How To

Part 3 of 3: Life Insurance Buyers’ Common Q&As

Written by Mint.com
Published Jul 21, 2017 - [Updated Apr 26, 2022]
2 min read
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Replacing your policy

I currently have a life insurance policy – could I get a better price elsewhere?

The short answer is yes – it is possible to get a better price. The long answer is that it depends on quite a few factors, and there’s no guarantee that your price will drop with a second application.

One of the biggest things to keep in mind is your age. The older you are, the higher your chances of dying naturally, which will slowly increase the baseline price of a policy. Applying for a policy at 45 will be more expensive than applying at 35, all other things being equal.

When in doubt, work with a life insurance agency. They’ll be able to give you some insight into how much your price could drop if you switch to another carrier.

If my health has improved since I got my last policy, can I reapply for a better price?

Depending on how your health has improved and the amount of time that has passed since your previous application, you could see significant price drops.

For example, smoking is one of the priciest things that you can do with regard to a life insurance application, and typically, you need to have kicked the habit at least one year ago before life insurance carriers are willing to look past your tobacco history.

My last agent sold me a policy from the company he worked for. Can I get a better price if I shop around?

If your agent was captive, meaning they only represented one insurance company, the first thing that you should do is get a quote from an independent source that represents many. Because carriers jockey for position to undercut their competitors’ prices in certain situations, it’s possible that another carrier beats your current carrier in price.

Sometimes the difference in price will be pretty obvious from the get-go. If you can’t find a dramatic difference in price, it’s often wise to talk to an independent agent or online company and tell them the facts about your case. An experienced agency can help point you in the right direction by shopping your case around for preliminary price checks with various carriers.

Natasha Cornelius is the content manager and editor for Quotacy. She has worked in the life insurance industry since 2010 and has been making life insurance easier to understand with her writing since 2014. A long-time Mint user, Natasha lives in Bozeman, Montana where she loves to garden, DIY anything she can, and explore beautiful Big Sky country. Connect with her on LinkedIn.