A closer look at Symetra life insurance
Who is Symetra best for?
Symetra is an excellent option for people with a history of cancer, including early-stage breast, cervical, colon, prostate, skin, testicular, or thyroid cancer.
Symetra is also a good option for people who don’t have complicated health histories but also don’t see a primary care provider on a regular basis. Many insurers lower your risk classification for not seeing a primary care physician, but these people can receive favorable rates from Symetra as well.
Symetra offers generous coverage amounts based on income compared to other carriers, especially for people in their 50s. It also has competitive options for people living in New York — who have fewer options than people in other states due to the state's strict insurance regulations — and for scuba divers.
What makes Symetra unique?
Symetra’s underwriting guidelines for people with a history of many types of cancer makes it unique among insurers. Many people in remission from cancer will find that they cannot get term life insurance, but Symetra is flexible with many cancers and generally considers applicants much sooner after remission than other insurers. That's why it's our pick for the best overall life insurance for people with a history of cancer.
Who should consider a different life insurance company?
Symetra is not available in all states, and residents of CA, FL, DC, DE, ND, and SD will not be able to purchase one of their policies. Symetra’s rates are also higher than some of its competitors, and many people will find their best life insurance rates elsewhere.
Symetra life insurance rates
The chart below shows average monthly premium prices for a 20-year term life insurance policy with $500,000 in coverage for non-smokers in a Preferred health classification; quotes are based on the policycentral Life Insurance Price Index methodology.
Age/sex | Symetra average | Industry average |
|---|---|---|
25-year-old female | $22.28 | $21.08 |
25-year-old male | $28.35 | $26.90 |
35-year-old female | $26.78 | $25.58 |
35-year-old male | $30.97 | $30.34 |
45-year-old female | $50.08 | $47.86 |
45-year-old male | $62.91 | $60.76 |
Symetra history, reputation, and social responsibility
Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, which was established in 1957. It was acquired by Japanese insurance company Sumitomo Life in 2016. In addition to life insurance, Symetra also offers annuities and group benefits products. Symetra is headquartered in Bellevue, WA. The company has over 2,000 employees and 1.6 million customers. [1]
Margaret Meister is Symetra’s president and CEO. She joined the company in 1998 and became president and CEO in February 2018. [2]
In March 2022, Symetra launched its first corporate responsibility initiative, Symetra Social Impact. Its goals are focused on three priority areas — social commitments, sustainability and governance — and include funding 25 scholarships at historically Black colleges and universities by 2025, becoming carbon neutral by 2023, and creating a financial literacy program by 2025. [3]
