Instant Life Insurance Rate Calculator (Compare Up to 50 Companies)

Instantly Compare Life Insurance Rates Online

If you already know how much life insurance you need, you can request a free life insurance quote online using our free term life insurance rate calculator below. After entering your desired face amount and term length, you'll be directed to another form to gather a few additional details.

Unlike other websites, you can instantly view actual rates from dozens of life insurance providers. Depending on your age and state of residence, as many as 50 companies may be available to you. Here is an actual screenshot displaying a few of the results that our calculator produces:

You can start your free quote using our free life insurance rate calculator now, or feel free to read our quick guide to selecting the right term and face amount if you are unsure of how much coverage you need, or how long your policy's term should be.

Why Do You Need My Birth Date for A Life Insurance Quote?

We promise we're not asking you for your date of birth just to pry. In the life insurance industry, most providers will round your age up to your next birthday. This means that if you are within 6 months of your birth date, some insurance providers will consider you to be a year older.

After 50, life insurance rates increase by as much as 15% per year, so entering the wrong date of birth can have a sizable impact on your rates. In addition, insurance providers have a cut-off age for each term length. As an example, a 30-year term is not available from most companies after age 58.

Why Do You Need to Know What State I Live In?

Many insurance companies operate in all 50 states, but some states have restrictions against specific products like Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance. In addition, New York requires for insurers to have a physical office in their state, and this can prevent insurance providers from doing business there.

How Do You Determine How Much Life Insurance You Need?

Selecting the amount of life insurance you need to purchase usually depends on a variety of unique factors including your current income, age, and outstanding financial obligations.

If you are purchasing a life insurance policy to collateralize a small business loan or secure your mortgage, selecting the amount of coverage you need is as simple as matching your policy to the amount of money you owe.

If you are purchasing a life insurance policy to provide a source of income to your loved ones, or if you have multiple financial responsibilities and/or dependents, determining the amount of coverage to buy can be a bit more complicated. As a starting point, consider your outstanding debt:

Here's a list of common debts we see:

• Mortgage Balance
• Credit Card Debt
• Car Loans
• Student Loans
• Business Loans
• Medical/Dental Bills
• Secondary Mortgage

Would your loved one's still need an income after your debts are paid off?

If so, you'll want to consider the amount of time it would take your dependents to financially recover from your loss.

Could your spouse immediately return to the workforce or would they need a source of income for the rest of their life?

Most people purchase enough coverage to cover at least ten years of expenses, but depending on your age and unique financial situation, this could be way too much or not nearly enough.

To calculate the amount of income your spouse and dependents would need to pay the bills each month, subtract any debt you've already accounted for and your personal monthly expenses from your current monthly take-home income.

Here's an example:

Current Monthly Take Home Income (After Taxes): $8,000

• Mortgage Payment: ($2,600)
• Car and Insurance Payment: ($500)
• Credit Card Debt: ($250)
• Gym Membership: ($50)
• Health Insurance: ($200)
• Monthly Lunch Expense: ($300)
• Monthly Coffee Expense: ($100)
• MLB.tv and the NFL Package: ($50)
• Golf Membership: ($250)

In this example, the amount of replacement income needed would be $3,700 per month or about $44,000 a year.

To provide an income replacement source, you'll need to provide this amount to your dependents until retirement age, or until they'll be in a position to replace the income you currently provide. In this example, the client and his spouse were in their mid 50's and felt that ten years of income was more than enough.

10 Years x $44,000 = $440,000 Add Mortgage Balance: $238,000 And other Outstanding Debts: $53,000

Total Coverage Needed to Meet All Financial Obligations:$731,000

Will the Insurance Companies Limit the Amount of Coverage I Can Buy?

Most life insurance companies also use income multipliers to determine the amount of coverage you can qualify for. These multipliers are based on your current age and gross income before taxes. The chart below provides a breakdown of the actual multipliers most insurance companies use.

The life insurance companies share data with one another through a database known as the MIB. This allows them to review any existing life insurance policies you may have, so unfortunately, buying multiple policies from more than one provider won't allow you to avoid these multipliers.

However, if you have a large net worth or an uncommon situation, some life insurance companies may be willing to make an exception, especially if you are still working or earning an income.

To compare actual life insurance rates from more than 50 providers, please use our free life insurance rate calculator below. In less than a minute, you'll be able to compare pricing from dozens of top-rated companies before speaking to an agent

How Long Your Term Life Insurance Should Last

Term life insurance is typically sold in 5-year increments for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. During this time, your life insurance coverage is guaranteed not to change, regardless or any changes to your health or lifestyle. If your needs change, you can cancel your policy at any time with no fees or penalties.

Most people select a term that will extend past their longest outstanding financial obligation. Some examples might be; until your house is paid off, until your children graduate from college, or until you reach your planned retirement age.

By the time you reach your planned retirement age, most of your financial obligations should be settled.

If you still need life insurance after your term has ended you can convert a portion of you policy into permanent coverage, buy a new policy, or annually renew your policy each year after your term has ended. For most people in this situation, buying a new policy is usually the best option.

What If I Need Life Insurance for the Rest of My Life?

If you need life insurance for the rest of your life for estate planning purposes, pension maximization, funding a special needs trust, or to leave an inheritance, you'll want to avoid term insurance a buy a permanent life insurance policy instead.

The best permanent life insurance is Guaranteed Universal Life Insurance. These policies work just like term life, with guaranteed rates and coverage until the age of 90 or later, and no risky investing is required. To learn more, please see our article, "What is Guaranteed Universal Life Insurance?"

What is My Life Insurance Rate Class?

Most life insurance providers use 12 to 16 different rate classes to determine an applicant's "risk," and the cost of their life insurance policy. Roughly 85% of individuals fall into one of the most common rates classes which are Preferred Best, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard.

If you are in less than "standard" or average health, the life insurance company will assign additional "table ratings". Some life insurance providers offer up to 12 tables which is the reason why some providers offer as many as 16 rate categories.

Thankfully, most life insurance companies are fairly lenient with their underwriting guidelines. In the section below, we've broken down the most common rate classes in the industry to help you estimate the cost of your life insurance policy.

Preferred Best (#1)

The Preferred Best rate class is the best rate class available and it is reserved for applicants in exceptionally good health. Preferred Best applicants are typically within 25 to 30 pounds of their ideal weight, have no serious health issues, and do not require any significant medications.

Example "Preferred Best" Underwriting Guidelines:

• Blood Pressure limit, with or without medication: 136/86
• Total Cholesterol, with or without medications: Above 120, or less than 300.
• Cholesterol ratio must be 5.0 or less. To calculate this number, divide your total cholesterol number by your HDL number.
• Family History: Family history is overlooked as long as there is no evidence of hereditary cancer.
• Tobacco Use: No cigarettes in the last 3 years. One cigar per month is acceptable, but you must test negative for nicotine at the time of the exam.

Most insurers will look past medications for high blood pressure, thyroid issues, and elevated cholesterol (assuming you are controlling the issue adequately).

Preferred (#2)

The second best rate class down is Preferred. Preferred applicants are generally healthy, but may have a few minor issues, such as being slightly overweight. A family history of cancer or heart disease could also bump an otherwise healthy applicant from the Preferred Best rate class to Preferred.

Example “Preferred” Underwriting Guidelines: 

• Blood Pressure limit, with or without medication: 146/90
• Total Cholesterol, with or without medications: Above 120, or less than 300.
• Cholesterol ratio must be 5.5 or less.
• Family History: No cardiovascular disease in either parent or sibling before age 60.
• Tobacco Use: No cigarettes in the last 2 years. One cigar per month is acceptable, but you must test negative for nicotine at the time of the exam.

If you have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression but appear to be treating the issue effectively, it is possible for you to secure a Preferred rate.

Standard Plus (#3)

Standard Plus applicants may have notable health issues, but their health problems aren’t putting them in imminent danger and are being controlled with medication or treatment. This can include diabetics, cancer survivors, and people who are up to 50 pounds overweight.

Example “Standard Plus” Underwriting Guidelines:

• Blood Pressure limit, with or without medication: 152/92
• Total Cholesterol, with or without medication: Above 120, or less than 300.
• Cholesterol ratio must be 7.0 or less.
• Family History: Usually not considered at this rate class.
• Tobacco Use: No cigarettes in the last year. Unlimited use of cigars, chewing tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. (Please note: This is not standard with all carriers)

Standard Plus is the lowest rate category available to someone with well-controlled diabetes. With a few companies, this rate class is also available to cigar smokers, e-cigarette users, and applicants that use chewing tobacco.  Some cancer survivors can also qualify for Standard Plus rates five years after their final treatment.

Standard (#4)

Standard rates are available to applicants in average health compared to their age group. This rate class is also  available to applicants that are up to 60 pounds overweight. This is also the lowest rate category available to cancer survivors who are two or more years past their last treatment.

Example “Standard” Underwriting Guidelines:

• Blood Pressure limit, with or without medication: 156/94
• Total Cholesterol, with or without medication: Above 120, or less than 300.
• Cholesterol must be 8.0 or less.
• Family History: Not considered at this rate class.
• Tobacco Use: No cigarettes in the last year. Unlimited use of cigars, chewing tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. (Again, this not standard across the board. One of our agents can advise you of which carriers offer this option.)

The Standard rate class is also common for applicants over the age of 50 with well-controlled type II diabetes (A1C of 7.0 or less).

Still Have Questions, We Can Help!

Our independent agency works directly with more than 50 top-rated life insurance companies to make sure our clients are matched with the best policy available. Every company has their own underwriting guidelines and some companies are more lenient with specific health issues than others.

By having access to these guidelines, and asking you a few questions about your health and lifestyle, our experienced agents can quickly match your unique health risk profile to the financially-stable company that will offer you the lowest rates.

Give us a call toll-free at 855-247-9555 to get an accurate quote today, or you can use our free life insurance rates calculator below to instantly compare rates from dozens of life insurance providers BEFORE speaking with an agent.