Having life insurance coverage for expats is a great way to protect your loved ones in case of unforeseen circumstances like death.
I know speaking of death is not what we always want to do, but it’s necessary. And, leaving a great fortune for your loved ones is the best way to die happily.
One of the ways to do that is through life insurance for expats.
Working outside the United States is the dream job for 16.3% of Americans living abroad according to Statista.
Further, these self-employed American citizens might remain outside the state for a long time.
That could be you, planning to, or already living and working abroad.
So an important question is, do you have life insurance that covers you even while you are working outside your country?
If you don’t have any, now is a good chance to settle down and choose from our best life insurance for expats.
Clever Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Life Insurance Policy
1. What is the premium of the insurance?
The premium you pay matters a lot because it will determine how you’ll plan your finances.
For instance, if an insurance company has a term life insurance premium of $30 per month, and you earn $1,000 per month.
And your monthly expenses and savings accumulate to $750. You can decide to add some riders to your $30 monthly premium to have more advantages.
Like, enjoying the death benefit even while you’re still alive.
2. Are there reasons my beneficiaries won’t be paid
Some insurers have clauses (a clause is a particular section in an insurance contract that takes care of a particular issue) that prevent your beneficiaries not to be paid.
One of them is when the policyholder is found guilty of lying regarding his health, or family history. Lying could increase the policyholder’s premium, or even deny his beneficiaries from being paid.
3. What lifestyle Affects Life Insurance for Expats?
Lifestyle can greatly affect the insurance premium or even deny the policyholder from getting insurance coverage.
For instance, lifestyles like shark-diving or even bull-running can increase the policyholder’s premium.
So these best life insurance for expats in the U.S are very skeptical while accepting a policyholder that indulges in lifestyles that might make them die earlier which will cause them to pay out claims on time.
4. What if I missed paying a month’s premium?
The top life insurance for expats always gives a grace period when you fail to renew your policy. But this grace period might come with an extra charge when you later choose to pay your premium.
If after this grace period you still fail to pay your premium, your life insurance will be terminated.
5. How do I choose a Life Insurance Company?
You should understand that no two life insurance companies are the same. So, some qualities differentiate each life insurance company.
You should focus on qualities that meet your specific needs, don’t overcomplicate them, just go for insurers that meet your needs.
You should also check how the insurer has been able to handle claims, have they been faithful and trustworthy. What is their financial capacity?
Also, you should make sure any life insurance company you’re purchasing their premium or requesting their quote is licensed. Good for you, all the best life insurance for expats we listed here have their licenses.
Now, let’s go further to list the best life insurance for expats.
10 Best Life Insurance for Expats in the U.S
1. MetLife
MetLife has been in the insurance market since 1868 when there wasn’t any telephone yet and electric light was rare.
That makes them 153 years in the insurance business.
Also, they don’t only offer insurance coverage, they go a long way to provide retirement and savings solutions globally.
Moreover, they serve 90 of the top 100 FORTUNE 500 companies in the United States.
Most importantly, MetLife has won the Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards (EMMAs) 6 times.
And their 5 wins have been consecutive, that is, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Following a win in 2013. This makes them one of the leading life insurance for expats.
Along the EMMAs, they are also recognized as the 1st U.S Insurer to Achieve Carbon Neutrality, Global 100 most Sustainable Companies. And many other accolades they have won.
MetLife has kept to its “customers first” goal. All their products have been made to provide a personalized solution to the customer.
Grief Counseling Service is now included in MetLife benefits, and it comes at no extra charges.
They are partnering with LifeWorks to provide professional counselors to help with counseling needs, and they are available 24/7.
2. Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial was established in 1875. With their 146 years of experience they have helped both individual and corporate customers grow and protect their wealth.
Imagine a company that has faced so many crises, including the two world wars, the great depression of 1929 to 1933, and even the current COVID-19.
Prudential Financial has what it takes to satisfy you depending on your needs, which is why they are one of the best life insurance for expats.
They have gone ahead to win some noteworthy awards like;
- The world’s most admired company—Fortune
- World’s Most Ethical Companies—Ethisphere
- 100 Most Sustainable Companies—Barron’s
And many others.
3. William Russell
This is another top life insurance for expats in the U.S that was recently founded in 1992 by Inez and James Cooper.
They were once a family-run business, but have been resilient, and their competence has made them become one of the leading providers of life insurance for expatriates.
They have grown to have more than 75 staff in more than 160 countries.
What makes them unique is their independence from themselves. There is no shareholder to make unwanted demands, nor an investor.
They just want to focus on serving you.
Another amazing thing is their affordable premium. With just $22 per month, you can get yourself $250,000 in life benefits. And, their maximum life benefit is $2,000,000.
Also, they offer riders, which include;
- To enjoy your death benefits even while alive due to terminal illness. The lump sum will be paid to you.
- If your death is caused by accident, they will pay your beneficiaries an additional cash lump.
Further, they provide Expat services for professionals, couples, self-employed, and customers that are more than 50 years (69 max), companies.
4. Clements Worldwide
Clements Worldwide is an insurance broker for expats. They have been in service since 1947 when they created their first expatriate program for the U.S.
Currently, they have happy customers in more than 170 countries.
The minimum coverage Clements Worldwide covers is $50,000 and a maximum of $6,500,000.
Also, they allow you to pay flexibly, that is; monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual. And, there are no hidden charges.
5. Equitable Holdings
With over 12,000 employees, and managing more than $809 billion assets and over $12 billion in revenue, Equitable Holdings has built a trustworthy insurance company.
For customers to entrust a company with $809 billion of assets to manage proves they are one of the top insurance for expats.
In 1859, Equitable Holdings was founded by Henry B. Hyde. With their 162 years of experience, they can handle almost all your Expat insurance queries.
6. New York Life Insurance
This prestigious mutual insurance company has helped its customers for over 176 years to secure a peaceable life.
They have remained true to their mission to focus only on their customers. And, not to any investor or Wall Street.
And that has made them one of the leading life insurance for expats. In fact, they paid $1.8B in dividends to their customers in 2021.
7. Mass Mutual
Mass Mutual was established in 1851. And, for 170 years they have helped Americans secure the future of their loved ones.
Most importantly, they have made the World’s Most Ethical Company’s List eight years in a row. Which makes them another best life insurance for expats.
Also, in 2022, Mass Mutual has approved an almost $1.85 billion dividend payout to their eligible policyholders. And, this marks the highest payout in the company’s history.
8. American International Group
Operating in more than 80 countries allows AIG to understand how Americans can live with trusted insurance even abroad. AIG has served its customers since 1919.
9. Expatriate Group
Expatriate Group was created with expatriates exclusively in the picture.
Also, they only focus on term life insurance, which ranges from 1 to 30 years.
Just like earlier stated, most American expats focus on term life insurance policies. So Expatriate Group chose to focus only on what matters the most, “term life insurance.”
Most importantly, Expatriate Group designed their policy to accommodate you even if you change your country of residence, which makes them one of the top life insurance for expats.
With their expertise, they can currently underwrite 171 countries of residence.
Also, they are ready to accommodate you even if you have hazardous occupations.
Further, their “Easy Life” can be gotten in just 10 minutes through their website.
10. Cigna
Cigna Global is an international life insurance provider that has over 1.65 million hospitals and healthcare professionals, globally.
With their 60 years of experience, they have served more than 180 million customers all over the world, which makes them one of the best life insurance for expats.
Cigna Global offers 24/7 customer service centers in more than 50 different languages.
Best Life Insurance for Expats Conclusion
The future is scary to talk about. But for the sake of your children and loved ones, you need to sit down and calmly take out insurance for yourself.
Especially now you will be away from your country to work in another country.
So with the list of insurance companies for expatriates you’ve on your arsenal, you can make a wiser choice immediately.
FAQ
- What’s the average premium of life insurance for expats?
The average life insurance premium for American expatriates is between $20 and $40 per month.
- How do my beneficiaries make claims?
Beneficiaries will need to submit the policyholder’s death certificate and allow the insurer to review the certificate for some days (it can take up to 30 days for the claim to be reviewed). If they found the beneficiaries worthy of the claim, they will pay out the death benefits with other benefits the policyholder must have acquired.
- Can I change my beneficiaries?
You can change your beneficiaries if you chose “revocable beneficiary” while choosing your insurance policy. In other words, if you applied for an “irrevocable beneficiary,” you can’t change the beneficiary.