CrunchWize / Insurance

Bestow vs Fabric by Gerber Life

Last updated July 2026

Bestow

Term life in under 10 minutes, no medical exam

7/10
PricingAbout $15-$35/mo for $500K, 20-yr term (healthy 35-yr-old)

Advantages

  • Fully online application in under 10 minutes with instant decision
  • No medical exam required for the vast majority of applicants
  • Term coverage from $50,000 to $1.5 million
  • Simple, single-product focus means less upsell noise
  • Backed by North American Company for Life & Health (A+ AM Best rating)

Drawbacks

  • Only sells 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-year term, no permanent options
  • Face amounts capped at $1.5M, high earners often need more
  • No option to adjust coverage after issue; policy is static
  • Age cap of 60 keeps older applicants from qualifying

Fabric by Gerber Life

Term life plus free wills and family financial tools

7/10
PricingAbout $17-$36/mo for $500K, 20-yr term (healthy 35-yr-old)

Advantages

  • Free digital will and trust setup included with every policy
  • Backed by Gerber Life (owned by Western & Southern Financial Group)
  • 10-minute application with no medical exam for most eligible applicants
  • Built-in family financial tools, shared account tracking, savings, checklists
  • Term coverage from $100,000 up to $5 million

Drawbacks

  • Instant decision funnel is narrower than Ethos for older or higher-risk applicants
  • Younger brand than legacy carriers, limited public claims track record
  • No permanent life products for buyers who want cash value

Bestow and Fabric by Gerber Life both play in life insurance, but they're aimed at different buyers. Bestow is built for younger buyers who want simple, affordable term life without medical exams. Fabric by Gerber Life is built for young parents who want term life plus estate planning basics in one place. Which one fits depends on which of those descriptions sounds more like you.

Feature Comparison

FeatureBestowFabric by Gerber Life
Product TypeTerm life only (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 yr)Term life (10, 15, 20 yr)
Maximum Coverage$1.5M$5M
Application TimeUnder 10 minutes; instant decision~10 minutes; instant decision for most
UnderwriterNorth American Company for Life & HealthVantis Life (a Penn Mutual company)
Medical ExamNo exam for eligible applicantsNo exam for most eligible under $5M
Issue Ages18-6021-60
Adjustable CoverageNo, coverage is fixed at issue--
Riders IncludedAccelerated death benefit standardAccelerated death benefit standard
Family Perks--Free will, financial tools, beneficiary planning
Our Verdict

Too Close to Call

Bestow and Fabric by Gerber Life land roughly even overall; the right pick depends on which of their strengths matters more to you.

Bestow's standout strength: Fully online application in under 10 minutes with instant decision. Fabric by Gerber Life's standout strength: Free digital will and trust setup included with every policy. Neither dominates across the board, and both have well-known weak spots. Bestow's biggest drawback: Only sells 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-year term, no permanent options. Fabric by Gerber Life's biggest drawback: Instant decision funnel is narrower than Ethos for older or higher-risk applicants. Pick the one whose strengths line up with what you actually need.

Bestow is best forYounger buyers who want simple, affordable term life without medical exams
Fabric by Gerber Life is best forYoung parents who want term life plus estate planning basics in one place