PolicySolutionsCoverage that respects the risk you take.
Police, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, corrections officers — you run toward what everyone else runs from. Your department's group plan is a start, but it's usually modest and it doesn't follow you when you leave or retire. A personal policy you own protects your family for your whole career, and we know the carriers that treat first-responder work — and PTSD — fairly. At no cost to you.
In short: Department or union group life coverage for police, fire, and EMS is usually modest and doesn't follow you when you leave or retire, so a personal policy you own is what actually protects your family long term. Many carriers price first-responder work — and diagnosed, managed PTSD — fairly, but they vary widely, so comparing them is where the savings are. Using an independent agent costs you nothing.
Why coverage that follows you matters here.
These aren't scare numbers — they're the plain reason a first responder's protection shouldn't depend on staying with one department.
Law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2023 — the kind of loss a portable, family-sized policy is meant to answer.
— NLEOMF, 2023 End-of-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities ReportFirefighters died on duty in the U.S. in 2023, across career and volunteer service.
— NFPA, Firefighter Fatalities in the U.S. in 2023Of firefighter line-of-duty deaths are volunteers — the responders least likely to have any group coverage at all.
— NFPA, Firefighter Fatalities in the U.S. in 2023Why the group plan isn't the whole answer.
Department and union coverage helps — but it has three limits that leave most first-responder families exposed.
It's usually modest
Group life is often a fixed, one-size amount that rarely matches a family's real need — the mortgage, the kids, years of income. It's a floor, not a plan.
It doesn't follow you
Leave the department, change agencies, or retire, and group coverage typically ends or drops sharply. A policy you own stays with you no matter where your career goes.
You didn't choose the terms
The group's carrier, amount, and rules were picked for the group — not for you. A personal policy is built around your family, your budget, and your goals.
Volunteers often have none
Volunteer firefighters and reserve responders rarely have real group coverage at all — so a personal policy is usually the only protection standing between the job's risk and their family.
Duty risk and PTSD are insurable — with the right carrier.
The occupation and the conditions that come with it don't have to mean a decline or a punishing rate. Comparison is everything here.
What we do for you
- Steer you to carriers that underwrite police, fire, and EMS work fairly — the rate gap between insurers is large.
- Handle PTSD honestly: diagnosed and managed, it's insurable with many carriers and doesn't automatically raise your rate.
- Account for shift work, part-time duty, and second jobs without letting it derail your application.
- Shop it once — you share your details a single time, we compare carriers for you.
Who this is for
- Police officers, deputies, and federal or state law enforcement.
- Firefighters — career and volunteer — and fire officers.
- EMTs, paramedics, and 911 dispatchers.
- Corrections officers and security professionals.
- Retired responders who lost their department coverage.
If a condition makes traditional underwriting hard, there's still a path — simplified- and guaranteed-issue coverage. No first responder should be left without options.
The underwriting flag for each job — and whether it moves your rate.
"First responder" covers very different day-to-day risk. Here's the specific thing underwriters look at for each role, and the honest answer on whether it changes your rate class.
Police officers & deputies
Underwriters weigh assignment and duty exposure — patrol, SWAT, tactical, and undercover work read differently than administrative or detective roles. With many carriers, standard patrol and department work is priced at or near standard rates; the higher-hazard specialties are where an insurer's occupation stance actually shows up in the rate class.
Firefighters
The flag is fireground exposure and, increasingly, the health history that comes with the job. Career firefighters are commonly underwritten fairly by carriers comfortable with the occupation; volunteers are usually fine too, though — as with any higher-hazard high-risk occupation — the rate gap between insurers is wide, so comparison is where a fair class is won.
EMTs & paramedics
Generally among the more straightforward first-responder roles to underwrite — the occupational hazard is real but often viewed as moderate, and many carriers offer standard rates to healthy applicants. Shift work and a second job (common in EMS) shouldn't derail the application when it's placed with the right carrier.
Correctional officers
Corrections work carries an environment-of-exposure flag that some carriers weigh more heavily than others, which can nudge the rate class with a less favorable insurer. Because carrier appetite varies so much here, this is a role where shopping several insurers tends to matter most.
911 dispatchers
The lowest physical-hazard role of the group — dispatchers are typically underwritten like other office-based occupations and often qualify for standard rates on the occupation alone. The consideration that more often comes up is the cumulative stress of the job, which touches the same PTSD and anxiety and depression underwriting as the field roles.
The PTSD thread, across every role
Diagnosed, managed PTSD is insurable with many carriers and doesn't automatically raise your rate — insurers look at severity, treatment, and stability. It's underwritten the same way anxiety and depression are, and carriers vary widely, so honest disclosure plus the right carrier is what protects your rate class.
First responder life insurance — frequently asked questions
Isn't my department coverage enough?
Usually not alone. Group coverage is often a modest fixed amount that ends or drops sharply when you leave or retire — it isn't portable. A personal policy you own fills the gap, follows you your whole career, and is sized to your family's real need.
Will my job raise my rates?
It can with some carriers and not others — occupation is underwritten very differently across insurers. Many are comfortable with police, fire, and EMS work and price it fairly. Being independent, we steer you to the most favorable carriers, which is where the rate difference is won.
Can I get covered with PTSD?
Often yes. Diagnosed and managed PTSD is insurable with many carriers — they look at severity, treatment, and stability. It doesn't automatically mean a decline or high rate, and carriers vary widely, so comparing them matters. Simplified/guaranteed issue is a fallback if needed.
Do volunteer firefighters need their own policy?
Yes — volunteers rarely have meaningful group coverage, so a personal policy is usually the only protection for their family. A healthy volunteer often qualifies for standard rates, and coverage is typically affordable.
Does an agent cost me anything?
No. A licensed independent agent is paid by the carrier and your premium is the same as going direct. Matching your occupation and any conditions to the right carrier is exactly where a specialist adds value — free to you.
Coverage that has your back, on and off duty.
A licensed independent specialist (NPN #20612303) will match your service and health to a carrier that treats first responders right — at no cost to you.
No call-center pile-on. Here's exactly what to expect.
You reached out, so a real licensed agent picks it up — not a rotating call center, and never a sale you don't need.
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A licensed agent reaches out
We aim to reach you the same business day — someone licensed where you live, who answers your questions straight.
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A few honest questions
Enough to understand your situation and match you to the partner carrier that treats it most favorably. If it isn't a fit, we'll tell you.
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Real options — your call
We compare carriers and show you what actually fits. No pressure, no obligation; you decide if and when.
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Covered, with a safety net
If you move forward, a free-look period lets you review the real policy and change your mind for a full refund — a limited window that starts when the policy is delivered to you. Most states set a minimum length; where a state sets none, the window your insurer prints on the policy controls.
Realistic timelines: approval times vary by product and by carrier. Policies underwritten from health questions alone are typically much faster. Fully underwritten policies take longer — they require a medical exam and a records review. Your agent will tell you which path your application is on and what to expect. Any estimate you see online is a ballpark. Your real rate comes from a licensed agent comparing carriers for your exact age and health.