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Ladder Financial Inc. (commonly known as Ladder) is an American company based in Palo Alto, California, that through its subsidiary, Ladder Insurance Services, LLC, provides fully-underwritten, direct-to-consumer term life insurance online. The company offers consumers a streamlined process for applying for and buying term life insurance, without fees or commissioned agents. Ladder provides instant decisions and instant coverage for those who qualify. Coverage is available from $100,000 to $8,000,000. Terms available are 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years.

History and background
Ladder was founded in 2015 by Jamie Hale, Laura Hale, Jeff Merkel and Jack Dubie. The four co-founders, with backgrounds in finance, product management, business development and engineering, wanted to improve upon the centuries-old process for getting life insurance. With a $16 trillion dollar life insurance gap in the United States , their vision was to give modern consumers a quicker, better way to buy term life insurance.

LadderLife™ policies are issued by Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company and reinsured by Hannover Life Reassurance Company of America, a division of Hannover Re.

Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company holds an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent). Hannover Life Reassurance Company of America holds ratings from Standard & Poor’s (AA-, Very Strong) and A.M. Best (A+, Superior).

In October 2016, Ladder raised $14,000,000 in Series A funding from four venture capital investors: Canaan Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, NYCA Partners and 8 Partners.

In January 2017, Ladder officially launched in California, offering a fully digital product to Californians looking to secure term life insurance .

In April 2017, Ladder announced that in its first 100 days it had helped facilitate $100,000,000 in coverage and launched dynamic life insurance, enabling customers to ladder down, or decrease their coverage amount online, as their needs change. with no fees, penalties or agent involvement. Customers also have the ability to apply for more coverage.

In Summer 2017, 200 days after launch, Ladder announced it had issued $300,000,000 in coverage and continued to receive coverage for disrupting the life insurance industry.

In November 2017, Ladder announced it would be rolling out nationwide . As of January 2018, Ladder is available in 47 states and the District of Columbia

In January 2018, on the one year anniversary of its launch, Ladder announced its second round of funding, securing $30,000,000 in Series B funding led by RRE Ventures, with Thomvest Ventures and participation from existing investors Canaan Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and NYCA Partners.

In March 2018, Ladder was honored as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2018, in the Finance Category .

Investors and board members
Ladder’s venture capital investors include Canaan Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, NYCA Partners, RRE Ventures, and Thomvest Ventures.

Ladder’s board members include Jamie Hale, CEO of Ladder; Brendan Dickinson, partner at Canaan Partners; Stuart Ellman, co-founder and managing partner at RRE Ventures; Will Kohler, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners; and Steve Mannik, former President and CEO of GenRe Life Corp, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.