You can buy life insurance from a company's own agent, directly from a company online, from a TV or mail ad, through work, or from an independent agent who compares several companies. They can all get you covered. What changes is how many companies you get to compare, and who is looking out for you.
How many life insurance companies are there?
A lot more than most people think. There were 711 life insurers operating in the U.S. in 2024, according to the American Council of Life Insurers, 2025 Life Insurers Fact Book. Not all of them sell in every state, and not all of them sell the kind of policy you need, but each one sets its own prices and its own health rules.
That's why the same person can get very different prices, and even different yes or no answers, from one company to the next.
Where you can buy life insurance
| Where you buy | How many companies you see | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A company's own agent (captive) | One | Works for one company and can only offer that company's plans. |
| Directly from a company, online or by phone | One | You answer the questions yourself. If that company declines you or charges more, you start over somewhere else. |
| TV and mail ads | One | Many are guaranteed acceptance plans with a waiting period. Why that matters. |
| Through work | Your employer's plan | Easy, but usually a small amount, and it often ends when you leave the job. Is it enough? |
| An independent agent (often called a broker) | Several | Compares plans from several companies and matches your health and budget to the ones most likely to say yes. |
Company vs. broker: what's the difference?
Buying from one company, through its own agent or its website, means one set of prices and one set of health rules. If that company rates your health poorly, that's the only answer you hear.
An independent agent, often called a broker, is licensed by the state and contracted with several insurance companies. Instead of fitting you into one company's box, the agent looks at your age, health, budget and goals, then checks which companies treat that situation best.
Why the same health history gets different prices
Every company writes its own rules. A few examples of where they differ:
- Diabetes: some companies care mostly about your A1C and age at diagnosis, others mainly about insulin. Diabetes guide
- Height and weight: build charts differ, so the same weight can be standard at one company and a higher price class at another.
- Tobacco: an occasional cigar or nicotine gum is treated differently from company to company. Smokers guide
- Past heart or cancer history: lookback periods range from a couple of years to ten or more.
When you only check one company, you never find out whether another would have offered full coverage or a better price.
Does an agent cost more?
Usually not. The insurance company pays the agent a commission, and that cost is built into the company's pricing either way. The same policy from the same company is generally the same price whether you buy it directly or through a licensed agent. What an independent agent adds is the comparison, and help with the application and any claim later.
Why NJN Insurance
We compare several top-rated companies
Your answers get matched to the companies most likely to approve you at the best price you qualify for, instead of one company's take.
No cost to work with us
The insurance company pays us. You pay the policy price, nothing extra.
We tell you the trade-offs
Waiting periods, price increases, what happens if you miss a payment. If a policy isn't right for you, we'll say so.
We stay with you
Questions after you buy, beneficiary changes, reviews as life changes, and help for your family at claim time.
Licensed in Arizona, by phone or video
Nick Brown, Arizona license 19720244. No in-home visits needed.
Not sure how to pick an agent? Here's how to choose a life insurance agent.
Want to see what several companies would offer you?
On a free 15-minute call I'll ask a few questions, compare plans from several companies side by side, and email you your best options. Licensed in Arizona. By phone or video, no obligation.
Source: American Council of Life Insurers, 2025 Life Insurers Fact Book, key U.S. life insurer statistics, 2024 data.
Common questions
Where is the best place to buy life insurance?
For most people, an independent agent who compares several companies, because the same health history can get very different prices from one company to the next.
How many life insurance companies are there?
There were 711 life insurers operating in the U.S. in 2024, according to the American Council of Life Insurers. Each sets its own prices and health rules.
What is the difference between a life insurance agent and a broker?
A captive agent works for one company. An independent agent, often called a broker, is contracted with several companies and can compare them for you.
Is it cheaper to buy life insurance directly from the company?
Usually not. The same policy from the same company is generally the same price whether you buy it directly or through a licensed agent. The commission is built into the price either way.
Do I pay the agent?
No. The insurance company pays the agent. You pay only the policy price.
Is buying life insurance from a TV ad a bad idea?
Not always, but many TV and mail plans are guaranteed acceptance with a waiting period. If you can answer health questions, you may qualify for full coverage from day one, often for less.
What if I don't live in Arizona?
I'm licensed in Arizona today and adding more states soon. Send a quote request anyway and I'll let you know as soon as I can help in your state. In the meantime, the free guide walks you through how much coverage you need.
Nick Brown is an independent life insurance agent with NJN Insurance, licensed in Arizona (License 19720244). He compares plans from several companies and explains them clearly. NJN stands for Not Just a Number.