State Farm Life Insurance Overview
State Farm issued its first life insurance policy in 1929. Today the company has more than 19,000 agents nationwide and has the highest possible AM Best financial strength rating of A++*. For customer satisfaction, State Farm ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study, making it our top recommendation for customer experience.
You can shop for State Farm term life insurance quotes online, but some parts will require a phone call. For example, contacting a State Farm agent is necessary to discuss whole life and universal life insurance options. State Farm doesn’t sell policies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so residents in these states will have to look elsewhere for coverage.
*A.M. Best ratings accurate as of July 2023
Pros and Cons of State Farm
How State Farm Scored in Our Methodology
When we analyzed State Farm using our provider review methodology, the company scored 4.6 out of 5 stars. It earned particularly high marks in areas of brand trust and coverage options.
Compare State Farm To Other Life Insurance Providers
You can use the table below to compare State Farm to other top life insurance companies.
| Insurance Provider | Policy Types Offered | Term Limits | Coverage Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Term, whole, universal and no final-exam expense | 10–30 years | Limits: $250,000 (Term) | Customer satisfaction |
| TruStage Life Insurance | Term, whole | 5 years | $5,000–$300,000 (term), $5,000–$100,000 (whole) | Online whole life insurance applications |
| Fidelity Life Insurance | Term, whole | 10–30 years | $10,000–$2 million (term), $10,000–$150,000 (whole) | Accidental death coverage |
| Lemonade | Term | 10–30 years | Up to $1.5 million | Quick term coverage |
| Lantern Life | Term | 10–30 years | $100,000–$1.5 million | Term life policies |
Types of Life Insurance Offered by State Farm
Life insurance coverage provides a tax-free death benefit to beneficiaries when the policyholder dies. Loved ones can use the cash death benefit to pay for funeral expenses and other living costs. There are no restrictions on what expenses beneficiaries can use the money for.
State Farm offers three types of life insurance — term life insurance, whole life insurance and universal life insurance. Add-on endorsements like the children’s term rider and care benefit rider make it possible to customize the coverage and benefits.
State Farm Term Life Insurance Options
Term life insurance policies cover you for a defined time period. They expire at the end of the term unless you die during the term or renew or convert the policy. State Farm offers the following policy term life insurance options:
- Select Term: Terms of 10, 20 or 30 years with coverage starting at $100,000. The maximum eligibility age is 75 for a 10-year term, 65 for a 20-year term and 45 for a 30-year term.
- Return of Premium Term: Terms of 20 or 30 years. Premiums are returned to you if you don’t die within that term, and coverage starts at $100,000. The maximum eligibility is age 60 for a 20-year term (55 if you use tobacco) and age 45 for a 30-year term.
- Instant Answer Term Insurance: Terms of 10 years (or until you reach age 50, whichever is first). Maximum of $50,000 coverage and no medical tests required.
State Farm Whole Life Insurance Options
Whole life insurance is a permanent policy that covers you as long as you make premium payments. Whole life policies pay a death benefit, have fixed premiums and can build cash value. State Farm offers the following whole life policies:
- Whole Life: Guaranteed level premiums and cash value accumulation.
- Limited Pay Whole Life: Premiums can be paid for 10, 20 or 30 years. Afterward, coverage continues, but you can stop making payments.
- Single Premium Whole Life: Premiums are paid all at once.
- Final Expense: Coverage is $10,000 to $15,000 and designed to pay final living expenses. You must be 50 to 80 years old to qualify.
State Farm Universal Life Insurance Options
Universal life insurance is permanent life insurance where premiums and coverage are adjustable. State Farm has three universal life insurance policies:
- Universal Life: Adjustable coverage and premiums with cash value accumulation.
- Survivorship Universal Life: Coverage for two people where the death benefit is paid when the last person on the policy dies.
- Joint Universal Life: Coverage for two people in which the death benefit is paid when the first person on the policy dies.
Cost of State Farm Life Insurance
Life insurance costs vary, and life insurance companies examine risk factors to determine your insurance rate. Factors that affect premiums include:
- Age: Policy rates typically increase as you age.
- Gender: Men usually get higher rates than women because women have a longer life expectancy.
- Health: Being in good health can help you qualify for lower premiums while having medical conditions can increase your rates.
- Family medical history: Medical conditions of family members can affect your rates.
- Hobbies and occupation: Taking part in risky hobbies or working in higher-risk occupations, like construction or truck driving, may increase your rates.
- Coverage type: Term policies are typically more affordable than permanent policies.
Below are sample term and permanent life insurance costs at State Farm:
Cost of Term Life Insurance
Sample term life insurance rates are for a 25-year-old female living in Illinois with $250,000 in coverage and in excellent health.*
| Policy Type | Age Range | Term Length | Monthly Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select Term Life | 25 | 10 years | $15.02 |
| Select Term Life | 25 | 20 years | $15.22 |
| Select Term Life | 25 | 30 years | $19.14 |
Cost of Permanent Life Insurance
Sample rates are for a 25-year-old female living in Illinois with excellent health and $100,000 in coverage.*
| Policy Type | Age Range | Premium Payment Term | Monthly Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited Pay Whole Life | 25 | 10 years | $258.48 |
| Limited Pay Whole Life | 25 | 15 years | $190.27 |
| Limited Pay Whole Life | 25 | 20 years | $155.51 |
*Sample quotes from the State Farm website pulled April 6, 2023.
State Farm Life Customer Reviews
Despite its lofty ranking on J.D. Power’s service survey, State Farm has gotten polarizing reviews from customers on third-party review sites.
Some customers rave about the responsiveness of State Farm and how professional its insurance agents are, while others complain of telephone wait times and frustration trying to reach someone by phone.
“Great Insurance and awesome customer service. They take extra time to explain and review policy needs and changes; this is what everyone is looking for. Thank you for all your input and help!” — Lisa Johnson via Trustpilot
“I have been very fortunate working with the ladies at one of the Seattle offices. They have been there immediately for any questions I have, got me a fantastic rate on my insurance, and I trust them totally to make sure we are OK. We have been on the phone with them since our first contact with them, and they are professional and follow through with everything they say.” — Debbie Bennett via Trustpilot
“State Farm’s 1-800 customer service line operators are the most rude, disrespectful people I have dealt with this year. Stay away from this company at all costs unless you’re suing them.” — Andrew G via the Better Business Bureau
“Outrageous wait times on the phone. Calling to ask about a claim, and the wait time is between 42 minutes and 1.5 hours. What a joke. No wonder they are so low-priced.” — no service is included. — LP via Trustpilot
We reached out to State Farm by email for comment and it provided the following response:
“We’re proud of the remarkable service provided by more than 19,000 State Farm agents in communities across our nation. We’ve been there to help our customers prepare for and recover from the unexpected for the last 100 years and we are pleased more customers continue to choose State Farm.
“We rely on multiple factors for assessing our performance; internal, external and direct customer feedback. We always strive to deliver excellent customer service and we incorporate all these factors to ensure we are meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations.
How Do I Buy Life Insurance from State Farm?
There are several ways to get life insurance quotes and buy coverage from State Farm. If you’re looking for select term life insurance products, you can get an online quote from the company’s website. If you are interested in a whole life or permanent policy, you can contact a State Farm agent directly or call (855) 980-8053. State Farm also offers a convenient agent search to help you find a local agent in your area.
If you have questions about the right policy for you, we recommend consulting with a licensed life insurance agent to make an informed decision when purchasing coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions About State Farm Life Insurance
State Farm may require medical exams for life insurance policies, but Instant Answer Term Insurance and Final Expense insurance are two types of policies that don’t require testing.
An agent can approve you for Instant Answer Life Insurance within the same day, and the policy offers up to $50,000 in coverage. Final Expense coverage is a whole life policy for people ages 50 to 80 that offers $10,000 to $15,000 in coverage with no medical exams or health questions.
The cost of State Farm term life insurance depends on your age, gender, health condition, family health history, the policy you choose and the term length. A sample policy for a 25-year-old female in excellent health could cost $15.02 for a 10-year term, $15.22 for a 20-year term and $19.14 for a 30-year term.
Yes, State Farm offers several whole life insurance options, including whole life, limited pay whole life, single premium whole life and final expense insurance. Limited pay policies let you stop making premiums after 10 to 30 years, but coverage continues until you die. Single premium combines premiums into one payment, and final expense insurance is a policy with a low coverage amount designed to cover only end-of-life expenses for older adults.
You can start the claims process by calling your local agent or calling the Life Claims office at 877-292-0398. Information you’ll need for the claim includes the policyholder’s name, date of birth, place of residence, death date and cause of death. The claims office will notify beneficiaries and may request additional documentation to finalize the claim.


