Where you live actually doesn’t affect your life insurance rates — what you pay for a policy will depend on personal factors like your health and medical history, along with the type of policy you want and the amount of coverage you need.
That’s why our picks for the top life insurance companies in Washington are similar to our picks for the overall best life insurance companies. That said, living in Washington means there are some local insurance laws you should know about, and your location can also affect company availability.
Policygenius rating | Best for … | AM Best score | Number of complaints | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.9/5 ★ | Overall, cheapest, term life | A+ | Fewer than average | $ | |
5.0/5 ★ | Young adults | A | More than average | $ | |
4.9/5 ★ | Whole life | A++ | Fewer than average | $$$ | |
4.8/5 ★ | Pre-existing conditions | A | Fewer than average | $ | |
4.8/5★ | No-medical-exam life, guaranteed universal life | A+ | Fewer than average | $ | |
4.6/5 ★ | Smokers | A | More than average | $ | |
4.1/5 ★ | Seniors | A+ | Fewer than average | $$ |
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 overall life insurance company in Washington: Legal & General America
The best life insurance company in Washington is Legal & General America, which also does business as Banner Life and William Penn in some states. Legal & General America is our top pick because it has low average rates even for applicants without a spotless medical record.
Another perk of Legal & General is its customer service. It receives about 60% fewer complaints from policyholders than what’s expected for the industry, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Cheapest life insurance company in Washington: Legal & General America
Legal & General America has cheap life insurance rates in Washington, but remember that where you live doesn’t actually affect the cost of a life insurance policy (Legal & General is just a cheap option for most applicants).
The best way to find affordable coverage is by comparing life insurance quotes from different companies before you buy. It’s also a good idea to get life insurance while you’re young — rates will only get more expensive with age.
Best term life insurance in Washington: Legal & General America
The best company for term life insurance in Washington is Legal & General America. It offers term lengths up to 40 years — most companies only offer coverage in up to 30-year terms.
Term life insurance is the best option for most people. Just pick how long you want your coverage to last (the term) and the amount of coverage you want your loved ones to receive (the death benefit). If you die while the policy is active, your family will be paid the benefit amount.
Best no-medical-exam life insurance in Washington: Pacific Life
The best company for no-medical-exam life insurance in Washington is Pacific Life. You may be able to get up to $3 million in coverage without taking a medical exam, and Pacific Life accepts no-med applicants as old as 70.
A no-medical-exam life insurance policy is like a normal term life policy, except getting coverage takes less time since you don’t need to go through a medical exam. You can usually only get this kind of coverage if you’re in good health, though each company has different eligibility rules.
Best whole life insurance in Washington: MassMutual
The best whole life insurance company in Washington is MassMutual thanks to its high financial strength ratings (A++ from AM Best). Your whole life insurance company should be financially stable because a policy lasts until you die, whenever that is, instead of having a limited term.
A whole life policy is kind of like a combination between a life insurance policy and a retirement account. It has a death benefit, but it also has a cash value component that collects interest over time and which you can use while you’re alive.
Best guaranteed universal life insurance in Washington: Pacific Life
Pacific Life is the best guaranteed universal life insurance company in Washington. It’s got good financial strength ratings (A+ from AM Best), and you may be able to qualify for a policy up to age 80.
Guaranteed universal life insurance might be right for you if you want permanent life insurance coverage without paying the high premiums that come with a whole life insurance policy.
Best life insurance for seniors in Washington: Prudential
The best life insurance company for seniors in Washington is Prudential. You may be able to get term life insurance from Prudential up to age 70, and while it’s normally hard to find cheap life insurance when you’re older, Prudential’s average rates are affordable — even if you have an age-related pre-existing condition.
Best life insurance for young adults in Washington: Brighthouse Financial
Brighthouse Financial is the best life insurance company for young adults in Washington. If you’re at least 20 years old, you may be able to qualify for a 40-year term life insurance policy, even if you’re a smoker. You may also be able to qualify for up to $3 million in coverage with Brighthouse Financial’s instant-approval life insurance.
Best life insurance for pre-existing conditions in Washington: Lincoln Financial
The best life insurance company in Washington if you have a pre-existing medical condition is Lincoln Financial. That’s because Lincoln Financial offers coverage to applicants with common pre-existing conditions, like a past heart attack, asthma, epilepsy, and more.
Best life insurance for marijuana users in Washington: Lincoln Financial
Lincoln Financial is the best life insurance in Washington if you use marijuana. Lincoln Financial won’t give you higher smoker rates for marijuana use, even if you’re a regular user. You can use it up to six times a week and still get affordable rates.
It’s important to tell the truth about any marijuana use when you apply for life insurance. If your insurance company finds out you weren’t honest, it may deny a future claim.
Best life insurance for smokers in Washington: Corebridge Financial
The best life insurance company for smokers in Washington is Corebridge Financial. Your rates will still be more expensive than for non-smokers, but you can apply for better rates after one year smoke free. You can also get affordable rates from Corebridge Financial if you’re a cigar smoker.
How is life insurance different in Washington?
Although living in Washington doesn’t affect your life insurance rates, it can affect certain insurance rules and regulations. [1]
Contestable period: The contestable period in Washington is two years after you buy a policy. If your insurance company finds out during this period that you misrepresented yourself on your application, it can deny a claim.
Free look period: The mandatory free look period in Washington is 10 days from when you buy a policy. That’s the amount of time you have to cancel your life insurance and still get a full refund.
Grace period: Washington’s grace period is 31 days. If you miss a payment, you have 31 days to catch up before your insurance company can cancel your policy.
Guaranty Fund protection: If your life insurance company goes bankrupt, Washington’s Guaranty Association will step in and cover up to $500,000 of your death benefits and $500,000 of your policy’s cash surrender value.
Time to settle a claim: Washington doesn’t limit the amount of time insurance companies have to settle a claim, but the death benefit will gain interest right away, with an additional 3% if the company doesn’t settle in 90 days.
Largest life insurance companies in Washington
Here are the 10 largest life insurance companies in Washington by market share. [2]
Company | Market share in Washington |
|---|---|
New York Life | 8.01% |
Northwestern Mutual | 6.98% |
Prudential | 6.91% |
MetLife | 5.40% |
Sammons | 3.72% |
Lincoln Financial | 3.64% |
State Farm | 3.63% |
Minnesota Mutual | 3.24% |
Pacific Life | 3.01% |
Trustmark | 2.78% |
What happens if a life insurance company goes bankrupt in Washington?
It’s rare for life insurance companies to go bankrupt, but if yours does, Washington’s Guaranty Association will step in and cover up to $500,000 of your policy’s death benefits and up to $500,000 of its cash surrender value as long as you continue paying your premiums.
How to find a lost life insurance policy in Washington
You can use the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to find a lost life insurance policy in Washington, but only if you have a connection to the person whose policy you’re looking for.
Average life insurance rates in Washington
According to our analysis of Policygenius data from 2024, the average cost of life insurance in Washington for a healthy 35-year-old in buying a $500,000, 20-year term life insurance policy is $27 per month ($307 per year) for women and $32 per month ($373 per year) for men — but your exact premiums will depend on factors specific to you.
Age | Gender | $250,000 coverage amount | $500,000 coverage amount | $1 million coverage amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
20 | Female | $15 | $23 | $34 |
Male | $19 | $29 | $48 | |
30 | Female | $15 | $23 | $37 |
Male | $18 | $29 | $49 | |
40 | Female | $22 | $35 | $61 |
Male | $25 | $43 | $75 | |
50 | Female | $44 | $78 | $139 |
Male | $57 | $102 | $188 | |
60 | Female | $108 | $194 | $355 |
Male | $149 | $268 | $500 |
Methodology: Average monthly rates are calculated for male and female non-smokers in a Preferred health classification obtaining a 20-year $250,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000 term life insurance policy. Life insurance averages are based on a composite of policies offered by Policygenius from Brighthouse Financial, Corebridge Financial, Foresters Financial, Legal & General America, Lincoln Financial, Mutual of Omaha, Pacific Life, Protective, Prudential, Symetra, and Transamerica, and the Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index, which uses real-time data from leading life insurance companies to determine pricing trends. 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 09/01/2024.
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