Texas is a big state with lots of options for life insurance companies. With all the choices available to Texans, it can be difficult to find the right life insurance company for you.
We’ve assembled a list of the best life insurance companies in Texas, determined the average cost of coverage for Texans, and compiled the state regulations that affect your policy.
We used industry data, pricing from Policygenius carrier partners, and third-party ratings like A.M. 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 Texas
Best overall life insurance: Banner Life
Cheapest: Banner Life
Best term life: Banner Life
Best whole life: MassMutual
Best for seniors: Prudential
Best for young adults: Brighthouse Financial
Best for marijuana users: Lincoln Financial
Best for smokers: Banner Life
Methodology: How we chose the best life insurance companies in Texas
We don't get paid for our company reviews and use an extensive rubric of criteria covering policy details, price, financial confidence, third-party ratings, and customer experience to assign unbiased ratings out of five stars. Any recommendations we make are based on internal and external expert opinions and data from our Policygenius Price Index, which uses real-time rate data from leading life insurance companies to determine pricing trends. Our ratings and reviews can help point you to an insurer you can rely on for your family’s financial protection, but the best life insurance company for you is dependent on multiple factors. A licensed agent at Policygenius can work with you through the application process so you’re getting coverage from the best insurer for your circumstances at the most competitive price.
Best overall life insurance
2023 Policygenius award winner
Banner Life
4.9
30+ year terms
All 50 states
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Banner Life has some of the longest term lengths — up to 40 years — and most competitive life insurance rates available, even for people with a history of medical conditions.
Pros and cons
Pros
Competitive rates for a variety of health conditions
Fast instant-decision option for qualifying applicants
Variety of term lengths up to 40 years
Cons
Application underwriting can take longer than average
Does not have the most competitive rates for older applicants
Banner Life offers competitive life insurance rates for Texans with a variety of health and risk classifications. People including smokers, millennials, people with mental health conditions, and more can get great rates with Banner Life.
The company has a high level of financial stability and a no-medical-exam option for people with straightforward health histories.
While all of the life insurance companies we recommend have high levels of financial security and customer satisfaction, Banner Life has an excellent NAIC complaint rating — 0.35, well below the industry average of 1.00.
Cheapest
Banner Life
Banner Life offers Texas applicants the most competitive rates in the Policygenius marketplace.
Best term life
Banner Life
Term life insurance is the most cost-effective option life insurance option for most people, and it's also the best life insurance option for most people. Banner Life offers the most affordable term policies for people who qualify for best rates and for people who don't.
Best whole life
2023 Policygenius award winner
MassMutual
4.9
All 50 states
Why we chose it
MassMutual’s whole life insurance plan provides a lifetime coverage option that builds cash value with the potential to earn dividends.
Pros and cons
Pros
Strong financial stability ratings
Higher potential for dividends for whole life policyholders than many competitors
Good customer experience ratings
Cons
High term life premiums
Term life not available through Policygenius
MassMutual's whole life insurance policies — permanent life insurance policies with a cash value component — pay out higher dividends to policyholders than other policies, making MassMutual the best whole life option for Texas residents.
Best for seniors
2023 Policygenius award winner
Prudential
4.1
All 50 states
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
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 cons
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
No-med option can end up requiring a medical exam most of the time
People 60 and above looking for the top life insurance companies in Texas can get great rates from Prudential, which also offers competitive rates to people with a wide range of medical conditions.
Best for young adults
2023 Policygenius award winner
Brighthouse Financial
5.0
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
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 cons
Pros
Extremely affordable
Instant-decision applications
Best-in-class no-med option
Cons
Traditional term life not available in CA, IL, LA, ME, or NY
Term life applicants limited to ages 25-50
Brighthouse Financial offers Texans age 25 to 50 extremely affordable life insurance coverage. Some qualifying applicants can get up to $3 million in coverage in term lengths up to 30 years with SimplySelect, an accelerated underwriting policy that doesn't require the medical exam and is available exclusively from Policygenius.
Best for marijuana users
2023 Policygenius award winner
Lincoln Financial
4.8
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Lincoln Financial offers a diverse array of life insurance policies, including competitive no-med and high-net-worth options.
Pros and cons
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
Texas residents who are marijuana users can get great rates with Lincoln Financial — even if they're daily users. That's because with Lincoln Financial, marijuana users qualify for non-smoker/non-tobacco rates, meaning they'll pay 200% to 300% less than other companies that would categorize them as smokers — and give them higher rates.
Best for smokers
Banner Life
For Texans who smoke or use tobacco, Banner Life offers competitive rates. Plus, policyholders apply for lower premiums just one year after they quit smoking (many other insurers require two years or more).
Ready to shop for life insurance in Texas?
Comparing the best life insurance companies in Texas
Company | Policygenius rating | Best for | |
5 / 5 | Young adults | ||
4.7 / 5 | Overall, affordability, term life, smokers | ||
4.7 / 5 | Marijuana users | ||
3.8 / 5 | Whole life | ||
3.4 / 5 | Seniors |
What is the average cost of life insurance in Texas?
Life insurance rates depend on many individual factors, including your age, health, and the length and benefit amount of your policy. Where you live, however, is not one of the factors that affects your rates, except for policy availability.
Based on Policygenius data from June 2023, the average monthly premium for a relatively healthy 35-year-old in Texas buying a $500,000, 20-year term life insurance policy is $25.76 for women and $30.79 for men.
What happens if a life insurance company goes bankrupt in Texas?
Life insurance companies don’t usually go bankrupt. But if that happens, the Texas Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association (TLHIGA) will cover affected policyholders and continue the policy as long as the premiums get paid.
When an insurance company can’t meet its financial obligations, the TLHIGA or a court-appointed liquidator will notify affected policyholders.
Texas covers up to $300,000 in life insurance death benefits and $100,000 in life insurance cash surrender value for policyholders impacted by a life insurance company’s failure.
Only residents who live in Texas on the liquidation date are eligible for coverage through the TLHIGA. If a policyholder moves out of state, they will need to seek coverage through the guaranty association in the state where they currently reside.
How to find a lost life insurance policy in Texas
When someone dies, no matter which state they are in, their immediate family members and/or the administrator or executor of their estate can search for any life insurance policies or annuity contracts using the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Life Insurance Policy Locator Service.
The Texas Unclaimed Property website can be used to find unclaimed benefits turned over to the state three years after someone’s death.
Ready to shop for life insurance in Texas?
Texas life insurance laws
Life insurance companies in Texas must adhere to state guidelines that protect policyholders and dictate how policies function.
Free look period
New policyholders can cancel their life insurance and receive a full refund of their initial premium payment, provided they do so within 10 days of receiving the policy.
Guaranty Fund protection
The Texas Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association guarantees coverage of up to $300,000 in life insurance death benefits and $100,000 in life insurance cash surrender value if a life insurance company is unable to meet its financial commitments.
Contestable period
In Texas, the contestability period for life insurance is two years from the effective date of the policy. During this time, insurance companies can deny a claim if they find evidence the policyholder lied on their life insurance application.
Time allowable to settle a claim
Life insurance companies in Texas must pay claims within two months of receiving proof that the insured has died. Claims start accruing interest from the day the life insurance company receives proof of death.
Grace period for missed payments
Policyholders in Texas have a 31-day grace period for missed payments. This gives customers some extra time to pay their premium before the life insurance company terminates their coverage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one life insurance company in Texas?
Banner Life is the top life insurance company in Texas for most people. The company offers Texas residents of many ages, health classes, and coverage needs competitive rates, plus no-medical-exam options for some qualifying applicants.
What is the life insurance free look period and grace period in Texas?
In Texas, you have a 10-day free look period to cancel your policy and get a full refund of any initial premium payments you made. You get a 31-day grace period to make a late payment before you lose coverage.
What types of life insurance are available in Texas?
Texans can get the most common types of life insurance available, term and permanent. They can also buy accelerated underwriting and final expense insurance policies, which don’t require a medical exam.
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