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 coverage or Fabric if youâre a parent looking for a term life policy with financial planning perks. Lincoln Financial stands out for its policy add-ons, while Erie has a rare instant whole life policy.
If you need burial insurance quickly, Ethos is a good place to start shopping.
It used to take weeks to get life insurance coverage. While thatâs still true for traditional policies, some insurers now offer instant life insurance. Also known as âfast life insurance,â 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 least $100,000 in coverage that can be purchased completely online. 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.
The best online life insurance companies of 2026
Insurer | NerdWallet rating | Instant coverage available | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best overall | $100,000 to unlimited. | ||
Best for adjustable coverage | $100,000 to $3 million. | ||
Best for instant burial insurance | $10,000 to $3 million. | ||
Best perks for parents | $100,000 to $1.5 million. | ||
Best for policy add-ons | $100,000 to $2.5 million. | ||
Best for instant whole life | $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
Male
$28 /month
Female
$24 /month
Why this insurer made the list: Lemonade offers an unlimited amount of term life insurance online to eligible applicants, with many policies going into effect on the same day.
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
Yes
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & no-exam
About Lemonade instant life insurance
Lemonade offers term life insurance lasting 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years in all states except New York. Lemonadeâs life insurance is backed by Legal & General (a.k.a. Banner Life), an insurer with exceptionally strong financials and a track record of low complaints.
Policy name: Term Life Insurance.
âłTerm lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years.
Coverage amount: $100,000, with unlimited coverage amounts available for qualifying applicants.
Age eligibility: 20 to 75.
Riders: N/A.
Online experience: Lemonadeâs site is refreshingly easy to navigate and skips the maze of menus in favor of simplicity and transparency. Youâll find policy details front and center, including coverage amounts. The quote tool button glows brightly on the page and takes you to Maya, a chatbot that will walk you through the application process. Once youâre a policyholder, Lemonade has a highly-rated app that allows you to manage your policy and make payments.
What to know about applying for a policy: To apply, youâll fill out a quick online application that asks basic questions about your health and lifestyle. If youâre approved, your policy could be issued within minutes. However, Lemonadeâs site is clear that some people might be asked to take a medical exam to secure more affordable rates.
Where this insurer stands out: Lemonadeâs 40-year terms and unlimited coverage amounts are something youâll struggle to find from other life insurers. It is for these reasons Lemonade won NerdWalletâs Best Same-Day Term Life Insurance Award for 2026.
Âť Read the full review: Lemonade life insurance
Best instant adjustable coverage: Ladder
Male
$33 /month
Female
$29 /month
Why this insurer made the list: Ladder issues instant term life insurance policies nationwide, with coverage amounts you can adjust any time.
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
Yes
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & no-exam
About Ladder instant life insurance
Ladderâs straightforward site offers a quick application process with term life insurance policies available in minutes. The company issues generous coverage amounts up to $3 million without a medical exam.
Policy name: Term Life.
âłTerm lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years.
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $3 million.
Age eligibility: 18 to 60.
Riders: N/A.
Online experience: Ladderâs mobile-friendly site features guides to life insurance and a calculator to help you decide how much coverage you need. The searchable FAQ section is helpful, but you wonât find pricing details on the site. The companyâs online portal allows policyholders to manage their life insurance, but thereâs no mobile app.
What to know about applying for a policy: Ladder supports online quotes, but you canât get a rate without providing the last four digits of your Social Security Number. For the application itself, youâll have to answer additional health questions. You wonât be asked to take a medical exam (Ladder refers to it as a âhealth checkâ) unless youâre trying to lock down more than $3 million in term life insurance.
Where this insurer stands out: Ladderâs unique ability to adjust your coverage up or down is known as âladdering.â For instance, if youâve paid off your mortgage, you could decrease coverage on your policy and Ladder would automatically lower your premiums. If you want to add coverage, youâll have to meet certain eligibility requirements â like proving a change in income.
Âť Read the full review: Ladder life insurance
Best instant burial insurance: Ethos
Male
$38 /month
Female
$29 /month
Why this insurer made the list: You can be approved within minutes of applying for both term and whole life insurance, including final expense policies.
Financial strength rating
Strong
Online purchase
Yes
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term, permanent & no-exam
About Ethos instant final expense insurance
Ethos has both term and whole life policies you can apply for online. If youâre in a time crunch and need insurance quickly, the application only takes ten minutes. Once youâve paid the first premium, your policy goes into effect immediately.
đ Policy name: Term life insurance.
âłTerm lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 years.
Coverage amount: $15,000 to $3 million.
Age eligibility: 18 to 69.
đ Policy name: Whole life insurance.
Coverage amount: $2,000 to $1 million.
Age eligibility: 20 to 85.
đ Policy name: Guaranteed issue life insurance.
Coverage amount: $2,000 to $100,000.
Age eligibility: 66 to 85.
Riders: N/A.
Online experience: Ethosâ site is a breeze to browse, but you wonât find much in the way of policy details. The company works with several different insurers to offer term, whole and indexed universal policies, so answers to some questions vary based on which insurer provides your policy. Ethos doesnât offer a live chat on the website, which is unusual for an online insurance company.
What to know about applying for a policy: Ethos offers a 100% digital life insurance shopping experience, so youâll be able to get a quote and apply for a policy online in just a few minutes. Keep in mind you may still be asked some medical questions and not everyone will be approved for coverage instantly. Itâs also worth noting you wonât be able to pick which life insurer issues your policy through Ethos.
Where this insurer stands out: Ethos has instant final expense policies for up to $100,000 for those who qualify. This is a generous death benefit for guaranteed issue life insurance. Ethos also offers the ability to shop and apply for indexed universal life insurance online without a medical exam.
Âť Read the full review: Ethos life insurance
Best perks for parents: Fabric
Why this insurer made our list: This online-only platform makes it easy to apply for term life insurance without a medical exam and offers perks for parents such as family financial planning tools.
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
Yes
NAIC complaints
Close to expected
Policies offered
Term
About Fabric instant life insurance
From the same company that made childrenâs life insurance popular decades ago, Fabric by Gerber Life sells term life insurance online for all ages and promises you can apply in as little as 10 minutes. A wide range of term lengths and generous coverage amounts are available to those who qualify without a medical exam.
Policy name: Term Life Insurance.
âłTerm lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years.
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $5 million.
Age eligibility: 21 to 70.
Riders: N/A.
Online experience: The Fabric by Gerber Life website is easy to navigate. You can get an online quote and the digital application is speedy. Fabric earns extra points for sharing a peek at pricing, although itâs an average cost of the monthly premium for $100,000 in coverage for a 25-year old woman in excellent health. Most people in the market for term life insurance would need a policy worth more.
What to know about applying for a policy: While you probably wonât have to take a medical exam, Fabric says itâs possible depending on your answers to health questions.
Where this insurer stands out: Fabricâs app has several features that will appeal to parents, including free financial planning tools. You can also use the mobile app or online portal to create a free will, open a childrenâs investment account or sync your familyâs finances.
Âť Read the full review: Fabric life insurance
Best for policy add-ons: Lincoln Financial
Male
$33 /month
Female
$27 /month
Why this insurer made the list: With Lincoln Financial you can customize your policy with three riders, which is unusual for instant life insurance.
Financial strength rating
Strong
Online purchase
No
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & permanent
About Lincoln Financial instant life insurance
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, which is fairly rare in the industry.
Policy name: TermAccel.
âłTerm lengths: 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $2.5 million.
Age eligibility: 18 to 60.
Riders:
Child term.
Waiver of premium.
Accelerated death benefit.
Online experience: Lincoln Financialâs website may look a little old school, but itâs transparent about policy details including term lengths, riders and minimum and maximum coverage amounts for each of the companyâs policies. The Lincoln Financial app gets lackluster reviews and doesnât prioritize tools for policyholders. You can manage your policy and change beneficiaries via the online portal.
What to know about applying for a policy: Lincolnâs TermAccel supports a fully digital application. But note that this insurer says it may require lab work if you donât meet certain qualifications. Its instant term policies are also not available to New Yorkers.
Where this insurer stands out: The insurer offers a child term rider that can cover multiple children under your policy. You can also add a waiver of premium rider or accelerated death benefit rider to your coverage for an additional fee.
Âť Read the full review: Lincoln Financial life insurance
Best for instant whole life: Erie
Why this insurer made the list: Erie offers a choice of term or whole life insurance, which is rare for instant policies.
Financial strength rating
Strong
Online purchase
No
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & permanent
About Erieâs whole instant life insurance
Erieâs instant life insurance policy is one of the most flexible on the market. You can choose between a term or whole life policy, which is unusual for online insurance companies.
Policy name: ERIExpress Life.
âłTerm lengths: 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
Coverage amount: $10,000 to $500,000.
Age eligibility: 18 to 55.
Riders: An accelerated death benefit rider is included at no extra charge.
Online experience: Erieâs website is pretty bare bones, but the company does share many of the details youâd need to know about the instant life insurance policies on offer, including coverage amounts and eligible ages. Once youâre a policyholder, you can use Erieâs mobile app to manage your insurance.
What to know about applying for a policy: Youâll have to connect with an agent to get a quote and apply for a policy. If you qualify, your coverage might go into effect the same day. Otherwise, you may need to take a medical exam. Keep in mind Erie Life Insurance only operates in the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Where this insurer stands out: In addition to being the only insurer on this list that offers instant whole life, Erie also allows you to buy small amounts of coverage, starting at $10,000, and offers a term as brief as five years. And if you already have auto and home insurance with Erie, you may be eligible for a bundling discount.
Âť Read the full review: Erie auto, homeowners and life insurance
How we rate the best life insurance companies
â Â 445 life insurers reviewed
đ 210 policies assessed
đ˘Â 1,515 data points analyzed
đ 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:
đ° Financial strength (35%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurerâs 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).
đŁď¸ Consumer complaints (35%). 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 â so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
âď¸ Consumer experience (20%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores. The same goes for insurers who support online quotes, beneficiary changes and claims.
đ Transparency (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.
â 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.
What is instant life insurance?
Instant life insurance usually refers to any life insurance that you can apply for and purchase on the same day. Online life insurance companies usually offer instant term life insurance without a medical exam to those who qualify.
Because the application is streamlined and only requires a few health questions, it can usually be completed online â in some cases in just a few minutes.
Can I get life insurance completely online?
Yes. Just know that the cheapest rates for life insurance typically involve taking a medical exam and a more traditional underwriting process that can take several weeks.
What can I expect from an online life insurance application?
After youâve 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 youâve answered all the questions online, youâll either be approved and offered a policy 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 â¤ď¸âđŠš
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 youâre within the eligible age range (typically 50 to 85). See our picks for the best burial insurance.
Healthy, on a budget đ¸
If you're not in a hurry to get coverage, life insurance with traditional underwriting â including a medical exam â 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 NerdWalletâs top picks across these categories:
Frequently asked questions
The cost of instant policies depends on the type of insurance as well as other factors such as your age and health. In general, instant term life insurance is more affordable than other types of online coverage, such as whole life insurance.
Instant life insurance is usually term life insurance sold same-day to qualified applicants. Guaranteed issue life insurance does have an expedited application process without health questions or a medical exam, so these policies are sometimes sold online â but they are usually small whole life policies and not term life insurance.
Depending on your age and health, there are a few other kinds of life insurance policies that wonât require a medical exam. These include traditional types of term and permanent life insurance. Check out our recommendations for the best no-exam life insurance.
