Ethos (company)

Ethos is an American life insurance provider, headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 2016, Ethos sells term and whole life from multiple insurance carriers. Ethos operates offices in San Francisco, Bengaluru and Singapore as a global entity. The company provides a process to purchase life insurance via an online platform with information on policy options and coverage amounts. Ethos provides same-day coverage by taking answers to health-related questions without the need for a medical exam.

Ethos itself is not a provider of life insurance, but instead operates as an “insuretech”, by integrating with third-party insurance carriers, provides access to underwriting, customer service, and policy issue.

Products and services
Ethos sells life insurance products and estate planning services online. Ethos acts as a third-party administrator for life insurance carriers.

The company offers approval for life insurance by accessing data such as motor vehicle and prescription drug records, rather than requiring a medical exam, blood test, agent meetings and longer processing times. Customers complete an online application and answer questions to retrieve quotes. The company offers three types of underwriting: simplified issue and fully underwritten, and guaranteed issue, used for whole life policies.

In addition to term and whole life insurance policies, Ethos provides will drafting and trust services that are available for purchase and can come complimentary with some life insurance policies. Ethos offers policies for people aged 20 to 85 nationwide, except for New York.

Technology
Ethos' application process uses predictive modeling and proprietary technology for customers to select policies from established insurance companies.

Funding
Ethos has raised about $400 million to date from investors including SoftBank, General Catalyst, Sequoia Capital, Accel, GV, Jay-Z's Roc Nation, Glade Brook Capital Partners, Will Smith, and Robert Downey Jr. Ethos is currently valued at $2.7 billon.

Partnerships
Ethos contracts with insurers like Legal & General America, AAA Life, TruStage, Family First Life, and Ameritas Life Insurance Company to provide policies to customers.

In January 2024, Ameritas and Ethos partnered to introduce an indexed universal life insurance policy, which features a digital application process and a tool to help clients match premium and coverage targets.

Acquisitions
In January 2022, Ethos acquired the legal firm Tomorrow to offer policyholders affordable access to wills and trusts.