Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Ethos?
Ethos is a next-generation insurtech company offering life insurance products that can be bound online. The 100% online application takes just minutes, many policies are issued same-day, and there are no medical exams required—just a few health questions.

Is Ethos an insurance company?
Ethos is a licensed agency that provides producer, underwriting, and third-party administrator (TPA) services. We're not a carrier, but we contract directly with top-tier carriers to provide policies on the carrier’s paper through our site, ethoslife.com.

What makes Ethos different?
We’ve built an industry-leading product that is transforming the industry with our 100% online sales platform. Ethos’ proprietary underwriting engine algorithmically assigns each customer to the appropriate product so applicants can get the coverage that best fits their unique needs as fast as possible. We also make it easy for insurance agents to build their business with Ethos life insurance through a 100% online sales platform.

Why should I work with Ethos?
We make it fast and easy to sell even more life insurance, with instant underwriting, zero case management for you, and a 90% approval rate. Ethos offers a low barrier to entry for P&C agents looking to cross-sell and a great way for agents specializing in life insurance to accelerate their business.

How is Ethos structured?
Ethos is a producer and third party administrator who underwrites policies on behalf of our carrier partners. You and your client will interact primarily with us, while our carriers issue the actual policies.

Where is Ethos based?
Ethos employs more than 300 employees in offices in San Francisco, Austin, and Singapore. And we’re continuing to grow.

Is Ethos available anywhere else?
We built our product from scratch, and it’s sold exclusively under the Ethos brand.

How do I get in contact with Ethos?
Click “Chat With Us” anytime on the agent portal. If we’re not available to talk right then, please leave your message and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

Can Ethos solicit my clients? 
Your client is your client. It’s not necessary for you to share any of your client information or client lists with Ethos. Client data that you own will always remain yours and at no point will we ever require it.

Any application that we receive through your unique agent URL will be attributed to you. We provide you with a custom link so that you can market directly to your clients. As long as your customers use that link to complete and submit the application, you will receive attribution.

Ethos will help you by continuing to provide support to your client, such as following up on an incomplete app. But we don’t intentionally solicit your clients, either on the initial sale or by attempting to sell them third-party products that may compete with your product offerings.

In the scenario any of your clients or their referrals purchases a policy from Ethos, you will be attributed and credited with the sale. If your client refers another client from their member portal or another Ethos tool, we automatically send your unique agent link to the referral. Once the referral signs up with that link, they will be automatically attributed to you. 

There are two ways in which your client could share their data with Ethos directly: 

• We market our products broadly to consumers via a range of online and offline channels. As a result, it’s possible your client will see and respond to direct Ethos advertising, but we never target individuals based on their relationship with you. 
• Occasionally, a client starts an application using your unique agent URL, leaves before completing it, and then returns directly to the Ethos website at a later time to complete it and activate the policy. In these instances, Ethos will recognize your client’s email address and redirect them to their prior, incomplete application so that you still receive proper attribution.

If I sign up with Ethos, do I become a captive Ethos agent? 
No. Your business remains independent of Ethos.

The exclusivity requirement in our agreement applies only to other instant-issue life insurance platforms which primarily do business online. You can continue to offer non-Ethos products and use other insurance platforms freely. Signing up with Ethos will not impact your current carrier relationships, and you are free to continue selling products on behalf of traditional carriers.

What products does Ethos offer?
Ethos for Agents currently offers Level Term Life, SITL (Simplified Issue Term Life), SIWL (Simplified Issue Whole Life), Whole Life, and GAWL (Guaranteed Acceptance Whole Life) options.

Which carriers does Ethos work with?
Ethos provides life insurance issued by A-rated carriers, including Legal & General America, Ameritas Life Insurance Group, TruStage, and multiple reinsurers.

Who do I contact for TruStage application or product questions?
If you or your clients have questions about a TruStage application or product, please contact our Ethos TruStage Concierge at: tsconcierge@ethoslife.com

Please allow 24–48 hours for the team to respond. Please do not reach out to TruStage directly as they will not be able to assist you with inquiries for policies issued through Ethos.

How much coverage is available and at what term lengths?
We currently cover up to $2 million in face value and have term lengths of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years, plus whole life options. More information is available in the Ethos Playbook for Agents, by emailing agents@ethoslife.com, or via Chat on the agent portal.

Are Ethos products only for people in good health?
Ethos products can provide coverage for more than 90% of U.S. adults ages 18-85. However, there are some applicants whom we cannot cover at this time. For more information, download the Ethos Playbook for Agents PDF or Ethos Product and Knockout Conditions PDF. Both are available in the Resources section of the agent portal.

Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes, Ethos customers can get a full refund up to 30 days after policy activation, after which they can cancel at any time with no penalty or fee.

Can an unlicensed agent sell insurance?
Ethos requires that any agent who sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance must have a valid insurance license. 

There are two requirements: 

1. The agent must have a license for the type of business being sold (for example, a life license for life insurance, health license for accidental death, etc.).
2. That license must be active at the time of sale in the state where the applicant resides.

Each time a policy is activated, Ethos will confirm the agent’s status.

Who can Ethos pay commissions to?
Ethos pays commissions, or any compensation related to activation of a policy, only to agents with a valid license in the state where the applicant resides at the time of sale.

What if an unlicensed downline agent is involved in the sale of a policy?
An unlicensed agent should never sell, solicit, or negotiate an insurance policy. Where there are multiple levels of agents affiliated with a sale and one or more downline agents aren’t licensed, commissions will only be paid to the validly licensed parent agent or agency.

What is the difference between referral fees and commissions? 
The terms are similar, but Ethos uses the term “Referral Fees” in our producer agreements to describe compensation paid to life licensed agents who successfully refer Ethos products to potential customers. Carriers pay Ethos commissions directly, and Ethos then passes along a portion of the commissions as referral fees to agents who refer business to us. Ethos does not pay any commissions or referral fees to unlicensed agents.

Policy activations tied to the agent result in referral fees based on agreements in place between the agent and Ethos if they’re independent, or between their agency and Ethos. Individual agent referral fees are paid promptly on a weekly basis.

Where can I get information about Advanced Pay?
Advanced payment of referral fees is available to certain qualified producers as determined by Ethos in its sole discretion. Additionally, Ethos reserves the right to set and modify the requirements, terms, and tiers applicable to advanced pay in its sole discretion. 

What is the Amendment to the Producer Agreement?
The Amendment replaces Exhibit B at the bottom of your Terms and Conditions, which has been intentionally left blank. The Amendment contains compensation terms, including your customized referral fee rates and terms of payment. As such, they can only be added to the Ethos Producer Agreement as an Amendment.

How do I track the client application process?
In the agent portal, the Customers tab shows the status of all your customers, so you’ll know when they’ve started, submitted, approved or activated their policy. You can sort status by All Customers, Active Policies, Applications, Quotes Sent and Leads. You’ll also receive notifications via email each step of the way, as a client moves through the application process. For a walk-through of the client experience, watch the “Submit a Client Application” video in the Resources section of the agent portal.

Will my client need a medical exam?
No. All Ethos policies are underwritten without a medical exam—just a few health, lifestyle and financial questions.

Are there any automatic disqualifications?
Applicants may be automatically denied due to the following conditions: • Not U.S. citizens or permanent residents • Severe diabetes, diagnosed before age 40 • Missionaries or those going on mission trips to certain at-risk countries • Temporarily disabled and have not returned to work • BMI under 18 or over 44 • Criminals or those with pending charges • Special Forces in U.S. military • Certain psychiatric conditions, even if the applicant is no longer taking medication • Non-discharged bankruptcy • Chronic depression, liver disease, kidney disease, lung conditions/disorder • Applicants who are taking certain prescription drugs may also be ineligible for coverage. For a full list of knockout conditions, please see the Ethos Product and Knockout Conditions PDF in the Resources section of the agent portal.

Is the application binding?
No. After underwriting, the applicant will get a decision; if they are approved, they can choose to activate their coverage. Even after activating, they can cancel at any time.

Does it cost money to apply?
No. Applying with Ethos is free, and an applicant is not charged the initial premium until they activate coverage.

Why does the application process work?
You’ll provide your client with a link to the Ethos website, where they can start the online application. We’ll ask the client a few basic questions about themselves and their health. The client must provide all application responses. If approved, the policy is issued right away.
We try to make the process really simple, but if you or your client have any questions or need help, contact Ethos at (415) 322-2037 or agents@ethoslife.com. For all questions about TruStage applications, please contact our TruStage Concierge at tsconcierge@ethoslife.com or (415) 639-3968 M-F 9 a.m.–5 p.m. PT.
For more information, see our 2022 Marketing & Compliance Guide.

What are the requirements to join Ethos for Agents?
To work with Ethos, you must have a current National Producer Number (NPN), and a W-9 on file with Ethos. If you do not know your NPN, you can look it up at https://nipr.com/help/look-up-your-npn.

How do I get paid?
We’ll send you an email invite to join Routable, which allows us to pay you via ACH based on the policies you sold. We pay commissions as earned—weekly for activated policies and monthly for bonuses and referrals. For more information, see “How to Get Paid.”

How do I get credit for policies activated with Ethos?
You will receive credit for any policy a client activates within 180 days of starting an application with you. The application needs to have been started from your Ethos agent landing page, unique application link, personal quoter widget, or agent portal.

How will I know how much life insurance I’ve sold?
In the agent portal, click on the Earnings tab to see your total earnings and earnings per customer. You also can search for a specific date range, view your upcoming scheduled payments, and track past earnings from Activated policies in the Earning section. You can also request a previous month’s statement at agentstatements@getethos.com.

What training does Ethos provide agents?
You’ll find our comprehensive Ethos Playbook for Agents, along with onboarding and sales support materials in the Resources section of our agent portal. Our Partnerships team provides one-on-one and weekly group onboarding sessions, live chat support on the agent portal, and helpful webinars & continuing education.

How can I market Ethos products?
You are welcome to promote Ethos life insurance in any way you want: by phone, on your website, via emails or social media, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Visit the Resources section of your agent portal for more information, including a video walk-through, email scripts, a digital advertising toolkit and compliance guidelines.

What tools are available to my customers?
To help potential customers learn more about life insurance, the application process, policies, and Ethos, you can send them to our Help Center, or visit the Resources section of the agent portal for client PDFs on a wide range of topics. To help customers examine their coverage needs themselves, we also offer a consumer-facing needs analysis tool. For additional assistance, please use the Chat feature in the agent portal, or email agents@ethoslife.com and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.

Is death due to COVID-19 covered?
Yes, the life insurance policies that Ethos sells cover coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths. Although the coronavirus is not explicitly mentioned in the policy contract, death from a pandemic is not considered an exclusion. This is still true even if customers traveled recently or have been exposed to someone with the virus. Once a policy is in force, life insurance companies are not allowed to change customers' health classification or premium.

Can customers still buy life insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, Ethos is still offering policies through our online application throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. If a customer's application is approved, the applicant will be considered covered as soon as their first premium payment is made. It’s important applicants are honest on their applications about past and future travel plans as well as their current health status. COVID-19 is not a general knockout condition, although if a customer has had COVID-19 within the last 30 days, they will not be eligible for our LGA Term or Ameritas SI products.

Do applicants need a medical exam to get life insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Ethos customers do not need a medical exam as part of their application process. Therefore, our ability to provide the majority of applicants with coverage has not been impacted by any quarantine-related restrictions.

Will life insurance premiums increase due to coronavirus?
Life insurance rates are not being impacted by the coronavirus. We are not treating this any differently than we would any other illness or travel advisory.

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