The best in life insurance

State Farm, for the fourth year in a row, has risen to the top in the term life insurance category due to its consistently high ratings in both customer satisfaction studies and financial strength analyses and its customization and accessibility. With three unique term life options, including the fast-approval Instant Answer Term for those who need coverage quickly, State Farm has a breadth of term options. Whether you’re looking for short-term financial protection or a longer-term safety net, State Farm’s Select Term policies provide customizable coverage lengths with the added security of renewal and conversion options. Its Return of Premium policy option also puts money back in your pocket if you outlive the term. Coupled with high J.D. Power U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study customer satisfaction scores and a strong A++ AM Best financial strength rating, we found State Farm to be both innovative and reliable — key qualities in a term life insurance company.

For the fourth year in a row, MassMutual earns our nod for best whole life insurer. As a mutual company, MassMutual offers policyholders the potential for extra earnings through dividends — a perk the company has delivered every year since 1869. MassMutual’s whole life policy has high coverage capacity and a guaranteed interest rate for risk-free cash value growth. Additionally, it offers a wide range of riders and customization options that allow you to tailor your policy to fit your needs. And with its A++ AM Best financial strength rating, MassMutual offers a history of financial reliability, backed by a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Pacific Life sets itself apart in the universal life insurance space by offering an impressive range of products that cater to diverse needs, from affordable guaranteed universal life (GUL) to more flexible options like indexed and variable universal life. A flexible policy means it can adapt to your life, whether you want to adjust your premium payments or the death benefit. Pacific Life claims its GUL policy offers affordable death benefit protection with predictable premiums and a no-lapse guarantee, an attractive proposition for those seeking more cost-efficient lifetime coverage. With a stellar A+ AM Best financial strength rating, policyholders can rest easy knowing Pacific Life has a proven track record of fulfilling its claims commitments. Plus, Pacific Life goes the extra mile with consumer-friendly resources, making even the most complex policies easy to understand and customize. All of these features combine to offer policyholders a level of flexibility and security that is hard to beat in the universal life insurance market.

Lincoln Financial Group revolutionizes the no-exam life insurance experience by offering fast, easy and high-coverage policies that don’t require lab work or medical exams for qualified applicants. With TermAccel, Lincoln combines cutting-edge technology with top-tier customer service, delivering policies up to $2.5 million in as little as two business days. Plus, Lincoln provides what we see as an ideal blend of speed, convenience and adaptability with flexible term lengths and the option to convert your policy to permanent life insurance up until the end of your term length or to age 70, whichever comes first. It’s this focus on accessibility and efficiency, backed by over a century of financial strength, that earned our vote for Lincoln Financial Group as a top contender for no-exam life insurance in 2025.

Symetra’s SwiftTerm takes the hassle out of life insurance with one of the quickest application processes in the industry, offering coverage in as little as 18 minutes for those who qualify for instant approval. But what really made Symetra shine to us is its flexible and transparent underwriting process. If you don’t qualify for instant coverage, you’re seamlessly moved to the accelerated underwriting path, which gathers a bit more information — still without requiring a medical exam — and typically delivers approval within 24 to 72 hours. Even if further details are needed and the application proceeds to full underwriting, where a medical exam is required, all applicants have a clear, step-by-step process to follow. With a no-exam coverage limit as high as $5 million, Symetra stands out by offering both speed and substantial coverage options. Symetra’s commitment to transparency ensures applicants know exactly what to expect from start to finish. Symetra would have rated even higher in this category if obtaining a quote and applying were easier. You need to work with a contracted financial professional to apply, and its website does not provide any guidance on finding an agent.

Mutual of Omaha has solidified its place as our top pick in the guaranteed issue life insurance market by offering coverage to a wider age range than most competitors, ensuring that individuals from 45 to 85 can secure up to $25,000 in protection without the need for medical exams or health questions. Although its guaranteed issue product has a two-year graded death benefit period like most providers, Mutual of Omaha offers beneficiaries a return of paid premiums plus 10 percent interest during this period. This exceeds the typical five to seven percent offered by other carriers. With the added convenience of instant online approval — from quote to coverage in just minutes — Mutual of Omaha delivers a standout experience that’s simple and generally affordable. If you’re looking for end-of-life expense protection, Mutual of Omaha’s guaranteed issue policy is a great place to start.