Having the right life insurance policy can be essential financial planning for lawyers. We used industry data, pricing from our partners, and third-party ratings like AM Best and J.D. Power to pick the best life insurance companies for attorneys so you know where to start your search.
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 universal life insurance: Pacific Life
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 lawyers: The Banner Life family of companies
The Banner Life family of companies, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn in some states, is the best term life insurance company for lawyers. You may qualify for up to $10 million in coverage and term lengths of up to 40 years — longer than many competitors.
Best whole life insurance for lawyers: MassMutual
MassMutual is our pick for the best whole life insurance company for lawyers. We like MassMutual’s solid ratings: it has an A++ rating for financial strength from AM Best. This is especially important for whole life insurance because this type of coverage doesn’t expire and is guaranteed to pay out, no matter when you die.
Cheapest life insurance for lawyers: The Banner Life family of companies
We found that the Banner Life family of companies has the cheapest life insurance rates for lawyers. There’s a good chance that you can find cheap life insurance from the Banner Life family of companies even if you have a pre-existing health condition, like asthma, diabetes, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure.
Best universal life insurance for lawyers: Pacific Life
Our pick for the best universal life insurance for lawyers is Pacific Life, which received an A+ rating for financial stability from AM Best. Pacific Life also offers a return-of-premium feature, which allows you to cancel your policy at any time and get all of your payments back.
Best no-medical-exam life insurance for lawyers: Pacific Life
The best no-medical-exam life insurance for lawyers comes from Pacific Life. 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 lawyers: Mutual of Omaha
Our pick for the best final expense life insurance company for lawyers 45 and over is Mutual of Omaha. Final expense life insurance rates from Mutual of Omaha are usually better than at other companies.
Why lawyers need life insurance
There are a few reasons why you need life insurance as a lawyer, even if you already get some coverage through your work.
Income protection: A good life insurance policy insures any dependants who rely on your income are protected even in the event of your sudden death
Debt protection: Your life insurance benefits can cover debts like a mortgage, taxes, and other loans so you don’t leave them to your loved ones.
Paying off student loans: If you took out any private student loans to pay for law school, your family won’t struggle to pay them back.
Financial planning: If you have a high net worth, you can use whole life insurance as an estate planning tool.
If you’re not sure where to start, a licensed Policygenius agent can help you figure out how much life insurance you need and how long your coverage should last. Our experts are licensed in all 50 states and can walk you through the entire process of buying life insurance.
How working as an lawyer will affect getting life insurance
You shouldn’t have a problem getting life insurance if you’re a lawyer and you’re in good health. There’s usually nothing about the job itself that makes it harder to get life insurance, but there are a few exceptions.
If you work for an international law firm or organization or otherwise frequently travel outside the United States, you’ll have to time your life insurance application around your travel plans, and you may have to shop around a little more to find the right life insurance company.
Most life insurance companies require you to complete the application and medical exam, if required, in the U.S. You’ll also need to sign your final policy documents in the U.S.
If you spend more than six months out of the year outside the United States for work, you may qualify for a life insurance policy with fewer American companies. You’ll have to answer a few additional questions about your global net worth to justify coverage.
→ Learn more about buying life insurance while living abroad
How much does life insurance cost for lawyers?
We found that the cost of life insurance for a 30-year-old female lawyer with few health conditions and risk factors can be as little as $35 per month for a $1 million life insurance policy with a 20-year term. A 30-year-old male lawyer can pay as little as $46 for the same coverage.
A $1 million whole life insurance policy can cost between $801 to $920 per month for a person with the same profile.
The exact premiums you pay will depend on your age, gender, health, and liststyle risk factors, as well as how much coverage you want and the specific type of policy you’re applying for.
Term life insurance rates for lawyers
Age | Gender | $1 million coverage amount |
20 | Female | $32.48 |
Male | $44.72 | |
30 | Female | $35.48 |
Male | $45.94 | |
40 | Female | $58.49 |
Male | $71.45 | |
50 | Female | $131.18 |
Male | $174.90 |
Methodology: Average monthly rates are calculated for male and female non-smokers in a Preferred health classification buying a 20-year $1 million term life insurance policy. Life insurance averages are based on a composite of policies offered by Policygenius from Legal & General America, Brighthouse Financial, Corebridge Financial, Foresters Financial, 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 07/01/2023.
Whole life insurance rates for lawyers
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 |
Methodology: Average monthly rates are calculated for male and female non-smokers in a Preferred Plus health classification buying a $1 million whole life insurance policy from MassMutual. Rates may vary by insurer, term, coverage amount, health class, and state. Not all policies are available in all states. Rate illustration valid as of 07/01/2023.






