Advertising Disclosure: Some companies recommended on this page may pay us a fee if you visit their site. Learn more.
Expert COMPANY reviewS
AIG Direct LIFE INSURANCE REVIEW- Pros & Cons, FAQ's


Overview: AIG Direct offers online quotes, works with healthy people (plus people in less-than-perfect health), and provides options for coverage you may not find elsewhere. Keep reading to learn more about AIG Direct Life Insurance Reviews and American General Life Insurance, including the types of coverage available, pros and cons, who should choose AIG, and how to get life insurance coverage.
Here’s What You Need to Know About Aig Direct Life Insurance
American General offers multiple types of life insurance, plus auto, home, and retirement products. The company has been in business for 100 years and is financially strong. With flexible coverage options and various riders to choose from, AIG has products to fit many family needs for life insurance. AIG Direct life insurance is offered online whereas, AIG Life Insurance policies are offered through life insurance brokers.
It's quick, easy, and free!
How is AIG Direct Life Insurance Different?
One way AIG life reviews is different is their underwriting guidelines. American General Life Insurance also offers the option to select a term for certain term policies for those who need something other than a standard 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, 35-year term policy. Another thing that sets AIG apart is their rate reconsideration policy. If you purchase an AIG life insurance product and improve your health, you can request a rate reconsideration into a better health class, which can lower your rates.
What types of insurance can you purchase from AIG Direct?
AIG Direct Reviews uncovered that you have several types of life insurance to choose from with different options to help meet an individual and family’s unique needs. Choose from:
- Term
- Whole life
- Universal life
- Guaranteed issue
- Accidental death
These life insurance riders are available for an additional cost:
- Accelerated death benefit (the main feature of the Quality of Life policy)
- Accidental death rider (can also be purchased as stand-alone policy)
- Child term rider (from ages 15 days to 19 years, available amounts from $50 to $25,000)
- Wavier of premium
Did you know?
Insurance companies are NOT all the same. Some are more lenient on certain health issues, some focus on a no-hassle application without an exam, some are financially stronger than others, and their pricing varies a LOT! Get 2 to 3 quotes for best results!
We Recommend:
- Ladder Life Insurance - For no-exam plans up to age 60
- AIG Direct - For the lowest cost term and permanent life insurance
WHAT POLICIES DOES AIG Direct OFFER?
AIG Insurance offers other products besides life and accidental death insurance. Those products include:
- Auto
- Home
- Travel
- Annuities
- Retirement
- Mutual Funds
AIG’s life and financial services products can be purchased individually or through participating employers.
It's quick, easy, and free!
a brief history of AIG Direct Life
Cornelius Vander Starr, who came by steamship to America from Shanghai in 1919, created AIG in China before coming here. His vision was first seen in American Asiatic Underwriters, which we now know as AIG Direct Life or American General Life Company.
Initially, American General Life Insurance was offered through traditional life insurance agents. But, with the advent of the internet, AIG saw an opportunity to offer it's products directly to the public online. Thus, AIG Direct was born.
The first office in America was in New York City, opened in 1926 under American International Underwriters (AIU). Company headquarters were brought to NYC from Shanghai in 1939. In 1946, offices were opened in Germany and Japan to provide insurance products to the U.S. military
American International Group (AIG) was incorporated in Delaware in 1967. The company is now in over 80 countries, offering general property and casualty, retirement, financial services and life insurance for individuals and employers.
Americans are terrible at this one thing...
A recent study found that more than half of Americans overestimate the cost of term life insurance by three times. If you've never gotten a personalized quote or only seen quotes from one company, you likely have no idea how inexpensive life insurance really is!
AIG Direct Life Insurance Reviews Of Products
American General Life Company offers multiple life insurance options to meet the ever-changing needs of individuals and families. You have the option to choose a predetermined amount of coverage years for term life insurance, or choose your own. Riders are also available to be added, which can reduce policy fees, allowing individuals to get important coverage for a better price.
Over the years, AIG has acquired several life insurance companies to broaden their availability and product choices for consumers, including:
- Franklin Life Insurance Company
- American General Corporation
- Ageas Protect
- Ellipse
AIG Direct coverage details and guidelines Review
Many factors determine the rate you receive on life insurance, including the type of policy you choose and the amount of coverage you select. Your health class can make or break your budget when purchasing life insurance. Check out American General Life’s underwriting guidelines to learn more and their health classes.
Who Issues Their Policies?
AIG Direct’s life insurance and annuities plans are issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), Houston, TX. For people in New York, policies are issued by The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York (US Life).
How Do I Get An Online Quote Through AIG Direct?
The AIG Direct front page has a link to get a free quote for life insurance. Enter a few key pieces of information to begin your quote:
- Coverage amount
- Nicotine use
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Height and weight
- Name
- Primary and secondary phone number
- Email address
- Zip code
Review the fine print when looking for a term life insurance quote from AIG Direct
Make sure you look at the disclaimer written in small print on AIG Direct's quote box. It basically says when you enter your contact information in the AIG Direct quote box you get…
Only 1 Option + You get harassed!
- No instant quotes on the AIG Direct com website from all the top rated life insurance companies. The only option is American General Life!
- AIG Direct Life Insurance Reviews calls your phone in under 3 seconds on an automated dialer! (Read their disclaimer on the quote box on their website.)
- Multiple phone calls /day from their auto dialer for the next several weeks. How annoying!!!
- Instant & repetitive follow up emails. They clog up you inbox until you unsubscribe.
- They have an aggressive sales approach with a hard close to get the application done on the first call. You feel pressured!
It's quick, easy, and free!
How do I get a low rate?
The only way to get the lowest rate is to be in the healthiest underwriting class. However, AIG Direct works with people who aren’t in optimal health, so you can still apply for coverage and get a decently low rate.
Find Your Perfect Life Insurance Plan!
Click below to search for life insurance by company, coverage amount, and policy type.
Shortcut: Our #1 choice for life insurance with health issues is AIG Direct. If you have any history of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, or obesity, click here for a free quote.
WHO is AIG Direct Life for?
AIG Direct is for people who want life insurance options they may not find at other companies. U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 in great health will get the best rates.
Who is the ideal AIG Direct applicant?
Those in good or better health living a positive lifestyle will get the best rates with AIG Direct. The more questions on the application you can answer "no" to, the better your chances of getting a great rate with American General Life Company.
what if i'm not perfectly healthy?
AIG Direct works with people who aren’t in the best health, which can make them a better option for some with certain health concerns, like ADHD and diabetes, or those who use marijuana products.
Our Favorite Life Insurance Companies
We've worked with and reviewed dozens of companies. Here are our faves.
Ladder Life Insurance
Best for: No-Exam Plans Up to Age 60
Ladder is known for a quick and easy online application with no medical exam required in many cases. They have 10, 20, and 30 year plans. They offer the most coverage without an exam in the industry. Coverage amounts start at $100,000 and go as high as $8 million.
AIG Direct
Best for: Lowest Rates or Health Conditions
AIG Direct offers a range of custom term plans up to 35-year term as well as return of premium, and permanent plans that build guaranteed cash value. Their rates will beat just about anyone if you take an exam. They're also terrific if you take medication or have health issues.
how to apply for life insurance with Aig Direct?
You can get a quote directly on AIG’s website, but you must call over the phone to complete the application. Or go through OUR website to get a quote and complete the application without having to worry about harassing phone calls.
signing up for AIG Direct
Take these steps to sign up through AIG Direct:
- Get a quote online
- Speak with an agent to complete the application
- Take the medical exam (unless guaranteed issue)
- AIG completes the underwriting process
how does the application process with aig direct Review work?
Once you get a quote, you’ll speak with an agent to answer qualifying medical history questions. The rep will fill in the application and then send it to you to finish it and sign to continue the process.
aig direct financial strength and bbb ratings
When AIG Direct Reviews were tallied we found that they have been around for 100 years in some capacity and have strong or better financial ratings. These include:
- A.M. Best: A
- Fitch Ratings: A+
- Moody’s: A2
- Standard and Poor’s: A+
AIG Direct has an A+ rating with the BBB, but American General Life Company has a B-, which means its customers have okay interactions with the company, but they could do better.
LIFE INSURANCE MADE EASY
Select Your State for an Instant Quote
AIG direct reviews and complaints
AIG Direct Reviews found that they have a “call center” sales approach which lacks a special service and sometimes leads to complaints. This could hinder you from getting the best price on your life insurance especially if you have specific health issues or certain lifestyle habits or hobbies.
One thing reviewing AIG Direct and American General Life we found that they have struggled with customer reviews and complaints. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners rating has improved over the years, moving from 0.95 in 2017 to 0.52 in 2019. The NAIC average is 1.0 and anything below that number has better-than-average customer reported complaints.
AIG has 2.7 stars with Consumer Affairs from 396 customer ratings but a 4.9 with Consumers Advocate, based on company stability, policies and coverage, and reputation (where they lost the most points). The company has 3.6 stars on TrustPilot from 66 reviews.
AIG’s overall customer satisfaction index rating on the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Life Insurance Study is 742 out of 1,000 points. This rating puts AIG 15 out of 23 companies, with the average rating at 763.
Compare AIG Direct Life Insurance VS New York Life Insurance
New York Life has been around almost twice as long as AIG Direct. You must work with a New York Life rep to get quotes and coverage. Both companies offer similar life and retirement options, though New York Life offers long-term care coverage and AIG offers personal and commercial insurance on top of their life and retirement products.
You can compare term life quotes from AIG Direct and other life insurance carriers to see how their rates differ.How to Compare Companies:
Life insurance companies vary widely in price and policy features they offer. The smartest move is to get quotes from two or three companies and compare the pros & cons of each.
AIG DIRECT Life iNSURANCE ALTERNATIVES
Many of the following companies have better products and cheaper prices versus AIG Direct Life Insurance. Some even offer no medical exam policies.
Colonial Life Insurance Review
Colonial Life has one of the oldest reputations in the supplemental benefits industry. The only reason you would check them out as opposed to AIG Direct is if you are offering group life insurance to your company. They offer life, accident, and illness policies to complement your health insurance plan.
Ethos Life Insurance Review
Ethos is not a life insurance company. They are a licensed producer and third party administrator. Founded in 2017, Ethos has developed an online platform that allows you to apply for life insurance and possibly get instant approval.
Lemonade Life Insurance Review
Using AI technology and chatbots, Lemonade offers a completely online experience and lightning fast claims processing through its mobile app. If you want more of an online experience with no exam, Lemonade could be a good alternative to AIG.
Pacific Life Insurance Review
Pacific Life is very competitive in the term life insurance market. If you're looking for low rates, check out our review of them.
Sagicor Life Insurance Review
Sagicor is a full-service life insurance company, offering term, whole life, and universal life through SagicorNow Accelewriting no medical exam underwriting for qualified applicants.
SelectQuote Life Insurance Review
Since 1985, SelectQuote has saturated the advertising market with multiple TV, radio, & print adds per day. They're an independent insurance agency so they could technically find better rates than AIG Direct.
Transamerica Life Insurance Review
Transamerica has low rates across the board and in many cases can beat AIG rates, especially if you're a smoker.
For more company information, please visit our Life Insurance Company Reviews Page. If you’re searching for life insurance by term length or dollar amount, please visit this page
AIG Direct versus:
Frequently asked questions about AIG Direct Life Insurance
- Is AIG Direct legitimate? Yes! AIG Direct is NOT a scam. AIG Direct has helped thousands of people buy life insurance online from American General Life.
- Is AIG Direct the same as Matrix Direct? Yes. AIG Direct operates under the name of Matrix Direct Insurance Services in MA and Matrix Direct, Inc. in some states.
- Is AIG Direct the exclusive seller of American General Life? The answer is No. You can buy American General Life from this website.
- How does AIG Direct make money? AIG Direct makes a commission on every insurance policy they sell. This commission is paid by the life insurance company and not the buyer.
- Do I have other options besides American General Life when shopping at AIG Direct? Not really. AIG Direct is a subsidiary of American General Life Insurance Company.
- What is life expectancy? Life expectancy is the statistical expectation of how long someone will live at birth based on a number of factors such as socioeconomics, demographic, geographic, thermographic, stenographic, idiographic, and historiographics.
summary
AIG Direct and American General Life offer multiple types of life insurance and coverage options to meet the unique needs of American families. Though AIG has suffered in years past with questionable customer service and poor ratings, it has been steadily improving with better scores and ratings recently. AIG has competitive rates for those in less-than-perfect health, but health conscious individuals can find better rates elsewhere.
Not sure where to start?
Answer 5 questions and we'll match you to the perfect plan