Do not pick a life insurance company until you read this guide. We’ve ranked the top 5 today, and we’ll be revealing to you which one is best for you based on your age, budget, and what type of policy you want. Let’s jump in.
Most people pick the wrong life insurance company and end up overpaying or getting less coverage than they think. In this video, I’ll go over the top 5 life insurance companies in the U.S. and show you which one is best for you based on your age, budget, and the type of policy you want.
Life insurance isn’t just about getting a policy, it’s about protecting your family’s future and making sure you’re covered when it matters most. Let’s get into it.
CoreBridge Financial
CoreBridge Financial is the first life insurance company on this list, and here’s why. What actually matters when you buy life insurance is simple:
- Is it easy to get insured?
- Do they approve fast?
- Will they still be around when you need them?
CoreBridge checks all those boxes because you can easily start online where many people get same-day decisions, and you don’t have to talk to a salesperson to get a quote. Your policy is also issued by established life insurance companies like American General Life and U.S. Life. So you’re backed by a company with a solid history.
In terms of their life insurance offers, here’s what CoreBridge has:
Term Life Coverage
Term life is the most affordable option and protects you for a set number of years, anywhere from 10 up to 35. That makes it easy to match a policy to things like your mortgage or the number of years you plan on working. If you outlive the term, CoreBridge gives you two main choices:
- Term Coverage Renewal
You can renew the term coverage, usually at a higher rate based on your new age, or you can convert it to a permanent policy without having to take a new medical exam, as long as your policy has this feature.
- Permanent Life
Permanent life is another option that lasts your entire life as long as you pay, and it can build cash value over time. This type of permanent policy you choose, whole life, universal life, index universal, affects how the money grows.
Whole Life
Whole life has fixed payments, a guaranteed payout, and guaranteed cash value growth that follows a schedule in your policy. The guarantees mean that your family is promised a payout when you die, and the policy also promises that the savings part of the plan will grow at least a certain minimum amount over time. How much that money actually turns into depends on how big of a policy you buy and how much you pay in premiums.
Universal Life Coverage
Universal life coverage is a type of policy where you can change how much you pay and how much coverage you have, and the company adds some interest to the savings part of the policy.
Index Universal Life
Index universal life is a policy where the savings grow based on how the stock market index performs, but there are limits on how much it can go up or down.
Final expense whole life is a much smaller policy to cover end-of-life costs like a funeral or burial.
The cash that you grow is the money inside the policy that you can borrow or withdraw for things like medical bills, emergencies, or even to help in retirement. Loans do charge interest and reduce the payout if you don’t pay them back though, so be careful with that. Growth on your cash also isn’t taxed each year, but you might owe taxes if you take out more than what you put in.
For people who want simple coverage with options to upgrade later, CoreBridge is a great option. Some policies are issued right away, others within 24 hours, and some don’t even require a medical exam depending on your profile.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Features, add-ons, and pricing can change by state and by the company that issues your policy.
If you need very specific extras that only some mutual companies offer, compare details before you buy.
Ladder Life
Ladder life makes buying term life really simple. Ladder is 100% online and you can apply by going to their website, answering a few questions, and many people get an instant decision. If you qualify, you can get up to $3 million in coverage with no medical exam.
For amounts over $3 million, Ladder may ask for a quick free at-home health check. This also depends on your age, health, coverage amount, and the state you live in.
Here’s how their coverage works:
You can choose $100,000 to $8 million in coverage, which doesn’t require you to get an exam up to $3 million.
You can choose a term of 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years.
A cool feature they have is called laddering, which means you can decrease your coverage at any time to lower your bill. You can also apply to increase coverage later if life changes, like buying a home or having a child.
This feature is free and there’s no limit to how often you can lower your coverage, but it’s definitely something you want to look into in terms of the rules of your specific state.
There are a few limits to know about, however:
Ladder only sells term life, not whole life or universal life. So if that’s something you’re looking for, this probably won’t suit you.
Ladder is best for people who want affordable term life, the convenience of fast online process, and the ability to adjust coverage as life changes. And again, if you want permanent life insurance, cash value growth, or advanced riders, which are extra features you can add onto this policy, you’ll want to go with another insurance option on this list.
Amica
Amica is a great fit if you want strong customer service and a good experience with claims. Amica has a long track record of friendly customer service, a super straightforward claim process, and a lot of people that use Amica like how simple it is to get a quote online and talk to a real person when they need help.
Here’s how it works:
You can choose term life for 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years if you want the most coverage for the lowest cost.
If you want lifetime protection and guaranteed cash value, you can choose whole life. Whole life premiums stay the same, the payout is guaranteed if premiums are paid, and the policy can build guaranteed cash value for you to access.
For example, think of it like a built-in savings account that slowly grows over the years. Later in life, you could use that money to help pay for an emergency, pay off a bill, or even add to your retirement income.
One helpful protection to know about is their accelerated death benefit. On many Amica policies, if your doctor says that you have a qualifying terminal illness, you can access part of your payout while you’re still alive.
Amica also offers accelerated underwriting for some people, which can mean faster decisions without a medical exam for people that meet the criteria. Exact availability and limits depend on your state, obviously, and the exact policy, so it is recommended you do a bit more research if this applies to you before you sign up.
Overall, Amica keeps it pretty simple. If you need advanced extras that some big companies offer, you’ll want to compare those details first before making a decision. But if you want a trusted brand with easy options, quotes, and strong customer service, Amica is a solid pick.
This is best for people who want clear choices and the option to get a quick online quote with human help available. If you want a wide range of advanced extras or more complex permanent policy designs, you’re better off with a company like the one we’re talking about next.
Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual is the heavyweight for permanent life. They are the largest provider of individual life insurance by premium size, and they’re especially good in permanent life.
Here’s how it works:
First, you meet with someone who helps design a plan around your life goals. Northwestern Mutual is known for a type of whole life insurance called participating whole life. This means that on top of the guaranteed payout and cash value, some of their policies may also give you a yearly bonus called a dividend.
Now, the dividend isn’t guaranteed, but when it’s paid, it can add some extra money to your policy, lower your premiums, or increase your payout. For 2025, Northwestern Mutual lists a dividend interest rate of 5.5% for most policies.
To give you a simple picture, if you had a whole life policy with $10,000 of cash value, a 5.5% dividend interest rate could mean around $550 in dividends in that year.
This was just an example, so the actual amount you’ll get will depend on your policy size, premiums, and other factors, but this shows how it can add up in dollars.
They also offer term life, universal life, and a range of extras so you can customize your coverage.
In terms of things to watch out for, pricing can be a bit higher than basic online term providers, and the process is advisor-led rather than fully online. Many policies also require a full health review and possibly a medical exam.
That means you may have to answer a lot of questions about your health and even schedule blood work and other tests. This can slow the process down by weeks, and if the results show a health issue, your price could be much higher or you could even be declined for coverage.
If you do want lifetime guarantees, though, and a long-standing company behind the policy, Northwestern Mutual is a strong choice. It’s best for people who want a human advisor and permanent coverage with guaranteed cash value. Many of their whole life policies may also pay a yearly dividend, so if that’s something you value, this is a great option.
New York Life
New York Life is a safe legacy brand. They’ve been around for over 175 years and have a long history of paying benefits to families. That stability is why a lot of people choose them for permanent coverage. New York Life is also a mutual company, which means it’s owned by its policyholders. And some whole life policies may pay a yearly dividend, but it’s also not guaranteed like the last company we talked about.
Here’s how their insurance works:
They cover term life, whole life, and several universal life options. A common path most people take is to start with term and later switch to a permanent. The most common path most people take is to start with term and later switch to a permanent coverage without a new medical exam. If you switch 5 to 10 years after you buy your policy, you don’t need to take another exam.
Here’s what to watch out for:
The advisor-led process can feel slower for beginners who just want coverage quickly.
The pricing may also be higher than online-only term providers.
If you want broad, permanent life from an established company and an advisor to guide you, New York is a great choice.
Conclusion
Life insurance isn’t about getting rich, it’s about protection. Think of it like a safety net. Term life gives you the biggest coverage for the lowest price, while permanent life adds a savings piece and can last your whole life.
The right company depends on your age, your health, and how simple or flexible you want the process to be. Before you decide, you’ll want to compare quotes and read the fine print on your specific situation.
