Key takeaways
Lemonade is our top pick for the best online life insurance with a wide range of term lengths and millions of dollars in coverage available.
Consider Ladder if you need adjustable life insurance coverage.
Lincoln Financial stands out by offering policy add-ons while Erie provides a choice between term and whole instant life insurance policies.
Reviewed monthly. Last updated: October 2025.
It used to take several weeks to get life insurance coverage. While that’s still true for traditional policies, some insurers now offer instant life insurance. Also known as “fast life insurance,” these are policies you can apply for online and often get a decision within minutes.
To find the best online life insurance options, our experts analyzed insurers who sell life insurance online and offer at least $100,000 in coverage. We then assessed policy features, age eligibility and available riders. We also considered the amount of coverage you can buy without taking a medical exam.
Why trust NerdWallet
1,413 life insurance rates sets collected.
441 life insurers analyzed by our team of experts.
185 policies assessed.
Dive deeper: Ratings methodology for life insurance.
NerdWallet's life insurance content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in life insurance. We follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our site is accurate and fair so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.
The best online life insurance companies of October 2025
Best overall | Instant coverage amount: Starting at $100,000. | ||
Best for adjustable coverage | Instant coverage amount: $100,000 to $3 million | ||
Best for policy add-ons | Instant coverage amount: $100,000 to $2.5 million. | ||
Best for instant whole life | Instant coverage amount: $10,000 to $500,000. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its instant life insurance policy specifically. | |||
Best overall: Lemonade
BEST SAME-DAY TERM LIFE INSURANCE 2025
Lemonade
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Qualifying applicants can get millions in coverage online.
- Policies aren’t available nationwide.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Pros
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Eligible applicants can get millions in coverage online.
Cons
- Policies aren’t available nationwide.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Lemonade offers term life insurance lasting 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years in all states except New York. To apply for coverage, you’ll fill out a sleek online application and answer a few basic questions about your health and lifestyle.
If you’re approved, your policy may be issued within minutes. Applicants who are approved can get coverage starting at $100,000 and going into the millions without a medical exam. They can also easily manage their policy via Lemonade’s user-friendly app.
The insurer is backed by Legal & General, a longstanding and financially strong insurer with a track record for low complaints.
Lemonade instant policy details
Instant life policy: Lemonade Term Life Insurance.
Eligibility age range: 20 to 75.
Coverage amount: Starting at $100,000.
Availability: All states except New York.
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years.
» Read the full review: Lemonade life insurance review
Best instant adjustable coverage: Ladder
Best for adjustable instant life insurance
Ladder
- Quick online application.
- Most applicants won't need a medical exam.
- No riders available.
Pros
- Quick online application.
- Most applicants won't need a medical exam.
Cons
- No riders available.
Ladder highlights their quick application process front and center, offering instant term life insurance in minutes with up to $3 million in coverage. Ladder’s instant life insurance policies are available for 10- to 30-year periods without a medical exam.
Ladder’s unique ability to adjust your coverage up or down is known as “laddering.” For instance, if you’ve paid off your mortgage, you could decrease coverage on your policy and Ladder would automatically lower your premiums. However if you want to add coverage, you’d have to meet the eligibility requirements.
Ladder instant life policy details
Instant life policy: Ladder term life
Eligibility age range: 18 to 60
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $3 million.
Availability All states
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.
» Read the full review: Ladder life insurance review
Best for policy add-ons: Lincoln Financial
Best for policy add-ons
Lincoln Financial
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers hybrid policies with life and long-term care coverage.
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
Pros
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers three different riders to customize coverage.
Cons
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
Lincoln Financial lets you apply for a no-exam policy online or over the phone. Policyholders can upgrade to permanent coverage before their term policy expires or when they reach their 70th birthday, whichever comes first. The policy is guaranteed renewable up to age 95.
The insurer offers a child term rider that can cover multiple children. You can also add a waiver of premium rider or accelerated death benefit rider to your coverage for an additional fee.
Lincoln Financial instant policy details
Instant life policy: Lincoln TermAccel.
Eligibility age range: 18 to 60.
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $2.5 million.
Availability: All states except NY.
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
» Read the full review: Lincoln Financial life insurance review
Best for instant whole life: Erie
Best for instant whole life
Erie
- Low customer complaints.
- Offers a variety of term and whole life options.
- Not available in most states.
Pros
- Low customer complaints.
- Offers a variety of term and whole life options.
Cons
- Not available in most states.
Erie’s instant life insurance policy is one of the most flexible on the market. You can choose between a term or whole life policy. If you qualify, the coverage can go into effect the same day you apply. Otherwise, you may need to take a medical exam.
You can buy small amounts of coverage, starting at $10,000, and a term as brief as five years. An accelerated death benefit rider is included at no extra charge.
Erie instant policy details
Instant life policy: ERIExpress Life.
Eligibility age range: 18 to 55.
Coverage amount: $10,000 to $500,000.
Availability: District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Term lengths: 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
» Read the full review: Erie auto, homeowners and life insurance review
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 441 life insurers reviewed
📝 185 policies assessed
🔢 1,315 data points analyzed
📊 Star rating categories
When NerdWallet evaluates life insurance companies, our editorial team considers the insurer's strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things that matter most to customers buying a long-term financial product. We then weigh these factors carefully:
💰 Financial strength (40%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s financial stability and ability to pay claims far into the future. The top life insurance companies have an exceptional financial strength rating of A+ or A++ (Superior).
🗣️ Consumer complaints (40%). Our top-rated life insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators over a three-year period, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
👀 Policy detail availability (10%). Our methodology gives higher scores to transparent insurers who clearly display information about their policy options, coverage amounts and term lengths (if applicable) on their site.
☎️ Ease of communication (10%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores.
⭐ What our star ratings mean
Companies with 5 stars are exceptional, with strong financials, diverse policy lineups and great reputations for customer service.
Companies with 4.5 stars are excellent, with solid financials and policy offerings, and good customer service track records.
Companies with 4.0 stars are good, and potentially great for people looking for niche coverage options.
Companies with 3.5 stars or fewer could do better in certain categories, like financial strength and customer complaints.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings or our reviews. Read more about our life insurance ratings methodology and editorial guidelines.
Can I get life insurance completely online?
Yes. But you should be aware that the cheapest rates for life insurance typically involve taking a medical exam and a more traditional underwriting process that can take several weeks.
However, many life insurers now provide online applications, and depending on your health and age, some may offer you a policy without requiring additional information.
» MORE: Life insurance medical exams
What can I expect from an online life insurance application?
After you’ve gotten a quote and decided to apply, insurers may ask for additional details about your health to finalize your policy. Instant life insurance options usually rely on crunching data and using algorithms to determine your eligibility so a decision can be made within minutes, not days.
Once you’ve answered all the questions online, you’ll either be approved and offered a finalized rate or denied coverage. In some cases, the insurer may require you to provide more information or take a medical exam before issuing a life insurance policy.
Pros and cons of instant life insurance
Pros
- Quick and convenient.
- No medical exams.
Cons
- Rates are typically higher.
- Older applicants and those with health concerns may not be eligible.
- Coverage amounts can be limited.
Alternatives to instant life insurance
Instant life insurance policies may not be the best fit for certain applicants. If you fit into one of the following categories, other types of coverage may be a better choice.
Older, with health issues ❤️🩹
Consider guaranteed issue life insurance, which doesn't require health questions or medical exams. These policies are generally small whole life policies marketed as burial insurance to cover final expenses. Approval is guaranteed if you’re within the eligible age range (typically 50 to 85). See our picks for the best burial insurance.
Healthy, on a budget 💸
If you're not in a hurry to get coverage, life insurance with traditional underwriting — including a medical exam — may be more affordable. You may also be eligible for a higher coverage amount. See our list of the best life insurance companies to get started.
More about top-rated life insurance companies
Looking for a different type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:
