Best life insurance companies in Philadelphia, PA (2024)

We researched pricing data, financial strength ratings, customer satisfaction scores, and more to determine the best life insurance companies available in Philadelphia.

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By

Brian ActonContributing WriterBrian Acton is a contributing writer at Policygenius, where he covers insurance and finance. His work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA Today, MarketWatch, Inc. Magazine, and HuffPost. 

Edited by

Julia KaganJulia KaganContributing EditorJulia Kagan is a contributing editor at Policygenius, where she specializes in life insurance. Previously, Julia was the senior personal finance editor at Investopedia for nearly a decade, a vice president and editorial director at Consumer Reports, the editor of Psychology Today, and the vice president of content at Zagat Surveys.
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Reviewed by

Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Certified Financial PlannerIan Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

Updated|5 min read

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When you’re shopping for life insurance, doing your research up front can help you find the best possible policy. Philadelphians who need life insurance should look for companies offering affordable rates that meet their coverage requirements. 

We ranked the best life insurance companies available in Philadelphia, and researched the average cost of life insurance for residents and the state laws that govern policies issued in the city.

We used industry data, pricing from Policygenius carrier partners, and third-party ratings like AM Best and J.D. Power to pick the best insurers on the market. Our independent recommendations will help you get life insurance coverage with confidence.

Best life insurance companies in Philadelphia

Methodology

Why you can trust our picks

Our recommendations are based on internal and external expert analysis, as well as our Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index, which uses real-time data from leading life insurance companies to determine pricing trends. When reviewing a life insurance company, our editorial team uses a proprietary scoring rubric with five factors — price, policy details, financial strength, transparency, and customer experience — to assign an unbiased rating between one and five stars. These ratings are also taken into consideration as part of our company recommendations. We don’t get paid for our reviews.

Our reviews and recommendations can help you find a reliable insurer for your family’s financial protection, but the best life insurance company for you depends on multiple factors. A licensed agent at Policygenius can support you during the application process to ensure you get the right coverage for your circumstances at the most competitive price.

Read more about our reviews methodology

Best overall life insurance

Legal & General America, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn, is our top pick for best life insurance. Its low rates and term length options make it the overall superior option for most Philadelphians. Legal & General America also scores competitively in financial security and customer satisfaction ratings, with a NAIC complaint rating of 0.35 that sits far below the average nationwide score of 1.00.

Cheapest life insurance

The widest range of Philadelphia applicants can access affordable life insurance rates with Legal & General America, and even shoppers with pre-existing conditions can find competitive premiums with the company. 

Best term life insurance

Term life insurance provides affordable coverage that lasts for a predetermined amount of time and expires at the end of the term, making it the right type of policy for the majority of Philadelphia applicants. Legal & General America offers great rates for term life with policies that last up to 40 years. 

Best no-medical-exam life insurance

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2024 Policygenius award winner

Brighthouse Financial

Brighthouse Financial logo

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

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5.0

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

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No-medical-exam option

Why we chose itchevron icon

Brighthouse Financial offers competitive rates, comprehensive coverage, and application decisions in as little as 24 hours, making it a great choice for people who want to get life insurance coverage without having to take the medical exam.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Extremely affordable

  • Instant-decision applications

  • Best-in-class no-exam option

Cons

  • Traditional term life not available in CA, IL, LA, ME, or NY

  • Term life applicants limited to ages 25-50

Applicants who want to get quick coverage by skipping the medical exam part of the life insurance application can use their health records to qualify for coverage with a no-medical-exam policy. No-medical-exam policies are more expensive, but Brighthouse Financial offers competitive rates, up to $2 million in coverage, and fast application decisions with as little as a 24-hour turnaround. 

Best whole life insurance

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2024 Policygenius award winner

MassMutual

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starFull orange starHalf orange star

4.9

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A++

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

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All 50 states

Why we chose itchevron icon

MassMutual’s whole life insurance plan provides a lifetime coverage option that builds cash value with the potential to earn dividends.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Strong financial stability ratings

  • Higher potential for dividends for whole life policyholders than many competitors

  • Good customer satisfaction ratings

Cons

  • High term life premiums

  • Term life not available through Policygenius

Whole life insurance covers the policyholder as long as they live, but costs five to 15 times more than term life. It also offers a cash value component that can be used as a savings vehicle, and some policies pay dividends to policyholders based on the company’s financial performance. MassMutual whole life policies pay higher dividends than competitors, making it the best choice in Philadelphia. 

Best for seniors

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2024 Policygenius award winner

Prudential

Prudential logo

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starFull orange starEmpty gray star

4.1

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A+

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

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$

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No-medical-exam option

Why we chose itchevron icon

With nearly four million policyholders and 150 years to its name, Prudential offers competitive coverage options for seniors, as well as people with some of the most common medical conditions, including asthma, depression, and fibromyalgia.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Good for people over 60

  • More flexible income requirements than some other insurers

  • Considers applicants with a variety of immigration statuses (visas and green cards)

Cons

  • Younger applicants will likely find better prices elsewhere

Philadelphia seniors age 60 and above can find the best rates with Prudential, even for seniors with pre-existing conditions that are linked to old age. 

Best for young adults

Brighthouse Financial

Young adults in Philadelphia can get affordable life insurance more easily because of their low risk for insurance companies. Brighthouse Financial offers some of the most competitive rates for young people, with fast application turnarounds and flexible income requirements for college students. 

Best for people with pre-existing conditions

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2024 Policygenius award winner

Lincoln Financial

Lincoln Financial logo

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starFull orange starHalf orange star

4.8

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

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$

$

$

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No-medical-exam option

Why we chose itchevron icon

Lincoln Financial offers a diverse array of life insurance policies, including competitive no-med and high-net-worth options.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Affordable rates

  • Good for many existing health conditions, including depression, stroke, and heart conditions

  • Good for marijuana users, including daily users

Cons

  • Term life not available in New York

While having a pre-existing condition won’t stop Philadelphians from buying life insurance, it can affect how much they’ll pay for coverage. Lincoln Financial offers the best rates to Philadelphia residents with a history of arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and other medical conditions. 

Best for marijuana users

Lincoln Financial

Marijuana users often have to pay more expensive smoker rates for life insurance. But Lincoln Financial offers competitive non-smoker rates to marijuana users, making it the best choice for Philadelphia marijuana users that want affordable life insurance. 

Best for smokers

Philadelphia smokers will pay two to three times as much for life insurance as people who don't smoke. But even with the added health risks, Legal & General America offers lower smoker rates than their competitors, and customers who quit smoking can request lower rates after one year. 

Ready to shop for life insurance in Philadelphia?

Comparing the best life insurance companies in Philadelphia

Company 

Policygenius rating

Best for

Types of policies 

Brighthouse Financial

5.0 / 5

No-medical-exam life, young adults

Term life, no-medical-exam life, whole life, short-term life, universal life

Legal & General America

4.9 / 5

Overall, cheapest, term life, smokers

Term life, no-medical-exam life, universal life

MassMutual

4.9 / 5

Whole life

Term life, no-medical-exam life, whole life, universal life, variable universal life

Lincoln Financial

4.8 / 5

Marijuana users, people with pre-existing conditions

Term life, no-medical-exam life, indexed universal life, variable universal life

Prudential

4.1 / 5

Seniors

Term life, no-medical-exam life, short-term life, universal life, indexed universal life

What is the average cost of life insurance in Philadelphia?

Life insurance companies use factors including the age and health history of the applicant, the length of the term, and the amount of coverage to set rates. Based on Policygenius data from 2023, the average monthly premium for a healthy 35-year old in Philadelphia buying a $500,000, 20-year term life insurance policy is $30.79 for men and $25.76 for women.

What happens if a life insurance company goes bankrupt in Philadelphia?

When a life insurance company goes bankrupt, the Pennsylvania Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association will cover affected Philadelphia residents assuming the policyholder continues to pay their premiums. 

When an insurance company is ordered to be liquidated, the guaranty association and/or the receiver will send notice to affected policyholders. Pennsylvania covers up to $300,000 in life insurance death benefits and up to $100,000 in life insurance cash surrender value when a life insurance company can’t perform their financial duties. 

If a Philadelphia resident moves out of state, their coverage shifts to the guaranty association of the state they live in when the life insurance company is liquidated. 

How to find a lost life insurance policy in Philadelphia

Family members and/or the executor or administrator of a deceased person’s estate can search for life insurance policies or annuity contracts in the decedent’s name with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Life Insurance Policy Locator Service

The Pennsylvania Unclaimed Property website can be used to find unclaimed life insurance benefits turned over to the state, but unclaimed death benefits may not be turned in to the state until years after someone dies. 

Ready to shop for life insurance in Philadelphia?

Pennsylvania life insurance laws

Philadelphia policyholders receive protections from Pennsylvania regulations that define how life insurance companies must operate in the state. 

Free look period

New life insurance policies in Pennsylvania allow the policyholder to cancel their policy and receive a full refund of all premium payments within the free look period, which is 10 days from the date of receiving the policy.

Guaranty Fund protection

The Pennsylvania Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association covers up to $300,000 in death benefits and up to $100,000 in cash surrender value for state residents affected by a life insurance company’s insolvency. 

Contestable period

Pennsylvania's contestable period for new life insurance policies lasts two years from the day the policy goes into effect. During this time life insurance companies can deny a claim if they can show that the policyholder lied or made misrepresentations on their insurance application. 

Grace period for missed payments

Pennsylvania policyholders get a 31-day grace period when they miss a payment. During this time, the policyholder continues to receive coverage and the policy cannot be canceled as long as they make up the payment within 31 days.

Author

Brian Acton is a contributing writer at Policygenius, where he covers insurance and finance. His work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA Today, MarketWatch, Inc. Magazine, and HuffPost. 

Editor

Julia Kagan is a contributing editor at Policygenius, where she specializes in life insurance. Previously, Julia was the senior personal finance editor at Investopedia for nearly a decade, a vice president and editorial director at Consumer Reports, the editor of Psychology Today, and the vice president of content at Zagat Surveys.

Expert reviewer

Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

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