Ladder Life Insurance Review

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Contributor, Benzinga
November 14, 2022
Ladder Life Insurance
Overall Rating:
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Ladder offers policies with no hidden fees, on-the-spot underwriting and a streamlined website. Coverage ranges from $100,000 to $8 million and you can adjust your coverage over time as needs change.

You can choose a 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30-year term. Ladder also offers up to $3 million in coverage without a medical exam — just answer a few health questions and complete the application to get an instant decision.

Ladder doesn’t impose policy, cancellation or processing fees and you can cancel at any time. Take three steps to get Ladder insurance:

  1. You can apply for life insurance coverage with Ladder right now via the online application.
  2. Find out whether you’re instantly approved.
  3. Accept your offer — including affordable prices and no hidden fees.

Its price lock guarantee ensures your premium won’t increase as your health changes and you age. You can receive a refund within the 1st 30 days if you’re unhappy with your coverage and you can cancel at any time.

 

Best For
  • Term life insurance
  • Online application
  • Policyholders between 20 to 60 years of age
Pros
  • Up to $8 million in coverage
  • Price lock guarantee
  • No policy fees
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Adjustable coverage
Cons
  • No policy riders
  • Term life insurance only

It’s impossible to predict what the future holds. Life insurance can help safeguard your finances if you need to protect your family.

Purchasing a life insurance policy in the past involved insurance agents and medical exams. Now, a new wave of fintech companies makes it possible to purchase life insurance much more easily.

Need to find the best life insurance quickly online? Take a look at our review of Ladder to help you make your decision.

Who is Ladder Life Insurance Best for?

You may be probably wondering, “How much life insurance do I need?” This depends on your age, circumstances and lifestyle.

Ladder is designed for policyholders between 20 and 60 years old. You’ll benefit from life insurance through Ladder if you’re:

  • A young parent who is still building financial security. Life insurance can help cover mortgage payments and future education costs for your children.
  • Adult children supporting parents or other family members financially.
  • Busy applicants who prefer a digital-first experience that can be completed in minutes.
  • Homeowners ready to buy a life insurance policy to cover mortgage debt. This will help you avoid the additional insurance payment on your 1st home.

Ladder Life Insurance Products

Ladder offers term life insurance products issued by several highly rated insurers.

Ladder Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance pays out death benefits if the policyholder dies during the stipulated policy term. If the insured doesn’t pass on within the term, the policy lapses. 

You have the option to choose a term length of 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. Coverage ranges from $100,000 to $8 million. 

There are restrictions related to the term length based on your age. Your current age plus the term length shouldn’t exceed 70 years.

Here’s a simple demonstration:

AgeMaximum Term Length
40 year old30-year term
45 years old25-year term
50 years old20-year term
55 years old15-year term
60 years old10-year term

Ladder term life insurance is available to those between 20 and 60 years old. Ladder doesn’t provide any permanent life insurance policy but its term life insurance is a good fit for most situations. The general philosophy is buy term, invest the rest.

Ladder allows you to purchase a term life insurance policy without a medical exam for coverage up to $3M. Applicants seeking more than $3M in coverage may still need a medical exam if more information about your health is required to issue the policy.

Ladder is unique because it lets you change your coverage along the way. It provides Ladder Up and Ladder Down options so you don’t need to cancel your existing policy to adjust coverage.

Apply to increase your policy’s face value with Ladder Up. Your additional coverage is priced separately, and your premium adjusted based on the new changes. Use Ladder Down to decrease your coverage amount and your premium will decrease proportionally.

Ladder doesn’t allow you to customize your coverage with rider policies. This is because it relies on algorithms to create an instant quote and riders would complicate the process.

Ladder Policy Pricing

The cost of Ladder life insurance is based upon your age, health and family medical history and other factors. Your monthly premium will also depend on your term length and desired coverage. 

Ladder follows strict underwriting guidelines to assess applicants. Its underwriting process considers:

  • Age: Younger and healthier applicants receive lower policy rates.
  • Health: The carrier looks at your blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI and family medical history. Rates increase with a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
  • Driving record: You’ll have a cheaper premium if your recent driving record is free from a DUI or major traffic violation.
  • Tobacco use: Prove you’ve had at least 3 tobacco-free years to qualify for the highest rate class.
  • Occupation: You’ll pay a higher premium if you work in a dangerous industry.
  • Hazardous lifestyle: Ladder isn’t lenient if you take part in high-risk activities like hang-gliding or skydiving.

Check out a few sample quotes based on specific profiles.

A 40-year old male nonsmoker with no previous family medical history, 2 children, earning $50,000 annually with a $200,000 mortgage balance qualifies for $1 million in coverage for a 20-year term at $56 per month.

A 40-year old male who has used tobacco within the last 12 months, has a family medical history of diabetes, 2 children, earns $50,000 annually with a $200,000 mortgage balance can obtain $1 million in coverage over a 20-year term for $328 per month. 

Ladder Customer Service

Ladder relies on an entirely online insurance application platform, but its customer service team is available to help with technical issues or assistance on how to buy life insurance. 

Reach customer service through online chat from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST on weekdays.

  • Email Ladder 24/7 at help@ladderlife.com
  • Contact them by phone at 844-533-7206‬
  • Or, use their live chat feature which can be found at https://support.ladderlife.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

Ladder Claims Support

Filling a claim with Ladder is straightforward. Here’s what to expect from the claims process:

  1. Notify Ladder that the policyholder has died via email at help@ladderlife.com. You’ll need to provide the policyholder’s full name, date of birth and policy number.
  2. Complete claim forms and provide any additional documents the company may require.
  3. Upon receiving all documentation, Ladder submits them to the insurance carrier and keeps you updated with progress.
  4. The insurance carrier will process your claim and may get in touch to request additional information.
  5. If your claim is valid, payment is made to the beneficiaries.

Ladder also shares a few tips to ensure a smooth claims process:

  • You can easily add or change beneficiaries to your account at any time online.
  • Download and send your “Just in Case” card to all beneficiaries. The card includes your policy number and some important policy information.

Ready to Consider Life Insurance?

Life insurance is important for your family’s security. Start by understanding how much coverage you need with Ladder’s life insurance calculator and apply for coverage in less than 10 minutes. 

Help protect your family’s financial future with life insurance from Ladder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Is Ladder Life insurance whole life insurance?

A

Ladder life insurance offers coverage for individuals between 20 and 60 years old. They don’t offer whole or universal life policies.

Q

How long has Ladder life insurance been around?

A

Ladder life insurance is a fairly new startup. It was founded in California in 2015.

Q

What's the difference between term life insurance and whole life insurance?

A

A term-life insurance policy is only good for a term and then expires. A whole life insurance policy is good as long as the premiums are paid and only expires when the policyholder passes.

Ladder Insurance Services, LLC (CA license # OK22568; AR license # 3000140372) distributes term life insurance products issued by multiple insurers – for further details see ladderlife.com. All insurance products are governed by the terms set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Each insurer has financial responsibility for its own products. Coverage amounts vary by state.

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