Principal Financial Life Insurance Review

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Written by Georgia Rose
Lead Writer
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Edited by Katia Iervasi
Assistant Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

Founded in 1879, Principal Financial no longer sells life insurance products to most individuals. Instead, the company focuses on businesses, offering individual policies to business owners and group life insurance coverage.

Our writers and editors 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. Here is a list of our partners, and here’s how we make money.

Principal Financial life insurance ranking

Principal provides group life insurance plans through employers, along with other types of coverage including critical illness, dental, disability and vision insurance.

Principal Financial ranked No. 17 out of 22 companies in J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. Life Insurance Study for overall customer satisfaction

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More about Principal Financial insurance

Principal Financial Group also offers individual disability insurance as well as annuities, retirement plans and estate planning services.

Learn about top-rated life insurance companies

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Life insurance buying guide

Before you start comparing companies, choose the type of life insurance you want, such as term or whole life. Decide which life insurance riders, if any, you want the policy to include. Calculate how much life insurance you need and how long you want the coverage to last. Check that the insurers you’re considering offer the coverage you’re looking for.

When comparing rates, be sure the quotes are for the same amount of coverage over the same period of time. It’s also important to make sure the policy’s medical requirements match your needs. For example, if you want to skip the life insurance medical exam but don’t mind answering health questions, confirm that the application process for each policy you're comparing aligns with that.

Price may not be the biggest driver behind your decision to buy. Look at the number of consumer complaints each company receives, as high numbers can be a red flag about the quality of service.

For more guidance, see our life insurance buying guide.

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