Life Insurance for Police Officers & Law Enforcement

Obtaining the best life insurance for police officers should always be a very simple and straightforward process

Regardless of the fact that police officers and other members of law enforcement sometimes have a hazardous occupation. The life insurance companies do their best to keep police life insurance rates as low as possible.

Anyway you look at it, high risk life insurance is going to be more expensive. This is why you have to apply with a company that feels comfortable insuring police officers. Preferred rates will have the lowest cost every time. The largest percentage of police officers can actually qualify for Preferred rates when insured with the proper companies.

Exceptionally hazardous work duties can impact premiums

Only a small percentage of policeman are involved with exceptionally dangerous work and should be classified as high risk. Unfortunately, society has become more violent than ever before. A police officer has to put his or her life on the line each and every day. The Officer Down Memorial Page shows 150 law enforcement officers were killed in the United States in 2018 along with an alarming start for 2019.

Receiving the best police life insurance rates will depend on the company you choose to apply with

Choosing the proper life insurance company to apply with is extremely important. All the companies have their niche markets and underwrite their applications differently. Purchasing life insurance for police officers is going to require a company that is not sensitive to the dangers of law enforcement. Using excellent A+ rated carriers such as the Banner Life insurance company, Protective Life, Transamerica, Lincoln Financial, American General and others will allow you to get the best rates. Purchasing police life insurance is a snap with any of these good companies. Keep in mind that a number of concerns can have an effect on your rates as you read on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we hear just about everyday concerning police life insurance. Most of the time when people have a job that is more hazardous than others. They can start assuming they are going to have a hard time purchasing life insurance or they will have to pay more. Rest assured, if you are a law enforcement officer and your shopping for life insurance for police officers.

You can relax because you have many good options to choose from with excellent preferred rates. We specialize in police life insurance, so we know from experience how to help you secure the best coverage at the lowest rates.

Here are just some of the most common questions we are asked everyday:

Are there any carriers that could be considered police life insurance friendly?
Can I apply for police officer life insurance without having to take a physical?
Is purchasing life insurance for law enforcement personnel difficult for undercover narcotics agents?
I use alcoholic beverages after work to relax, can I still qualify for coverage?
I am a retired police officer, does that help me get lower rates?
Can I purchase police life insurance with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Does police officer life insurance have a suicide clause built into the policy?
I am in the middle of a divorce, will that effect my rates?

Answers to these questions and more are provided in this article as you read further.

What about medical conditions?

Always keep in mind that any existing medical conditions can have a large impact on your rates regardless of what kind of policy or occupation you have. An individuals physical and mental well being is a life insurance companies first concern. Most police officers are in good physical condition due to their job requirements. Purchasing life insurance for police officers is usually a simple process with low preferred rates as an end result.

If you do have any medical conditions. The insurance company you apply with will need to fully understand what your conditions are and can they be controlled with medication.

How about tobacco use?

Tobacco use is the easiest way to increase your rates. Smoking can easily increase your rates over 300%. This is especially true if you smoke cigarettes. Some of the companies offer lower rates if you smoke cigars or a pipe. But that will also depend on how much you smoke. If you purchase life insurance with a smokers rating. You can quit smoking and have your policy re-evaluated after one year. It is very possible you can receive non-smoker rates and decrease you premiums to the extremes. Purchasing life insurance for police officers will easier and much cheaper if you quit smoking. Not to mention you will live longer if you kick the habit.

Does height and weight make a difference?

Height and weight can make or break your application for police life insurance. Also a situation of being overweight or obese can increase your rates or trigger a decline all together. If you purchase life insurance and your final rates have gone up because of a weight condition. You can do the same thing as having a tobacco rating. You can lose weight and then have your rates reconsidered again. If you have to chase a subject, not carrying any extra weight will make a considerable difference.

Is life insurance for police officers more expensive if I am assigned to a SWAT team?

Life insurance for police officers can be more expensive if you are a member of a SWAT team. This is based on the simple fact that SWAT team members usually are exposed to more violent situations. The statistics show they are more likely to be killed on the job in comparison to a conventional patrol officer.

Recent studies are showing a rising increase in patrol officer killings which will probably one day be placed in the same high risk category of SWAT team personnel.

Finding the best police officers life insurance rates is simple with todays quoting technology

Finding the lowest rates is where the independent insurance agents who specialize in life insurance really excel. Independent agents usually have contracts with well over 40 companies. This enables the agents to match up an exact fit by using the most applicable carrier for the specific applicant. The modern quote engines give side by side comparisons within seconds. This will allow you to see how one life insurance company compares to another. The use of simple and quick telephone applications make the job simple for the agents and the applicants alike.

Using a quote engine to compare rates

There is no question about it, quote engines are the only way to compare rates for police officer life insurance. Filling out the quoting form to activate the system is very easy and self explanatory. Pay special attention to the health class drop down menu. The health class default setting is set for Preferred Best rates to be generated. If you have any medical conditions or are a few pounds overweight, preferred best rates may not be within your reach. You may want to use Standard in the drop down menu to play it safe. If you apply, the health class you will be assigned, will be done by the insurance company underwriter. Your agent can help you choose the most likely health class.

What is the exact application process for police officer life insurance all about?

On a conventional fully underwritten life insurance application. You would start out with an application which we usually recommend doing over the telephone to save time. The quick and simple telephone applications take about 20 minutes are a joy compared to the original 20 page paper applications. After your application, you will have a Para-Med nurse visit you for a very quick mini physical. This can be avoided if decide to go with a no medical exam life insurance policy. Finally medical records are requested from your doctor and then there will be a period of time for the insurer to do their underwriting. Here is some of the information they review.

Your current health history
The Para-med nurses report
Your occupation if hazardous
Dangerous sports if any
A pharmacy check for prescription drugs
Your driving record
Possible foreign travel plans
Physician statement ( medical records)

How long does an application take?

This is all standard procedure which take from start to finish between 3-6 weeks. If you decide to purchase a no medical exam policy, your underwriting time could be reduced to 24-48 hours. Just keep in mind that no medical exam life insurance costs more than fully underwritten policies. We find that most police officers choose the fully underwritten standard application process so they can take advantage of the best law enforcement life insurance rates.

A+ rated carriers usually offer the lowest rates

Before you apply, you are going to want to make sure you are choosing the best company to apply with. Insurers who are in very good financial condition usually have the lowest rates. They can afford to charge less for their products and still show a strong profit margin each year. The most important step to finding the best life insurance for police officers is to use to the most applicable company. Every life insurance company will process their applications differently. For example, some top life insurance companies have a big concern with tobacco users. Other carriers are going to be more liberal with applicants that smoke. Just as one company will be more concerned about medical conditions than another.

The dangers a law enforcement officer faces has been steadily increasing according to FBI Statistics

In the last few years we have all seen steadily increasing assaults on police officers and other members of law enforcement all over the United States. The FBI has released some new statistics and the number of policemen assaulted or killed on the job is alarming to say the least. Law enforcement personnel have found having sufficient life insurance is more important than it ever has been before.

Questions that carriers will be concerned with when assessing a police officers job duties:

Do you work high in crime areas? The more dangerous the area you work in can reflect a higher rate of risk to a police officers safety.
What types of safety measure do you follow on the job?
How often do you work in the field and out of the office?
Do you have a specialty which is more dangerous such as narcotics, criminal investigations, and traffic control?
Are you a police officer working in high crime rate districts?

The answers to these questions will help determine your risk of being hurt or possibly be killed on the job. These are just standard questions related to your occupation.

Police Department Aviation Division duty

If you are assigned as a pilot in the Police Department Aviation Division, the duties of a pilot will also increase your risk of being killed from a crash. This could also have an impact on your rates depending on what type of an airplane or helicopter you are flying. Anytime a police pilot is trying to concentrate on locating a subject fleeing on foot or in a vehicle.

It is real easy to momentarily take you eyes off of tall buildings or telephone lines they are approaching. It only takes a split second to encounter a mid-air collision.

There are two main types of policies to consider

One of the two main types of police life insurance to consider will be a temporary form of life insurance. These policies start and end with a specific date designated in the policy contract. The other type of policy will be permanent life insurance which lasts continuously as long as you pay your premiums. Depending on what your needs for life insurance are, one of these policy types should be a good choice for you. You can even have both types running simultaneously for a well designed package of law enforcement life insurance protection. An excellent portfolio of police life insurance can be designed with either type of coverage. Here is a description of these plan designs:

Term life insurance for police officers

Low cost term life insurance is by far the most common form purchased in America. The number one concept concerning term is its a temporary form of coverage. The big reason for this is term plan designs have the lowest premiums and are very cost effective. When an individual looks for an individual plan design, term life insurance plan designs always offer the best rates. People can then secure the higher face amounts they desire at an affordable cost. Use our face amount calculator to help you calculate your most applicable death benefit required for your specific needs. You can also purchase term life insurance with no medical exam required.

Permanent life insurance for police officers

Universal life is permanent coverage for you to keep in mind. The UL policies are excellent plan designs that will last for the rest of your life. All of the universal life insurance plan designs cost more. This is simply because the companies know they will be paying out a death benefit one day. In many cases, people that own term insurance outlive the policy and this is very profitable for the companies. Life insurance for police officers can have a term policy up front with the highest face amount. Then after that, a smaller universal life policy will continue after the term policy expires leaving no gaps in coverage.

The cost of police life insurance is going down

Many occupations pose a high risk of being injured or even killed and a police officer’s job is no different. The insurance industry realizes that penalizing a Policeman with higher rates due to his occupation would be an injustice. They would be penalizing the brave men and women that make our towns and cities safe to live in. The actual cost of police life insurance has been going down for more than ten years.

But sometimes working in more severe conditions can change that concept. This normally pertains to members of SWAT teams and undercover narcotics agents. Choosing the most applicable company can make a difference with this issue. Law enforcement life insurance rates are going down because of people now living longer than ever before.

How much coverage should you apply for?

How much life insurance a police officer is going to need will depend on a number of important variables such as:

Your current age

Younger policeman usually have more debt to contend with because they have younger families. This usually can mean young children that will have to be supported for quite a few years to come. Also, a police officers spouse will be young where she will be restricted as a stay at home mom and will not be able to run out and get a job if the income suddenly stops. The young police officer will usually have a mortgage that is recent where they will have a substantial nut to crack for quite a few years. We also can’t forget one or two car payments in the formula along with plans for college tuition.

Other existing coverage

Police officers today usually always have life insurance through the police department that they are employed by. The face amount of these policies are usually much lower than what they really need to be properly covered. The face amounts are usually based on their annual income with the department. A young policeman usually does not have enough time on the job to make much rank. This will prohibit him from increasing his annual salary.

In many cases group life insurance may not be portable where you can take it with you if you leave the department. You can never totally depend on your employers life insurance especially if you leave or change departments. Having your own life insurance portfolio will be your only guaranteed way to make sure your dependents are properly covered.

Your financial budget

Let’s not forget your monthly budget. Regardless of what face amount you should actually have, how much you can actually afford will be one of the most deciding factors. You always want to make sure you can comfortably afford your monthly life insurance premium. The standard rule of thumb when purchasing police life insurance is purchasing approximately ten times your salary. This is just an industry projection, but what you actually need can be higher or much lower. You can also add a dollar amount such as $100,000 of coverage for every child you have to your projected face amount. But as I said before, your personal budget will usually determine what your face amount will be.

Use our face amount calculator to help determine how much life insurance you should apply for

Use our modern face amount calculator to help you determine what death benefit you need. Sitting down and jotting down your current expenses and projected future expenses is also going to be something you need to do. Purchasing life insurance for police officers requires some planning and especially the help from an experienced life insurance agent.

Return of Premium life insurance is an option to consider

A return of premium policy is a term product which returns every penny you paid in if you survive the term period. For example, if you purchased a 20-year Term policy with a face amount of $500,000 and an annual premium of $1,500.00 per year. After the term period has its 20 year anniversary, you would receive all your premiums back. Naturally, you have to outlive the policy for this to happen. The statistics normally are in your favor so it becomes a smart way to go for purchasing life insurance. These premiums are naturally higher to compensate for the return of premium rider. You will even get back the cost of the rider also.

Cincinnati Life Insurance Co.

When it comes to return of premium life, Cincinnati life has the very lowest rates. If you have any interest in receiving all your premiums back. You will need to compare the rates of Cincinnati Life before you begin applying for life insurance for police officers.

Every state makes sure that the life insurance for police officer premium rates are strictly regulated by law!

Here are 2 important facts you should understand

Number 1, the insurance companies actuaries create the life insurance rates based on mortality statistics. Once these rates are developed, the company will publish their rates for the agents and consumers to consider. The insurance company underwriters work with these rates and apply these rates to peoples life insurance applications. This works exactly the same for law enforcement life insurance.

Number 2, the rates for police life insurance have to be approved by each state’s Department of Insurance. After that, the rates will be strictly regulated by law. The agent and brokers have absolutely nothing to do with these rates except, to use them to run insurance quotes for people. Whoever you purchase your insurance from, the rates will always be the same for the exact same product. This means nobody can sell for less that one another. Shopping around on the internet for the exact same product is not necessary because the premiums will always be identical.

Where is the best place to buy police life insurance?

The best source for purchasing law enforcement life insurance in my opinion would be from our agency. This is one of our specialty markets and I totally understand a police officers occupation. I used to be a part time police officer for over 15 years and I have a special interest in law enforcement. Our agency has been helping folks get the best rates for over 25 years. With our comprehensive list of companies, you will be guaranteed to receive the lowest premiums possible. Just like any other product or service you are planning on purchasing. You should not have to pay any more each month than you have to.

Our quoting system will allow you to see what carriers have the best rates in less than a minute

If you are ready to start comparing companies and various plan designs, complete the form on the right side of this page. You can quickly compare the lowest rates for police life insurance from the most competitive companies in your state. Our quote engine will display instant quotes from the most competitive life insurance companies. All of the quotes displayed are up to date and accurate. This will give you an idea of what your options are and there approximate cost. If you need a life insurance policy with a high face amount, our quoting system show rates as high as ten million dollars.

In Conclusion

You may call us toll free 7 days a week to get answers to all you questions. There is never any cost or obligation for our help. We can direct you to the best company with the lowest rates in a matter of minutes. If you are a policeman and you read this post, we hope this information has helped you. We also want to say, thank you very much for your service. Many times a police officers job can seem like a thankless one. But keep in mind there are millions of Americans that appreciate what you do everyday including myself!

All the best,
Jack Venturi

*We are always here to answer any of your questions without cost or obligation. Take a moment to set up a time to discuss your options for life insurance for police officers.