Given how dangerous it can be to work as a first responder, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a life insurance company. We used industry data, rates from our partners, and third-party ratings like AM Best and J.D. Power to pick the best life insurance companies for first responders.
Best term life insurance: Legal & General America
Best whole life insurance: MassMutual
Most affordable life insurance: Legal & General America
Best for wildfire firefighters or similar specialties: Pacific Life, Prudential, Transamerica
“The most important thing is to work with a fiduciary insurance advisor who can shop your policy across multiple insurance companies to find the best rate and terms possible,” says Christopher Bauchle, MSFS, RICP at Trust Wealth Strategies and career firefighter.
If you’re ready to compare life insurance quotes and find the right coverage, Policygenius can help.
Methodology
Why you can trust our picks
Our recommendations are based on internal and external expert analysis, as well as our Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index, which uses real-time data from leading life insurance companies to determine pricing trends. When reviewing a life insurance company, our editorial team uses a proprietary scoring rubric with five factors — price, policy details, financial strength, transparency, and customer experience — to assign an unbiased rating between one and five stars. These ratings are also taken into consideration as part of our company recommendations. We don’t get paid for our reviews.
Our reviews and recommendations can help you find a reliable insurer for your family’s financial protection, but the best life insurance company for you depends on multiple factors. A licensed agent at Policygenius can support you during the application process to ensure you get the right coverage for your circumstances at the most competitive price.
Best term life insurance for firefighters and first responders: Legal & General America
2024 Policygenius award winner
Legal & General America
4.9
30+ year terms
All 50 states
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Legal & General America, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn, has some of the longest term lengths — up to 40 years — and most competitive life insurance rates available, even for people with a history of medical conditions.
Pros and cons
Pros
Competitive rates for a variety of health conditions
Fast instant-decision option for qualifying applicants
Variety of term lengths up to 40 years
Cons
Application underwriting can take longer than average
Does not have the most competitive rates for older applicants
The best term life insurance company for firefighters and first responders is Legal & General America, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn in some states. Legal & General America has great coverage options — up to 40-year terms and policies with up to $10 million in coverage for certain applicants.
Best whole life insurance for firefighters and first responders: MassMutual
2024 Policygenius award winner
MassMutual
4.9
All 50 states
Why we chose it
MassMutual’s whole life insurance plan provides a lifetime coverage option that builds cash value with the potential to earn dividends.
Pros and cons
Pros
Strong financial stability ratings
Higher potential for dividends for whole life policyholders than many competitors
Good customer satisfaction ratings
Cons
High term life premiums
Term life not available through Policygenius
The best whole life insurance for firefighters and first responders is from MassMutual. MassMutual has a high financial strength rating (A++) from AM Best, which is especially important for permanent life insurance.
Most affordable life insurance for firefighters and first responders: Legal & General America
2024 Policygenius award winner
Legal & General America
4.9
30+ year terms
All 50 states
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Legal & General America, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn, has some of the longest term lengths — up to 40 years — and most competitive life insurance rates available, even for people with a history of medical conditions.
Pros and cons
Pros
Competitive rates for a variety of health conditions
Fast instant-decision option for qualifying applicants
Variety of term lengths up to 40 years
Cons
Application underwriting can take longer than average
Does not have the most competitive rates for older applicants
We found that Legal & General America has some of the cheapest average rates for term life insurance. Even applicants with certain pre-existing conditions like diabetes or heart disease may be able to find affordable life insurance coverage with Legal & General.
Best life insurance for wildfire firefighters or similar specialties
Pacific Life, Prudential, and Transamerica are the three best life insurance companies for wildland firefighters and other first responders with unique specialties.
All three companies allow you to avoid the extra fee that many competitors charge firefighters. As long as you don’t do smoke jumping or work with explosives, you may be able to find affordable coverage from Pacific Life, Prudential, or Transamerica.
Why firefighters and first responders needs life insurance
There are a few reasons why having life insurance is especially important for firefighters and first responders.
Financial security for your family: The right life insurance policy will ensure you don’t have to worry about any loved ones who rely on your income.
Help paying off debt: Your family can use a life insurance payment to take care of any debts you might leave behind, like loans or mortgages.
Add to your existing coverage: You might already have life insurance through a group plan from work, but chances are it’s not enough to fully cover your family’s needs.
If you’re not sure how much life insurance you need or whether it’s right for you and your family, our Policygenius experts can answer any questions.
How working as a first responder can affect your life insurance application
Although working as a first responder may not mean significantly higher rates, you might have to answer a few additional questions about your job when you apply for coverage.
“It may be surprising to know many life insurance companies do not discriminate against firefighters when it comes to underwriting,” says Bauchle. That said, you may be limited to a Standard, or average, risk classification if you work in law enforcement as a first responder.
If your job carries more risk — like bomb disposal, for example — you might have to provide more details about the specifics of your profession during underwriting, and coverage will be more expensive.
How working as a firefighter can affect your life insurance application
If you’re a municipal firefighter, your job may not affect your life insurance at all. But if you fight wildfires, the cheapest rates you can find will probably be in line with the national average cost of life insurance.
If your job involves higher-risk activities like smoke jumping or working with explosives, some insurance companies will require you to pay an extra fee — others won’t cover you at all.
These extra fees are an additional charge per $1,000 of coverage you purchase. Common examples of flat extras include an extra $2 or $5 per $1,000 — so, if you have a $500,000 policy, you could pay an extra $1,000 to $2,500 per year.
Given how the risks of being a firefighter can change from job to job, life insurance companies will likely ask you some additional questions, like:
Do you work to contain wildfires?
Are you a smoke jumper/is smoke jumping part of your regular job duties?
Are you involved with any explosive plans or the use of munition?
How much does life insurance cost for firefighters & first responders?
The average cost of life insurance for a 30-year-old firefighter with a non-hazardous specialty is about $30 a month for a life insurance policy with a $500,000 death benefit payout and a 20-year term. If your job is hazardous, your rates will depend on the specifics of your job.
Below are approximations of rates, but the best way to get an accurate life insurance quote is to have a personalized phone call with a Policygenius expert.
Term life insurance rates for firefighters & first responders
If you’re a firefighter or first responder and you don’t do wildfire fighting, smoke jumping, or handling explosives, you could qualify the rates in the left hand column. If your job involves more hazards, your rates may be closer to those in the right hand column below.
Keep in mind if you regularly participate in high-risk activities at work — like handling explosives — you may pay a flat extra fee in addition to your base premiums.
Age | Gender | Non-hazardous specialty | Hazardous specialty |
20 | Female | $22.21 | $33.24 |
Male | $29.02 | $40.34 | |
30 | Female | $22.37 | $33.48 |
Male | $29.97 | $40.72 | |
40 | Female | $34.31 | $51.99 |
Male | $41.17 | $64.40 | |
50 | Female | $74.37 | $114.46 |
Male | $95.91 | $145.82 |
Methodology: Average monthly rates are calculated for male and female non-smokers in Preferred and Standard health classifications buying a 20-year $500,000 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 firefighters & first responders
Here are whole life insurance rates with a Standard risk classification for an average level of risk. You might be eligible for these rates if you don’t have a hazardous specialty like wildfire fighting or smoke jumping, and you don’t handle explosives.
Age | Gender | $500,000 coverage amount |
20 | Female | $293 |
Male | $360 | |
30 | Female | $421 |
Male | $502 | |
40 | Female | $623 |
Male | $768 | |
50 | Female | $994 |
Male | $1,188 |
Methodology: Average monthly rates are calculated for male and female non-smokers in a Standard health classification buying a $500,000 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
