There are a few potential problems you could run into with purchasing life insurance in New York.
- Fewer Insurance Carriers to Choose From
- Cumbersome Replacement Rules
- Fewer Agents
Fewer Life Insurance Carriers
Since New York’s Department of Insurance mandates that for a life insurance carrier to sell their products in New York, they must have a physical presence in New York, this keeps a lot of companies from selling there.
Take Fidelity Life Association, for example. Fidelity is an enormous, A rated, legitimate carrier who has been in business for over 100 years. Their graded death benefit policy is insanely popular for people with high risk medical conditions. Yet they do not offer life insurance in New York.
Cumbersome Replacement Rules
If you already own a policy and want to replace it, an agent is technically supposed to provide a replacement disclosure to you 30 days before he or she takes an application. Furthermore, the replacement forms are long and cumbersome.
So you can guess how many agents love doing business in NY. Very few. And some agents I know simply will not do a replacement in New York.
Fewer Agents
Because of the lack of carriers to chose from and the additional paperwork, you may find if you call a life insurance over the phone who is not located in New York, he or she may not be able to talk to you, since most don’t carry licenses in NY, or may not be willing to talk to you even if they have a license there. We do have a license in NY, so if you’re searching for a good independent agency, call us at 877-996-9383.
Helpful Equivalent Companies
Many Companies who do business under a popular name in other states may be doing business under a different name in New York. Here’s a quick guide for you:
Name In New York Name In Most Other States
William Penn Life Insurance Banner Life Insurance
Pruco Life Insurance Co of New Jersey Pruco Life Insurance Co.
United States Life American General (AIG)
Securian Life Ins. Minnesota Life
First MetLife MetLife
A Few Tips for New Yorkers
So if you’re looking to buy life insurance in NY, I suggest you find an independent agent who can write with many companies, and knows which companies will treat you the fairest based on your health and offer the product for your particular needs. If you are desperate for a policy that may not be available in your state, you can always wait to go on vacation in another state, and you might be able to apply for coverage while you are there.