Best Term Life Insurance in 2025


Legal & General, Pacific Life, and Protective Insurance are the best term life insurance companies today.

Find out if you're overpaying for life insurance below.

Select age group
Key Takeaways
blueCheck icon

Legal & General, Pacific Life, and Protective Insurance offer the best term life insurance policies. Other options may be more suitable for you depending on your specific needs.

blueCheck icon

Term life insurance offers affordable, time-limited coverage, making it ideal for protecting income, paying off debt or securing your family's future.

blueCheck icon

Premiums and eligibility depend on your age, health and preferred coverage length. Most policies range from 10 to 30 years with fixed monthly payments.

Why You Can Trust MoneyGeek

Compare the Best Term Life Insurance Companies

Legal & General is the best overall term life insurance company, with high scores for affordability, customer experience and coverage options. If budget is your main concern, consider Lincoln Financial, which has the cheapest rates. MoneyGeek also identified leaders for specific age groups and profiles: Pacific Life for adults in their 20s and 30s, Protective Insurance for seniors, and North American for smokers.

Best For
Company
Avg Monthly Rate
Term Lengths
Ages Supported
MoneyGeek Score

Legal & General

$38 (Female), $47 (Male)

10-40 years

20-75

4.7

Pacific Life

$39 (Female), $47 (Male)

10-30 years

18-75

4.7

Protective Insurance

$36 (Female), $44 (Male)

10-40 years

20-80

4.7

Guardian Life

$40 (Female), $51 (Male)

10-30 years

18-75

4.6

Gerber Life

$46 (Female), $52 (Male)

10-30 years

18-70

4.5

* Rates shown are estimates of the companies MoneyGeek surveyed based on a 40-year old with average weight and height, non-smoker, average health, 20-year term, and $500,000 coverage. Actual rates may vary by state, health profile, and insurer underwriting. Contact insurers directly for personalized quotes.

Best Overall: Legal & General

Company Image

Legal & General

MoneyGeek Rating
4.7/ 5
4.7/5Affordability
4.7/5Customer Experience
4.7/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $38 (Female), $47 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    20-75
  • Term Lengths

    10-40 years

Best for Young Adults: Pacific Life

Company Image

Pacific Life

MoneyGeek Rating
4.7/ 5
4.7/5Affordability
4.6/5Customer Experience
4.9/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $39 (Female), $47 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-75
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

Best for Seniors: Protective Insurance

Company Image

Protective

MoneyGeek Rating
4.7/ 5
4.8/5Affordability
4.6/5Customer Experience
4.3/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $36 (Female), $44 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    20-80
  • Term Lengths

    10-40 years

Best Customer Experience: Guardian Life

Company Image

Guardian Life

MoneyGeek Rating
4.6/ 5
4.6/5Affordability
4.9/5Customer Experience
4/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $40 (Female), $51 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-75
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

Best for No Medical Exam: Gerber Life

Company Image

Gerber

MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
4.5/5Affordability
4.9/5Customer Experience
4/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $46 (Female), $52 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-70
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

Best for Smokers: North American

Company Image

North American

MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
4.8/5Affordability
4.6/5Customer Experience
3.3/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $35 (Female), $43 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-60
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

Best for Multi-product Bundling: Nationwide

Company Image

Nationwide

MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
4.4/5Affordability
4.9/5Customer Experience
4.3/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $45 (Female), $56 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-55
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

Most Affordable: Lincoln Financial

Company Image

Lincoln Financial

MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
5/5Affordability
3.6/5Customer Experience
4.5/5Coverage Options
  • Avg. Monthly Rate

    $31 (Female), $38 (Male)
  • Ages Supported

    18-80
  • Term Lengths

    10-30 years

How Does Term Life Insurance Work?

Term life insurance provides coverage for a specified period or "term." You pay fixed premiums throughout the term. If you die during that period, the insurance company pays a death benefit to your beneficiaries.

Term life insurance policies usually range from 10 to 30 years based on your needs. When terms expire, you can renew at higher premiums or convert to permanent life insurance for lifetime coverage.

How Much Does Term Life Insurance Cost?

Explore these tables to quickly estimate your term life insurance cost. These rates are based on nonsmokers with average height, weight, and health at $500,000 coverage. Rates shown for ages 25 and 50 are for 20-year terms while rates shown for age 60 are for 10-year terms. Rates are sorted from the most affordable to the most expensive providers in our list. Nationwide does not provide coverage to people older than 55.

Lincoln FInancial
$18
$23
$31
$38
$103
$145
North American
$22
$28
$35
$43
$123
$177
Protective Insurance
$23
$29
$37
$44
$133
$187
Legal & General
$26
$30
$38
$47
$155
$220
Pacific Life
$26
$30
$39
$47
$155
$220
Guardian Life
$27
$33
$40
$51
$145
$215
Gerber Life
$30
$38
$47
$53
$263
$365
Nationwide
$32
$41
$45
$56
N/A
N/A

Your actual rates may vary based on health, lifestyle, and other factors. Rates are also subject to underwriting approval. Request quotes from multiple providers when researching the best term life insurance policies for you.

How to Choose the Best Term Life Insurance Policy

Here’s what matters most when selecting the right policy for your needs:

  1. 1
    Coverage Amount

    Insurance companies offer different coverage limits, so it's important to find a company that meets your needs. Start by calculating how much life insurance coverage you need. A common rule is 10 to 12 times your annual income, plus mortgage balance and children's education costs. Subtract existing savings and your spouse's income to determine the coverage gap. Keep in mind that coverage limits are usually much lower if you decide to opt out of a medical exam.

  2. 2
    Term Length

    Most life insurance companies offer term options of 10 to 30 years, though some offer terms up to 40 years. Choose a term covering your highest-risk financial period, which is usually until your mortgage is paid and children are independent. Longer terms cost more upfront but protect against future health changes. Ten-year terms work for short-term debts, while 20- to 30-year terms suit families with mortgages and young children.

  3. 3
    Rates

    Compare quotes from at least three insurers, as rates vary from provider to provider for identical coverage. Your health profile might favor certain insurers, with some companies offering better rates than others for smokers, people with poor health, or overweight people. Be sure to balance premium costs against the company's financial stability and customer service quality ratings.

  4. 4
    Riders and Other Benefits

    Some term life insurance providers allow you to customize your plan with riders and other options. Accelerated death benefit riders, for example, let you to access coverage if terminally ill. A waiver of premium continues coverage if disabled, while conversion options allow you to switch to permanent coverage without a medical exam. Avoid unnecessary riders that increase premiums.

  5. 5
    Provider Financial Strength

    Check A.M. Best financial strength ratings, which indicate a insurance company's ability to pay claims. Look for A+ or A++ ratings indicating superior financial strength.

Bottom Line

Term life insurance offers affordable financial protection for your loved ones during vulnerable years. Whether raising a family, paying off debt or planning for children's education, the right term policy can provide peace of mind.

Legal & General leads MoneyGeek's rankings for the best overall term life insurance, while Lincoln Financial offers the most affordable rates and Pacific Life is the best for young adults. Compare term lengths, coverage amounts and premiums to find coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you get the best rate for your insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Why do we need ZIP code?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

MoneyGeek's experts answered common questions about term life insurance companies and policies.

What factors affect term life insurance cost?

How much term life insurance coverage do you need?

Can term life insurance be cashed out?

What happens if you outlive your term life insurance?

Can term life insurance be converted to whole life?

Are term life insurance proceeds taxable?

Can you renew a term life insurance policy when the term expires?

Finding the Best Term Life Insurance Policies: Expert Advice

Loading...

Our Review Methodology

We analyzed 1,488 life insurance quotes from 29 companies alongside customer satisfaction, financial stability reports, product offerings and more to determine the best term life insurance companies.

MoneyGeek created a scoring system to compare term life insurance companies across three categories and ranked them based on their scores. We chose to review these companies based on their broad national coverage and ability to provide an online quote.

MoneyGeek’s Scoring System 

Companies earn up to five points in each category in our unique scoring system. We then use these category scores to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score out of five. We applied the following weightings to score insurers:

  • Affordability (50%): How competitive and reasonable the provider's premium rates are compared to other insurers in the market, based on quotes obtained from the provider.
  • Customer Experience (30%): The quality of customer service, claims processing efficiency, and overall satisfaction based on customer feedback and industry ratings.
  • Coverage Options (20%): The variety and flexibility of term life insurance products offered, including different policy terms, ages covered, coverage limits, riders, and customization features available to meet diverse customer needs.

Each company’s score incorporates:

  • Cost data obtained through online quotes
  • Financial strength ratings from AM Best and the number of years in business
  • Customer satisfaction data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) customer complaint index, review forums, J.D. Power, and the BBB
  • Availability of tools to aid in the buying process, such as online product materials and multiple payment options
  • Diversity of life insurance products offered

Sample Customer Profile 

MoneyGeek used a standard profile to get life insurance quotes:

  • 40-year-old male
  • Nonsmoker
  • 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 160 pounds
  • Average health rating

Premiums are based on the standard profile unless otherwise noted. In some cases, we modified the profile by age, gender, height, weight, tobacco use, health rating and geographic location to collect various quotes and determine the best life insurance company for several types of customers. We also collected quotes for term life insurance with varying term lengths and coverage amounts.

We identified trends in the data set and used those patterns to calculate projections and extend the data beyond what was originally collected.

Term Life Insurance Coverage: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.


Copyright © 2025 MoneyGeek.com. All Rights Reserved