The best instant life insurance companies at a glance
Lemonade: Best overall.
Lincoln Financial: Best for policy add-ons.
Erie: Best for instant whole life.
Until recently, it could take several weeks to get life insurance coverage. While that’s still true for traditional policies, a string of insurers now offer instant life insurance. Sometimes known as “fast life insurance,” these are policies you can apply for online and often get a decision on within minutes.
To create this list, our experts analyzed insurers who sell life insurance online and offer at least $100,000 in coverage. We then assessed policy features, age eligibility and available riders, as well as the amount of coverage you can buy without taking a medical exam.
Why trust NerdWallet
1,413 life insurance rates sets collected.
441 life insurers analyzed by our team of experts.
185 policies assessed.
Dive deeper: Ratings methodology for life insurance.
NerdWallet's life insurance content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in life insurance. We follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our site is accurate and fair so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.
The best online life insurance companies of September 2025
Instant coverage amount: Starting at $100,000. | ||
Instant coverage amount: $100,000 to $2.5 million. | ||
Instant coverage amount: $10,000 to $500,000. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its instant life insurance policy specifically. | ||
Best overall: Lemonade
BEST SAME-DAY TERM LIFE INSURANCE 2025
Lemonade
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Qualifying applicants can get millions in coverage online.
- Policies aren’t available nationwide.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Pros
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Qualifying applicants can get millions in coverage online.
Cons
- Policies aren’t available nationwide.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Overview: Lemonade offers term life insurance lasting 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years in all states except New York. To apply for coverage, you’ll fill out a sleek online application and answer a few basic questions about your health and lifestyle. If you’re approved, your policy may be issued within minutes. Eligible applicants can get coverage starting at $100,000 and going into the millions without a medical exam, and easily manage their policy via Lemonade’s user-friendly app.
The insurer is backed by Legal & General, a longstanding and financially strong insurer with a track record for low complaints.
- Lemonade instant policy details
Instant life policy: Lemonade Term Life Insurance.
Eligibility age range: 20 to 75.
Coverage amount: Starting at $100,000.
Availability: All states except New York.
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years.
» Read the full review: Lemonade life insurance review
Best for policy add-ons: Lincoln Financial
Best for policy add-ons
Lincoln Financial
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers hybrid policies with life and long-term care coverage.
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
Pros
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers hybrid policies with life and long-term care coverage.
Cons
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
Overview: With Lincoln Financial, you can apply for a no-exam policy online or over the phone. Policyholders can upgrade to permanent coverage before their term policy expires or when they reach their 70th birthday, whichever comes first. The policy is guaranteed renewable up to age 95.
The insurer offers a child term rider that can cover multiple children. You can also choose to add a waiver of premium rider or accelerated death benefit rider to your coverage for an additional fee.
- Lincoln Financial instant policy details
Instant life policy: Lincoln TermAccel.
Eligibility age range: 18 to 60.
Coverage amount: $100,000 to $2.5 million.
Availability: All states except NY.
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
» Read the full review: Lincoln Financial life insurance review
Best for instant whole life: Erie
Best for instant whole life
Erie
- Low customer complaints.
- Offers a variety of term and whole life options.
- Not available in most states.
Pros
- Low customer complaints.
- Offers a variety of term and whole life options.
Cons
- Not available in most states.
Overview: Erie’s instant life insurance policy is one of the most flexible on the market. You can choose between a term or whole life policy, and if you qualify, the coverage can go into effect the same day you apply. Otherwise, you may need to take a medical exam. You can buy small amounts of coverage, starting at $10,000, and a term as brief as five years. An accelerated death benefit rider is automatically included at no extra charge.
- Erie instant policy details
Instant life policy: ERIExpress Life.
Eligibility age range: 18 to 55.
Coverage amount: $10,000 to $500,000.
Availability: District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Term lengths: 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
» Read the full review: Erie auto, homeowners and life insurance review
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 441 life insurers reviewed
📝 185 policies assessed
🔢 1,315 data points analyzed
📊 Star rating categories
When NerdWallet evaluates life insurance companies, our editorial team considers the insurer's strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things that matter most to customers buying a long-term financial product. We then weigh these factors carefully:
💰 Financial strength (40%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s financial stability and ability to pay claims far into the future. The top life insurance companies have an exceptional financial strength rating of A+ or A++ (Superior).
🗣️ Consumer complaints (40%). Our top-rated life insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators over a three-year period, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
👀 Policy detail availability (10%). Our methodology gives higher scores to transparent insurers who clearly display information about their policy options, coverage amounts and term lengths (if applicable) on their site.
☎️ Ease of communication (10%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores.
⭐ What our star ratings mean
Companies with 5 stars are exceptional, with strong financials, diverse policy lineups and great reputations for customer service.
Companies with 4.5 stars are excellent, with solid financials and policy offerings, and good customer service track records.
Companies with 4.0 stars are good, and potentially great for people looking for niche coverage options.
Companies with 3.5 stars or fewer could do better in certain categories, like financial strength and customer complaints.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings or our reviews. Read more about our life insurance ratings methodology and editorial guidelines.
Alternatives to the best instant life insurance
If you’re not in a time crunch, consider applying for a traditional life insurance policy. You’ll most likely need to take a medical exam, but if you’re relatively healthy, you could end up paying less for your policy.
Term life insurance lasts a set number of years, while permanent life insurance offers lifelong coverage and builds cash value over time.
More about top-rated life insurance companies
Looking for a different type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:
