Principal Financial life insurance
Principal provides group life insurance plans through employers as part of workplace benefits. With group policies, employers typically pay part or all of the premiums.

The company also offers other types of coverage including critical illness insurance, dental, disability and vision insurance.

» MORE: What is supplemental life insurance?

More about Principal insurance
Principal Financial Group also offers individual disability insurance as well as annuities, mutual funds and retirement plans.

Learn about top-rated life insurance companies
Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:

Best life insurance companies

Best term life insurance companies.

Best whole life insurance companies.

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Best life insurance for seniors.

Best instant life insurance.

Best no-medical exam life insurance.

Best return-of-premium life insurance.

Best life insurance for children.

Best accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

Life insurance buying guide
Before you start comparing companies, choose the type of life insurance you want, such as term or whole life. Decide which life insurance riders, if any, you want the policy to include. Calculate how much life insurance you need and how long you want the coverage to last. Check that the insurers you’re considering offer the coverage you’re looking for.

When comparing rates, be sure the quotes are for the same amount of coverage over the same period of time. It’s also important to make sure the policy’s medical requirements match your needs. For example, if you want to skip the life insurance medical exam but don’t mind answering health questions, confirm that the application process for each policy you're comparing aligns with that.

Price may not be the biggest driver behind your decision to buy. Look at the number of consumer complaints each company receives, as high numbers can be a red flag about the quality of service.

For more guidance, see our life insurance buying guide.

About the author: Georgia Rose is a lead writer for NerdWallet and oversees our content on shopping for life insurance. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Independent and ABC News. Read more