Why compare life insurance quotes?
Finding the right coverage for you and your family is easier when you can see all your options laid out.
When you click "Get quotes" above, you'll have access to quotes from top-rated life insurance companies in the U.S.
You'll answer a few questions about your health and lifestyle, and within 10 minutes, you’ll be paired with the best policy options for your needs.
Why compare life insurance quotes?
Finding the right coverage for you and your family is easier when you can see all your options laid out.
When you click "Get quotes" above, you'll have access to quotes from top-rated life insurance companies in the U.S.
You'll answer a few questions about your health and lifestyle, and within 10 minutes, you’ll be paired with the best policy options for your needs.
NerdWallet’s picks for life insurance
Company | NerdWallet rating | What you'll pay per month for term life insurance* |
|---|---|---|
Guardian Best term and overall | Female: $26 Male: $31 | |
USAA Best for veterans | Female: $37 Male: $32 | |
New York Life Best for seniors | Female: $30 Male: $36 | |
Northwestern Mutual Best universal life insurance | Female: $38 Male: $40 | |
MassMutual Best for permanent life insurance | Female: $30 Male: $36 | |
Lemonade Best for instant coverage | Female: $24 Male: $28 |
Company | NerdWallet rating | What you'll pay per month* |
|---|---|---|
Guardian Best for health conditions | Female: $26 Male: $31 | |
USAA Best for military members | Female: $37 Male: $32 | |
New York Life Best for renewable policies | Female: $30 Male: $36 | |
Northwestern Mutual Best for customer experience | Female: $38 Male: $40 | |
Thrivent Best for conversion options | Female: $31 Male: $37 |
Company | NerdWallet rating | What you'll pay per month |
|---|---|---|
Guardian Best for health conditions | Female: $691 Male: $760 | |
USAA Best for boosting coverage | Female: $397 Male: $416 | |
New York Life Best for custom coverage | Not available. | |
Northwestern Mutual Best for hybrid whole life policies | Female: $661 Male: $731 | |
MassMutual Best for cash value growth | Female: $588 Male: $706 |
About these picks: NerdWallet compared over 50 life insurance companies’ financial strength, customer complaint rates, availability of policy details and ease of communication. Above are the companies that earned the highest scores, along with how much you can expect to pay for a policy worth $500,000 if you're a healthy nonsmoker. Term life insurance is the simplest and most affordable type of coverage, and it's a good fit for most people in the market for life insurance.
Shopping for life insurance with NerdWallet
Finding your best price is as simple as a few steps:
Tell us a bit about you and your health.
Get estimated rates from our partner Policygenius.
A few more questions, and then receive your quote.
The process takes a matter of minutes. And depending on the type of coverage, you may be able to compare quotes and buy a policy the same day.
Step by step: How to compare life insurance quotes
Here’s how we recommend comparing quotes to find the best life insurance policy for you:
1. Choose a policy type
There are two main types of life insurance: term and permanent.
Term life insurance is simple and inexpensive — often the cheapest type of life insurance. It's sufficient for most people as it covers you for the years when you have the most financial obligations.
Permanent life insurance is designed to last your entire life. It typically costs more than term life, but it offers additional features like cash value that grows over time. Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance.
» MORE: Term vs. whole life insurance
2. Calculate how much coverage you need
You’ll want to get quotes for the same level of coverage — for example, $500,000 — to compare them most easily.
Not sure how much coverage you need? Our calculator can help.
3. Shop around
Get quotes from three or four insurance companies to find the best available price. You can get quotes in several ways:
Directly from the insurer
Check out Nerdwallet's best life insurance companies to find the right insurer for you.
Through an agent or broker
A life insurance agent or broker can help you navigate your options and fill out your application.
Online
Most insurers offer life insurance quotes online. This makes it easy to shop around for the best coverage.
4. Check company reviews
Price is important, but so is an insurance company’s financial strength, complaint rates and ease of use. Before you make a decision, check the companies’ reviews.
5. Apply for coverage
Whether you apply for life insurance online, in person or over the phone, you may be asked to provide your Social Security number, driver’s license number or list of current medications. So gather the information you need before you start the application process.
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 445 life insurers reviewed
📝 210 policies assessed
🔢 1,515 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 (35%). 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 (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 — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
☎️ 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.
👀 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.
⭐ 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.
Frequently asked questions
In general, people need life insurance if their death would place a financial burden on others. Examples include breadwinners, parents, homeowners, business owners and people with co-signed debt.
Life insurance quotes provide an estimate of how much a policy might cost based on your answers to basic questions about your health, age, gender and lifestyle. Your actual cost may be different once you complete a full application, but life insurance quotes can help you compare companies and get an idea of what fits your budget.
Yes. Many life insurance companies offer free term quotes online. However, when shopping for permanent coverage, such as whole life or universal life, you may need to speak with an insurance agent to get a full quote.
The amount of life insurance you need depends on how much money you want your beneficiaries to receive when you die. Ten times your annual income is a common estimate, but rules like this are not universal and may not reflect your specific situation. Take into account your current finances and future obligations — such as income, debts and daily expenses — when calculating your coverage needs.
Life insurance premiums are calculated using a variety of factors, such as age, health, driving history, policy length and coverage amount. Insurers use this information to estimate your life expectancy, and then they set your premium based on the risk of insuring you.
Life insurance rates are typically based on your age and health, and they can differ significantly among policies. The average monthly cost of a $500,000, 20-year term policy for a healthy 40-year-old is $26, according to Policygenius, a life insurance brokerage. To compare, the average monthly cost of a whole life policy with the same coverage amount is $510.