or less. You can get approved for up to $1.5 million in no medical exam term life insurance or up to $5 million of term life with a medical exam from Fabric.
After you’re approved, you can get a free will, sign up for a personal savings account or college savings plan for your child and organize your family’s important financial and legal information in the Fabric vault online or through the mobile app. Though Fabric’s rates aren’t the best based on our sample rates, the free will increases the value of buying term life insurance through Fabric. The insurer also offers competitive rates on accidental death insurance in select states.
Policy Types Offered:
- Term life
- Accidental death
Best for Unique Policy Options & High Coverage: Ladder
pros
Get approved for up to $8 million in term coverage
Increase and decrease coverage as your needs change
Up to $3 million in no medical exam term life insurance
cons
No riders available
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
MoneyGeek’s Take: Ladder’s unique approach to term life insurance and impressive $8 million in max coverage make it our pick for the best unique policy options and high coverage category.
Laddering life insurance is not a new concept. This strategy usually entails buying multiple life insurance policies to meet specific financial needs. But with Ladder, you only need one life insurance policy that you can ladder up and down as your coverage needs change. For instance, if you included coverage to pay off your car loan, you can cancel that amount of coverage once it’s paid off if you no longer need it.
This flexibility allows you to adjust your rate based on your needs, potentially saving you thousands of dollars over the policy term. Of course, if you buy a car or have a baby and want additional coverage, you can increase your life insurance to cover the recent changes in your life. At Ladder, you can apply for up to $3 million of no medical exam term life insurance or up to $8 million with a medical exam, one of the highest coverage amounts offered from online life insurance companies.
Policy Types Offered:
- Term life
Company Comparison Summary: Online Life Insurance Companies
Finding the best place to buy life insurance online can be difficult; MoneyGeek aims to simplify the process by comparing coverage, costs and company ratings to help you find the best provider for your needs. View the table below for a quick summary of our top picks for online life insurance.
Companies | Coverage Range | Term Lengths Options | Age Range | Life Insurance Issuer | AM Best Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Haven | Up to $3 |
| 18–64 |
| A++ |
Ethos | $20,000–$1.5 |
| 20–65 |
| A |
Sproutt | $50,000–$4 |
| 18–60 |
| N/A |
Bestow | $50,000–$1.5 |
| 18–60 | North American Company for | A+ |
Fabric | $100,000–$5 |
| 17–60 | Vantis Life | A+ |
Ladder | Up to $8 |
| 20–60 |
| A |
Compare Life Insurance Rates
Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.
How Much Do Policies Cost from Online Life Insurance Companies?
Our research found that most online life insurance companies offer very similar costs. These companies are often quite competitive or even less expensive than traditional life insurance companies.
Average Monthly $250k/20-Year Life Insurance Policy Costs by Company
Company | $250k / 20 Year Policy Cost | |
|---|---|---|
1. | Haven | $13–$26 |
2. | Ethos | $16 |
3. | Sproutt | $17 |
4. | Bestow | $18.50 |
5. | Ladder | $21 |
6. | Fabric | $21 |
The rates above are sample quotes for a 35-year-old, nonsmoking male in excellent health and with an average BMI.
Is Buying a Life Insurance Policy Online Safe?
Yes, buying a life insurance policy online is safe. In fact, 29% of consumers preferred online sales to in-person in 2020, an increase of 12% from 2011, according to LIMRA’s 2020 Insurance Barometer Study.
Before you start a quote for online life insurance, check for the following privacy and security features:
- A privacy and security statement explaining policies and standards
- The URL begins with https://
- There is a padlock icon in the address bar
Before making a payment, check for a security logo, like SSL Secured or VeriSign. You can also check financial rating agencies like AM Best and Moody’s to view the insurance company’s financial strength rating.
Compare Life Insurance Rates
Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.
Pros & Cons of Buying Life Insurance Online
Whether you buy life insurance in person, over the phone, or online, each choice has pros and cons. Understanding some of the advantages and disadvantages of buying online life insurance can help you make an educated decision.
Pros of Online Life Insurance
More Efficient
The fastest way to buy life insurance is online. Most can get a quote in minutes and get a decision after completing the application in 20 minutes or less. This efficiency makes buying online life insurance an attractive option for many people.
Affordable Rates
While not everyone will get the best online life insurance quotes and rates, many will save on coverage. It also makes comparing multiple quotes faster and easier, especially from brokers like Sproutt, who work with multiple companies to offer more than one quote after inputting your information once.
Less Pressure
When you get a quote for life insurance in person, you feel pressure to make a decision immediately. This can be frustrating and scary for some people, especially if they have questions or aren’t sure whether the policy fits their needs. If you don’t answer immediately, you may get hassled by the agent until you do. When buying online, the pressure is gone because you’re in charge of the process.
Personalized Process
When you get life insurance quotes online, you can take your time to review your quotes and involve whoever you want in the process. You can share them with your family to get opinions, find answers to questions and compare quotes in the comfort of your own home.
Cons of Online Life Insurance
Difficult to Qualify
While many can get online life insurance, not everyone will qualify. If you have health issues, sometimes it's best to work with a knowledgeable agent who can help you find the best rate and company for your specific needs.
Limited Permanent Coverage Options
All online life insurance companies offer term coverage, but few provide permanent life insurance like whole or universal life. Of these two, whole life insurance is more likely to be offered online. If you want universal life, you’ll have to go through an agent or financial professional because of the options and coverage details you have to choose.
Little Guidance
Life insurance can be intimidating, especially when you’re doing your own research. You may think you’re making the right decision to find out down the road that you need to reapply for a different policy type or find a different company. If you find an agent you trust, you can get all your questions answered so you won’t make a mistake in buying the wrong policy.
How to Apply for Online Life Insurance
The way to apply for life insurance online may differ from company to company, but this is the basic process of how to buy term life insurance online:
- Click on "get a quote."
- Input a few personal details like age, health, tobacco use, height, weight and gender.
- Receive the quote.
- Click "apply."
- Complete the application.
- Submit your application.
- Get an instant decision, estimated time for decision, request for more information or denial.
Most online life insurance applications can be completed in about 20 minutes, with some taking even less time. If a telephone interview or medical exam is required, the application is usually shorter and faster. No medical exam life insurance online applications can take longer because you have to supply more information.
How Do Medical Exams Work When Purchasing Online?
If you buy an online life insurance policy that requires a medical exam, the process works the same as buying it in person or over the phone. After completing the rest of the application process, you’ll have to schedule the medical exam appointment. You can either go to a lab center like LabCorp or have a nurse come to your home or office.
They will take your vitals, including blood pressure, height, weight, urine and blood samples. The examiner may ask questions you’ve already answered to confirm your prior responses. The exam takes about 30–45 minutes to complete.
Compare Life Insurance Rates
Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.
FAQs About Online Life Insurance Companies
These questions are some of the most frequently asked about online life insurance companies and how to apply for life insurance online. Understanding the answers can help you make the right choice for your needs.
Expert Advice on Best Online Life Insurance Companies
- What criteria should customers use when comparing different online life insurance companies?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of buying life insurance online?
- How can customers ensure they are getting the best deal when buying online life insurance?
Steve Parrish
RICP®, Co-Director at The American College Center for Retirement Income
Gary Grewal
Owner at Financial Fives
Nadia C. Vanderhall
Founder of The Brands + Bands Strategy Group
Mark Evers, Ph.D., CFP®, CRPC®
Lecturer and Financial Planning Program Director at University of North Texas
Methodology
We go the extra distance so that you can feel confident about life insurance content from MoneyGeek. Many of these online life insurance companies are new companies, and while they are generally backed by large insurance providers, there is less information available about these online providers. Our ranking for the best online life insurance providers incorporates real policy quotes and analysis of each company’s policy offerings and application processes. To learn more, visit our complete methodology page.
Life Insurance
About Mandy Sleight, Licensed Insurance Agent
sources
- LIMRA. "2020 Insurance Barometer Study Reveals a Significant Decline in Life Insurance Ownership Over the Past Decade." Accessed November 24, 2021.