Being a veterinarian means you may still be paying off student loans for veterinary school, or you may have loved ones who depend on your income as a vet. The right life insurance policy can protect your dependents and make sure you wouldn’t leave them with any debt if you were to unexpectedly pass away.
We picked the best life insurance companies for veterinarians by using life insurance rates from Policygenius partners, third-party ratings from AM Best and J.D. Power, and recommendations from our licensed experts.
Best term life insurance: Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York
Best whole life insurance: MassMutual
Cheapest life insurance: Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York
Best no-medical-exam life insurance: Pacific Life
Best final expense life insurance: Mutual of Omaha
If you’re ready to compare life insurance quotes and find the right coverage, Policygenius can help.
Best term life insurance for veterinarians: The Banner Life family of companies
The best term life insurance for veterinarians is the Banner Life family of companies, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn in some states. The Banner Life family of companies offer term lengths as long as 40 years — and coverage worth up to 40 times your income, more than you’ll find with competitors.
Best whole life insurance for veterinarians: MassMutual
MassMutual has the best whole life insurance for veterinarians thanks to its cheaper average rates.. MassMutual also has consistently high customer satisfaction and financial stability ratings, which is important for whole life, a type of permanent life insurance.
Cheapest life insurance for veterinarians: The Banner Life family of companies
The Banner Life family of companies is our pick for cheapest life insurance for veterinarians. It has some of the most affordable life insurance rates whether you’re healthy or you have certain pre-existing conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
Best no-medical-exam life insurance for veterinarians: Pacific Life
Pacific Life has the best no-medical-exam life insurance for veterinarians. Qualified applicants can apply for up to $3 million of coverage. If you’re under the age of 60, you’ll complete a health interview to determine if you can get accelerated approval without a medical exam. The insurer will review your profile to confirm — if you don’t have many health conditions or risk factors, you likely won’t have to take an exam.
Best final expense life insurance for veterinarians: Mutual of Omaha
We found that Mutual of Omaha is the best option for final expense life insurance for veterinarians. Mutual of Omaha offers simplified and preferred policies with different coverage levels, so you can still get a policy even if your medical record usually makes it hard to find life insurance.
Why veterinarians need life insurance
There are a few reasons why you might need life insurance as a veterinarian.
Income protection: Having a life insurance policy with robust coverage can help your family replace your income if you die unexpectedly.
Student debt: If you still have student debt from veterinary school, life insurance can pay off your loans (and any other debt) so you’re family isn’t stuck paying it off for you..
Supplementing employer insurance coverage: Your employer may offer some life insurance through work, but this type of policy doesn’t usually come with enough coverage to cover all your family’s expenses, after you die.
If you’re not sure what kind of life insurance you need, or whether you should get coverage at all, one of our licensed agents can help answer all your questions.
How working as an veterinarians will affect getting life insurance
Being a veterinarian can affect how much life insurance you need and how long your coverage should last, but it won’t make it harder to get coverage unless you travel for work to certain countries outside of the U.S.
Since your coverage should help to make up for your income if you’re no longer around, the more you make as a veterinarian, the more life insurance you need.
If you own your own veterinary practice, you may also have additional business loans you can cover with your individual insurance policy.
The total amount of coverage you can apply for is usually based on your income. But if you’re still in vet school, you may be able to qualify for more coverage based on your expected future earnings. Buying a policy while you’re still younger will also help you lock in cheaper rates.
→ Learn more about laddering life insurance policies
How much does life insurance cost for veterinarians?
The cost of a 20-term life insurance policy with a $1 million death benefit payout if you’re a veterinarian with one or two minor, well-managed health conditions is about $46 per month.
Your life insurance rates ultimately depend on multiple factors, including your gender, age, and health. If you have limited or well-maintained health issues, you’ll likely be able to get the coverage you need at an affordable rate.
Term life insurance rates for veterinarians
Here’s what you can expect to pay for a 20-year term life insurance policy with a $1 million death benefit payout as a veterinarian.
Age | Gender | $1 million coverage amount |
|---|---|---|
20 | Female | $32.38 |
Male | $44.72 | |
30 | Female | $35.48 |
Male | $45.94 | |
40 | Female | $58.49 |
Male | $71.45 | |
50 | Female | $131.18 |
Male | $174.90 | |
60 | Female | 354.88 |
Male | $500.52 |
Methodology: Average monthly estimated rates are calculated for male and female smokers and non-smokers in the Preferred health classification, obtaining a 20-year $1,00,000 term life insurance policy. Life insurance rates are based on policies offered by Policygenius from Brighthouse Financial, Corebridge Financial, Foresters Financial, Legal & General America, Lincoln Financial, Mutual of Omaha, Pacific Life, Protective, Prudential, Symetra, and Transamerica, and may vary by insurer, term, coverage amount, health class, and state. Not all policies are available in all states. Rate illustration valid as of 01/01/2024.
Whole life insurance rates for veterinarians
Here’s what you can expect to pay for a whole life insurance policy with a $1 million death benefit payout as a veterinarian.
Age | Gender | $1 million coverage amount |
|---|---|---|
20 | Female | $545 |
Male | $639 | |
30 | Female | $801 |
Male | $920 | |
40 | Female | $1,161 |
Male | $1,372 | |
50 | Female | $1,826 |
Male | $2,117 | |
60 | Female | $3,065 |
Male | $3,556 | |
70 | Female | $5,580 |
Male | $6,198 |
Methodology: Average monthly estimated rates are calculated for male and female insureds obtaining a whole life insurance policy of $1,000,000 from MassMutual. Life insurance rates are based on policies offered by Policygenius and may vary by insurer, term, coverage amount, health class, and state. Not all policies are available in all states. Rate illustration valid as of 01/01/2024.
Final expense life insurance rates for veterinarians
Here’s what you can expect to pay for a $25,000 final expense life insurance policy as a veterinarian.
Age | Gender | $25,000 coverage amount |
|---|---|---|
50 | Female | $74.47 |
Male | $98.96 | |
60 | Female | $105.21 |
Male | $140.69 | |
70 | Female | $158.19 |
Male | $215.16 |
Methodology: Average monthly estimated rates are calculated for male and female insureds obtaining a final expense life insurance policy of $25,000 from Mutual of Omaha. Life insurance rates are based on policies offered by Policygenius and may vary by insurer, term, coverage amount, health class, and state. Not all policies are available in all states. Rate illustration valid as of 01/01/2024.






