Bestow vs Ladder
Last updated July 2026
Bestow
Term life in under 10 minutes, no medical exam
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
Ladder
Life insurance that flexes with your life
Advantages
- Unique laddering feature lets you increase or decrease coverage without a new policy
- Term coverage from $100,000 up to $8 million (highest no-exam limits of any digital insurer)
- No medical exam required for most applicants under $3 million
- Fully underwritten by Fidelity Security Life (A- AM Best)
- Cancel anytime with no fees; refund of unused premium in first 30 days
Drawbacks
- Only offers 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-year term
- Adjustments to coverage over $3M can still trigger an exam
- Newer name than legacy carriers, though underwritten by an established one
Bestow and Ladder are two of the youngest names in life insurance, both selling term coverage online with no medical exam for most applicants. Bestow underwrites through North American Company for Life & Health; Ladder is a subsidiary of Fidelity Security Life. The killer feature that separates them is Ladder's ability to increase or decrease coverage as life changes.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Bestow | Ladder |
|---|---|---|
| Product Type | Term life only (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 yr) | Term life only (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 yr) |
| Maximum Coverage | $1.5M | $8M |
| Application Time | Under 10 minutes; instant decision | ~10 minutes; instant decision for most |
| Underwriter | North American Company for Life & Health | Fidelity Security Life; some policies via Allianz |
| Medical Exam | No exam for eligible applicants | No exam for most under $3M |
| Issue Ages | 18-60 | 20-60 |
| Adjustable Coverage | No, coverage is fixed at issue | Yes, raise or lower coverage as needs change |
| Standard Riders | Accelerated death benefit standard | Accelerated death benefit standard |
Ladder Wins
Ladder wins with a much higher no-exam ceiling and the ability to laddering coverage as your life evolves.
Bestow is cheaper on the very lowest end and slightly simpler, but Ladder's adjustable-coverage feature is genuinely differentiating for young families whose needs will grow and shrink as they add kids, pay off a mortgage, or change jobs. Ladder's $8M cap also comfortably covers high earners that Bestow's $1.5M ceiling shuts out. Only pick Bestow if you have a very specific fixed need under $1.5M and want the lowest possible starting price.
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