What You Should Know

• There are life insurance companies that accept felons, but policies will be more expensive

• Certain felonies and lying on your application will disqualify you from a life insurance policy

• Traditional term and whole life insurance policies are available to felons

Finding life insurance companies that accept felons is a challenge. Most insurance companies are wary of insuring those convicted of felonies because of the potential risk involved with it.

Usually, if an insurance company sees a person has been convicted of a felony, it assumes that person is likely to run into trouble again in the future. However, life insurance companies that accept felons take into consideration a person’s habits, conviction status, and more when giving quotes.

Keep reading to learn more about which life insurance companies accept felons and how to find the best ones for you.

Before jumping in, enter your ZIP code into our free online quote tool for instant life insurance quotes from companies near you today.

Are there life insurance companies that accept felons?

If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, you are often still able to qualify for a life insurance policy. Most life insurance companies do not consider all felonies or misdemeanors the same, making finding a policy a little easier for those convicted.

Usually, people who have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor are still eligible for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. They may also qualify for a no medical exam life insurance policy with some companies.

The downside is that most insurance companies do not want to spend time helping you find coverage. So, a lot of the hard work rests on your shoulders. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources out there, like our quote tool, that make the process of buying life insurance easier.

All you need to do is enter your ZIP code. The tool then pulls quotes from reputable life insurance companies near you, from which you can use to compile a list. With this list, you can contact life insurance companies to see which ones offer life insurance for felons.

Once you have a list of life insurance companies and policies, it is also beneficial to discuss your options with an insurance agent. An agent will be able to narrow down a broad list of companies and policies and point you in the right direction.

Do insurance companies check criminal records?

Almost all life insurance companies check applicants’ criminal records. As you apply for a life insurance policy, you will be asked a few questions regarding your criminal history. The company will also run a background check.

If you lie about your criminal history on the application, the background check will notify the insurer, and it will likely drop your policy. Being honest is your best bet if you have a criminal record. Although you may have higher rates, you won’t have a dropped policy on your record.

With a criminal record, companies are going to be worried that you could be convicted of another crime in the future. Therefore, most life insurance companies want to avoid insuring someone who may spend significant time in jail or prison.

Usually, life insurance companies want to see that you have maintained a relatively clean record for a year or two before they consider you eligible for traditional term or whole coverage.

However, not all life insurance companies use the same rules and guidelines when determining who they will and won’t insure. So, be sure to research each life insurance company you are interested in to know how they will view insuring someone with a felony.

What kind of information do insurance companies ask regarding my criminal record?

When you apply for a life insurance policy, you will be asked some questions about your criminal record. These questions include:

• When were you convicted? (Less than five or ten years ago?)

• Have you been convicted of multiple felonies or misdemeanors?

• What were you convicted of?

Additional questions may be:

• Are you currently on parole or awaiting charges?

• Do you have any history of drug or alcohol abuse?

• Do you have any issues with your driving record?

• In the past two years, have you been hospitalized for any reason?

• Are you currently working now?

• In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any form of disability benefits?

Again, answering these questions as honestly as possible is going to benefit you the most.

If you are a convicted felon, you may still qualify for a life insurance policy at higher rates. Be sure to discuss your options with an insurance agent before you decide on a life insurance company.

What is the best life insurance policy for felons?

Usually, life insurance applicants with felonies will qualify for a traditional term or whole insurance policy with their company of interest. However, it is always a good idea to know how a life insurance company handles felony situations before getting too involved in the buying process.

There are a few ways in which life insurance companies categorize felons and subsequent ways in which they address them. These categories include:

• Convicted of a felony or awaiting court day: life insurance companies aren’t going to be willing to insure anyone who could potentially go to jail soon

• Convicted of a felony over five years ago and not convicted of a “major” felony: most likely to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy

• Served time but convicted of very serious crimes: will have to find carriers that don’t check criminal background and may still only be able to apply for a small final expense or accidental death policy

Depending on the type of felony you are convicted of and which life insurance company you are looking at, you could qualify for a term or whole life insurance policy.

Both options have their pros and cons. However, term is the cheapest of the two.

You may also consider looking into no medical exam or burial life insurance as neither require a physical exam and are typically easier to acquire with a felony.

How much does life insurance cost for felons?

As with buying life insurance in general, the best way to lower life insurance rates for felons is to comparison shop. Comparing multiple life insurance companies and their policies and rates will give you an idea of what you can expect to pay.

It is also helpful to search for an agent that is experienced in working with convicted felons and successful in finding the best life insurance companies that accept convicted felons. They will be able to point you in the direction of the best coverage for the best price for you.

Because most life insurance companies that accept felons do not openly advertise their rates for felons, it may be harder to find quotes online. However, it may help to look at some of the top life insurance companies and their rates to gauge what you may pay.

Average Life Insurance Rates for 35-Year-Old and 45-Year-Old Non-Smoking Men and Women

For more information about specific life insurance companies that accept felons, check out our life insurance company reviews, including our State Farm Insurance Review.

You may also be wondering: does a felony affect car insurance? Interestingly, car insurance for convicted felons is easier to come by than life insurance. This is because car insurance companies are mainly looking for lapses in coverage or if your criminal offense involved revoking your license.

Remember to compare multiple insurance companies and rates before deciding which policy works best for you.

Life Insurance Companies that Accept Felons: the Bottom Line

Finding affordable life insurance companies that accept felons is a challenge. Keep in mind that some life insurance agents and companies will not even bother insuring felons. However, it doesn’t hurt to try.

If a traditional life insurance policy is not working for you, consider purchasing no medical exam life insurance or a burial insurance policy.

Ultimately, the best way to find affordable life insurance companies that accept felons is to compare different companies and their rates. This gives you a great idea of what to expect to pay for your insurance.

Once you have a few options, discuss them with a life insurance agent to narrow down the best companies and policies for you.

Now that you know more about life insurance companies that accept felons, enter your ZIP code into our free comparison tool below to begin comparing life insurance companies near you today.