Ethos Life Insurance at a Glance
When you hear about life insurance, you probably picture lengthy applications, awkward medical exams, and pushy salespeople. Ethos set out to flip that script when it launched in 2016, building a tech-forward platform where you can secure coverage from your couch in about ten minutes. But here’s the thing: Ethos isn’t actually an insurance company. They function as a licensed broker, connecting you with policies from established carriers like Banner Life (Legal & General America), Ameritas, Protective Life, and TruStage. Your actual policy comes from one of these partners based on your age, location, and coverage needs.
Key Strengths
Ethos shines brightest in simplicity. Their fully digital application process eliminates the need for medical exams in most cases, and healthy applicants can often walk away with same-day approval. The platform partners exclusively with carriers rated A (Excellent) or higher by AM Best, so your policy has solid financial backing regardless of which insurer you’re matched with. Customer feedback on Trustpilot sits at an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars, with buyers frequently praising the speed and transparency of the experience.
Key Weaknesses
The convenience comes with trade-offs. You can’t customize coverage with many riders, and customers can’t cherry-pick the company by which their policy is issued. No live chat exists for quick questions, which feels odd for a digital-first company. Ethos also doesn’t operate in New York, shutting out a massive market. Some users on insurance forums report that rates can run higher than going directly to the same carriers through a traditional broker.
Who Is Ethos Best For?
Ethos makes the most sense for busy millennials and Gen-Xers who want protection without the traditional insurance hassle. If you’re reasonably healthy, want to skip the needle pricks and awkward weigh-ins, and prefer handling everything online, this platform deserves a spot on your shortlist. New parents protecting a mortgage, professionals wanting to replace income, or anyone who has been putting off life insurance because it feels overwhelming, will find Ethos refreshingly straightforward.
Ethos Life Insurance
Ethos's greatest advantage is its revolutionary approach to a traditionally complex industry, making the life insurance application process remarkably simple and fast. The platform delivers on its promise to strip away the usual friction, allowing healthy applicants to go from curious to covered in about ten minutes without ever needing to schedule a medical exam. This fully digital, no-exam approach eliminates a major barrier that causes people to delay or avoid getting the coverage they need, making life insurance accessible and straightforward for busy individuals, especially millennials and Gen-Xers.
The second core strength is the security and peace of mind derived from its partner carriers. While Ethos is a licensed broker and not the underwriter itself, every policy is backed by established, financially strong insurance companies like Banner Life, Ameritas, Protective Life, and TruStage. These partners consistently carry an A (Excellent) rating or higher from AM Best, ensuring that the policies have solid financial backing. Furthermore, the complaint ratios for these carriers run below industry averages, meaning you're not trusting your family's future to a startup, but to insurers with decades of claims-paying history.
Finally, Ethos offers a strong overall value proposition built on convenience and extra perks. Their pricing is competitive, often matching or beating other digital-first competitors, particularly for young, healthy applicants. The platform adds value by including free access to will and estate planning tools with a policy purchase. This combination of a streamlined application, competitive rates for the target demographic, and added benefits, all backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, creates a compelling case for those who prioritize a quick, secure, and hassle-free way to protect their loved ones.
- Skip the exam: Get approved the same day in a fully digital process, with no medical exams required for most healthy applicants.
- Get covered from your couch in about ten minutes, turning a traditionally painful process into a quick to-do.
- Peace of Mind: Policies are backed by established carriers with an A (Excellent) or higher financial strength rating from AM Best.
- Added Value: Receive complimentary access to free will and estate planning tools with your policy purchase.
- 30-Day Guarantee: Try your coverage risk-free with a full money-back guarantee if you decide to cancel.
Ethos Affordability
Pricing through Ethos depends heavily on your age, health profile, and which carrier underwrites your policy. The average premium for a healthy 30-year-old man could be as little as $18 per month for a 20-year policy, making term coverage surprisingly accessible for younger applicants. Costs rise predictably with age, and waiting even a few years can bump your premiums noticeably.
The platform positions itself as competitive, and independent reviews confirm that Ethos often beats other digital-first competitors like Ladder on price. However, industry insiders note that fully underwritten policies through traditional brokers can sometimes edge out Ethos pricing since the platform builds convenience into its rates. Think of it as paying a modest premium for the simplified experience.
Ethos doesn’t advertise multi-policy or automatic payment discounts, keeping things simple rather than cluttered with promotional pricing. Most of their term policies are simplified issues, allowing for same-day approval and coverage in many cases. If you want potentially lower rates and don’t mind a longer process, you can opt for fully underwritten policies through some of their carriers.
Rider availability remains limited. Ethos does not market a broad range of add-ons. The accelerated death benefit rider comes standard through certain carriers, letting you unlock some of your death benefit in the event that you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. Beyond that, customization options are thin compared to traditional insurers.
Ethos Coverage Options
Ethos structures its product lineup around three main categories: term life, whole life, and indexed universal life.
Term life insurance is available to people ages 20 to 65, with coverage ranging from $20,000 to $3 million. You can choose policy lengths of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. Policies are issued by one Ethos’ partner carriers. The algorithm determines which carrier fits your profile, so there’s no shopping between partners.
Whole life insurance is available to people 66 to 85 years old, with coverage amounts ranging from $1,000 to $30,000. These guaranteed issue policies work well for final expense planning, covering burial costs or leaving a small financial gift. You get approved instantly regardless of health history, though the trade-off is lower coverage limits and higher per-dollar premiums.
Ethos’ indexed universal life insurance is a permanent policy that builds cash value tied to the performance of a market index. This product suits higher-income earners wanting lifelong protection with growth potential. Coverage can reach $1 million for simplified underwriting or more for fully underwritten applications.
On conversion options, Ethos term policies generally don’t offer the ability to convert to permanent coverage, which separates them from many traditional carriers. If you think you might want lifelong insurance down the road, this limitation matters. Your policy does remain renewable at the end of the term, though at higher rates.
Ethos Reliability
Since Ethos operates as a broker rather than an underwriter, financial strength ratings apply to its partner carriers rather than Ethos itself.
Banner Life has been helping protect people for more than 70 years, with 1.4M US customers, and $105B in new coverage issued in 2023. They carry an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best. Ameritas holds an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best, a rating they have maintained for 50 years, plus an A+ (Strong) from Standard & Poor’s. TruStage, backed by CMFG Life Insurance, is rated A (Excellent) by AM Best and A+ by S&P Global. Protective Life holds an A+ (Superior) from AM Best and A1 from Moody’s.
On complaint data, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners tracks grievances relative to market share. Banner Life Insurance received a 0.29 complaint ratio from the NAIC, considerably better than the industry average.
Ethos is a legitimate company, founded in 2016 and available in Washington, D.C., plus every state except New York. The company has attracted significant investment from Goldman Sachs, SoftBank, Sequoia, and celebrity investors, signaling confidence in its long-term viability.
Ethos Customer Service
Customer support at Ethos blends digital convenience with human availability, though the mix isn’t always seamless.
Phone Support: Agents are reachable at 888-384-6754 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. When calling the customer service line, wait times of about two minutes before speaking to a human are typical. Representatives can answer questions about coverage amounts and explain how riders work, though policy changes require agent assistance.
Digital Support: The website excels at quote generation and application guidance, walking you through questions with clear explanations. Ethos doesn’t have an app or live chat option, which feels like an odd gap for a company built on digital convenience. The mobile app that does exist focuses on will and estate planning tools rather than policy management. Email support goes to [email protected], though response times vary and some users report delays.
Third-Party Ratings: Ethos has an “Excellent” rating from Trustpilot with 4.8/5 stars from customer reviews. Ethos is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and holds BBB accreditation, indicating a commitment to resolving complaints. Google reviews sit at 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Reddit discussions about Ethos tend to focus on the application experience rather than claims handling, which makes sense given the company’s young age and term-focused product mix. Users generally praise the speed, but occasionally flag frustration with underwriting delays or difficulty reaching support after approval.
Ethos Claims Process
Claims handling falls to whichever carrier underwrites your policy, not Ethos directly. When a policyholder passes away, the beneficiary contacts the issuing insurer to initiate the payout process.
Life insurance companies have 30 days to pay the benefit amount, deny the claim, or ask for more information about the insured person’s death. Most straightforward claims process faster, often within one to two weeks of receiving complete documentation. Beneficiaries need to submit a certified death certificate and complete a claim form specifying how they want to receive funds.
Most life insurance payouts arrive within 2 to 6 weeks after the claim is approved. Delays are usually tied to missing paperwork, ongoing investigations, or unclear beneficiary information.
The standard two-year contestability period applies to Ethos policies, meaning the carrier may review medical and application records more closely if death occurs within that window. Claims can be denied for misrepresentation on the original application, suicide within the first two policy years, or unpaid premiums causing a lapse.
Since Ethos partners with established underwriters, the claims process follows industry standards, ensuring beneficiaries receive the death benefit promptly upon claim approval. The company provides guidance on filing claims through its website and customer support, helping ease the process during difficult times.
Ethos Application Process
The application journey represents Ethos at its best, designed to strip away the friction that makes people procrastinate on life insurance.
The secure online application is fast and straightforward, typically completed in about 5 minutes. You start by entering basic information about your age, health habits, and coverage needs. The platform pulls data from sources like motor vehicle records, prescription databases, and medical information bureaus to assess eligibility without requiring a physical exam.
Most customers receive an answer to their online application within a few minutes of applying. For simplified issue products, same-day approval is common among healthy applicants. As many as 94 percent receive approval the same day.
Some applications get flagged for additional review, particularly if the health history raises questions. In these cases, underwriting can stretch to several weeks, and occasional communication gaps frustrate applicants expecting the advertised speed.
Applicants between 66 and 85 are eligible for guaranteed issue whole life and can get approved after answering a few simple questions. No health questions beyond basics apply, making coverage accessible to seniors who might struggle with traditional underwriting.
Ethos provides digital calculators to help estimate coverage needs based on income, debts, and family situation. The interface suggests policy lengths and amounts, though you can adjust using sliding scales if the recommendation doesn’t fit your goals.
Pros & Cons of Ethos
Weighing Ethos against your alternatives comes down to what matters most in your insurance shopping experience.
Pros
- The application experience genuinely delivers on simplicity. You can go from curious to covered during a lunch break without scheduling appointments, visiting clinics, or playing phone tag with agents. The no-exam approach works for most healthy applicants, removing a major barrier that keeps people uninsured.
- Partner carrier quality provides peace of mind. Every insurer backing Ethos policies carries an A rating or better, meaning your beneficiaries should receive benefits without financial stability concerns. Complaint ratios for these carriers run below industry averages.
- Pricing stays competitive for the target demographic. Young, healthy applicants often find Ethos rates match or beat traditional options, especially when factoring in the time saved avoiding lengthy underwriting.
- Free will and estate planning tools sweeten the deal. Policy purchases unlock access to create basic legal documents, adding value beyond the insurance itself.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee reduces commitment anxiety. If the coverage doesn’t feel right after purchase, you can cancel with a full refund.
Cons
- Limited customization frustrates those wanting tailored coverage. You can’t customize coverage with riders beyond accelerated death benefits, and you have no say in which carrier underwrites your policy.
- No New York availability excludes one of the largest insurance markets in the country.
- Customer service gaps emerge after purchase. The lack of live chat, inconsistent email response times, and website structure that buries contact information contradict the otherwise polished experience.
- Rates may not always win on price. While competitive, some traditional brokers can secure lower premiums from the same carriers, especially for applicants willing to complete full underwriting.
- Conversion options are missing. If you want to eventually shift from term to permanent coverage without new underwriting, Ethos policies don’t accommodate that path.
Our Verdict & Rating for Ethos
Ethos carved out a meaningful niche by recognizing that most people don’t want an insurance relationship. They want protection without hassle. On that front, the platform delivers impressively, turning a traditionally painful process into something you can realistically finish between meetings.
The carrier partnerships provide genuine security. You’re not trusting your family’s financial future to a startup; you’re getting policies from insurers with decades of claims-paying history. The complaint data supports this, with Ethos partners consistently performing better than industry averages on regulatory grievances.
Where Ethos falls short involves control and flexibility. Insurance purists will bristle at the take-it-or-leave-it approach to carrier selection and the bare-bones rider options. The customer service experience after purchase doesn’t quite match the slick application process. And if you live in New York or want conversion privileges, you need to look elsewhere.
Who Should Consider This Company
Ethos makes strong sense if you’re healthy, tech-comfortable, and want to check life insurance off your to-do list without drama. First-time buyers who feel overwhelmed by traditional options will appreciate the guided experience. Parents protecting mortgages or income, professionals wanting coverage without medical appointments, and anyone who has put this off because insurance felt too complicated should give Ethos a serious look.
Who Should Consider Another Provider
Shop elsewhere if you value customization, want to choose your carrier, need New York coverage, or prefer in-person guidance. Those with complex health histories may find better outcomes working with traditional brokers who can advocate across multiple carriers. If conversion from term to permanent matters to you, or if you want rich rider options, Ethos isn’t your match.
Methodology
This assessment evaluates Banner Life across five weighted categories, including life insurance rates, reflecting what matters most to life insurance buyers.
- Financial Stability: 20% — Assessing partner carrier ratings from AM Best, S&P, and Moody’s, plus NAIC complaint data
- Coverage Options: 10% — Evaluating policy types, coverage amounts, term lengths, and flexibility
- Affordability & Value: 30% — Comparing premiums against competitors and considering overall value proposition
- Claims Process: 20% — Reviewing settlement timelines, denial rates, and customer claims experiences
- Customer Service: 20% — Analyzing support availability, response quality, and third-party satisfaction ratings
How Ethos Scored
- Financial Stability: 8.5/10
- Coverage Options: 7/10
- Affordability & Value: 8.5/10
- Claims Process: 7.5/10
- Customer Service: 7.5/10
- Overall Score: 9.4
We reviewed over two dozen life insurance companies to assemble our ratings. You can see all the companies we reviewed here: Life Insurance Company Reviews.
