Globe Life is one of the best-known direct-response life insurance brands in the country, largely because of decades of mail and television advertising aimed at people who want coverage without a medical exam. The policies are real, the claims get paid, and the application process is genuinely simple. What they are not, in most cases, is an asset the life settlement market can do anything with.
This page gives you the reasoning rather than a sales pitch. It covers the corporate history behind the Globe Life name, why direct-response term is structured the way it is, why face amount is usually the disqualifying factor, and what is genuinely worth doing instead. Pine Lake Life Solutions is an independent education resource. Pine Lake does not purchase policies, is not affiliated with or endorsed by Globe Life, and offers no legal, tax or investment advice.
In This Article
- Torchmark, Globe Life, and Who Holds Your Policy
- What Globe Life Term Coverage Actually Is
- Straight Talk: Small Term Policies Do Not Clear Settlement Minimums
- Conversion: What to Look For Before You Assume Anything
- Alternatives That Are Actually Available to You
- Financial Strength and Confirming Details Yourself
- Frequently Asked Questions
Torchmark, Globe Life, and Who Holds Your Policy
The Globe Life name today covers a group of companies with a long and somewhat tangled history. According to Globe Life’s own corporate history, the roots go back to 1900, when Liberty National Life Insurance Company was incorporated in Huntsville, Alabama on August 31 of that year. The parent holding company operated under the name Torchmark Corporation beginning in 1983, and Globe Life’s own timeline dates the renaming of Torchmark Corporation to Globe Life Inc. to 2018. If you have older paperwork that says Torchmark, that is the same corporate family.
The underwriting companies operating under the Globe Life umbrella include Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company, American Income Life Insurance Company, Liberty National Life Insurance Company, United American Insurance Company, Family Heritage Life Insurance Company of America, Globe Life Insurance Company of New York, and National Income Life Insurance Company. That matters because each has its own service line and address, and the name on your policy may not be the one on the television ad.
Globe Life’s published customer service numbers include 800-831-1200 and a main Globe Life line at (844) 726-4372, with the Globe Life home office at 7677 Henneman Way, McKinney, Texas 75070. Globe Life Insurance Company of New York operates from Syracuse, New York at (315) 451-2544. Verify against the number printed on your own policy.
What Globe Life Term Coverage Actually Is
Globe Life’s direct-response life products are built around speed and simplicity. The marketing emphasizes “No Medical Exam, Simple Application,” “No Waiting Period, Full Coverage First Day,” and a fast approval process. Adult term coverage is marketed prominently at the $100,000 level, with the company noting that insurance face value may be limited by state. Applications sort applicants into age bands of 18 to 34, 35 to 49, 50 to 63, 64 to 74, and 75 to 79.
Two structural features follow from that design. First, coverage amounts are modest by design; this is a mass-market product priced for accessibility rather than a large estate-planning contract. Second, term coverage carries no cash value, no surrender value and nothing to borrow against. When the term ends, the coverage ends.
Globe Life reports substantial claim payments across its companies. Its published 2025 figure is $1,885,181,575 in total claims paid, comprising roughly $1.06 billion in life claims and $822.5 million in health claims. The company pays what it owes. The question on this page is a different one: whether the contract is an asset that can change hands.
Straight Talk: Small Term Policies Do Not Clear Settlement Minimums
Here is the honest arithmetic. A life settlement buyer acquires a policy, pays premiums for an uncertain number of years, and collects a death benefit at the end. The buyer’s costs include underwriting the medical file, legal and escrow work, tracking, and ongoing premium payments. Those fixed costs do not shrink just because the policy is small.
The result is that buyers in the secondary market generally concentrate on individually owned permanent policies with face amounts in the six figures and above, and on insureds whose age or health makes the expected holding period reasonably short. A term policy sized at or below $100,000 that expires on a fixed date fails on two counts at once: it is too small to cover transaction costs, and it may not last long enough to produce a death benefit at all.
Some direct-response term policies also convert to a whole life form or renew at increasing premiums at older ages. Read your contract rather than assuming. But even a convertible small policy usually converts into a small permanent policy, and the size problem does not go away.
If a company tells you a modest term policy is likely to sell for a meaningful sum before reading your contract and your medical picture, treat that as a reason to be skeptical.
| Characteristic | Policies buyers typically consider | Direct-response term |
|---|---|---|
| Face amount | Six figures and above | Often $100,000 or less |
| Policy type | Permanent, individually owned | Level term |
| Cash value | Usually present | None |
| Coverage duration | To age 100 or later | Fixed end date |
| Underwriting file | Full medical records available | Little or no exam history |
Conversion: What to Look For Before You Assume Anything
Even though a sale is unlikely, the conversion question is still worth answering, because conversion protects insurability rather than producing cash. If your health has declined since the policy was issued, the right to obtain permanent coverage without new medical questions has genuine value to you and your family regardless of what any market thinks.
Look on the schedule page for issue date, issue age, face amount and the end of the level premium period. Then look for a titled provision on conversion. If it exists, it will state an age limit and a duration limit, and the earlier of the two ends the right. Ask the issuing company in writing whether the conversion privilege is open on your contract and what specific permanent product it converts into.
While you are in the file, check the rider pages. Accelerated death benefit provisions for terminal illness are common and are frequently included without additional premium. Many people carry one for years without knowing it.
Alternatives That Are Actually Available to You
If a sale is off the table, these steps still produce value:
- Nail down the expiry date. Direct-response policies are often bought over the phone years ago and the details get fuzzy. Knowing exactly when coverage ends lets you plan.
- Find out what the renewal premium becomes. Some term contracts continue past the level period at rising rates. That may be worth paying for a year or two, or may be the signal to shop.
- Use benefits you already have. Check for accelerated death benefit riders and, if applicable, waiver of premium.
- Compare on your current health. No-exam pricing is convenient but is generally more expensive per dollar of coverage than fully underwritten insurance. If you are healthy enough to be underwritten, a comparison quote is worth twenty minutes.
- Do not drop coverage you still need. A policy that cannot be sold still pays a claim, which is what it was bought for.
- Review the whole household’s policies together. The decision that actually matters is often attached to a larger permanent policy elsewhere.
Financial Strength and Confirming Details Yourself
Globe Life states on its own site that AM Best awarded it an A (Excellent) rating as of November 2025, and that the company has maintained a rating of A or higher for over 50 years. Ratings are point-in-time opinions and can be revised, so confirm the current rating with AM Best or with Globe Life directly if it is material to a decision you are making.
When you call, have the policy number and the issuing company name ready, since the Globe Life family includes several distinct insurers with separate service operations. Ask for written confirmation of the face amount, the coverage end date, whether a conversion privilege exists, and what riders are attached.
If you want help reading what comes back, Pine Lake offers a free, no-obligation policy review. That is the only thing offered on this page. Pine Lake does not purchase policies, cannot guarantee eligibility or value, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Globe Life or any of its subsidiaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell my Globe Life term life policy?
In most cases no. Term insurance has no cash value and ends on a fixed date, and direct-response term is typically written at modest face amounts, often around $100,000 or less. Buyers in the secondary market have fixed transaction costs that small, expiring policies do not cover. Read your own contract to confirm your situation.
Was Globe Life formerly called Torchmark?
Yes, in the sense that the parent holding company carried the Torchmark Corporation name beginning in 1983. Globe Life’s own corporate history dates the renaming of Torchmark Corporation to Globe Life Inc. to 2018. The corporate roots trace to Liberty National Life Insurance Company, incorporated in Huntsville, Alabama on August 31, 1900.
Which company actually issued my Globe Life policy?
The Globe Life family includes Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company, American Income Life, Liberty National Life, United American, Family Heritage Life Insurance Company of America, Globe Life Insurance Company of New York, and National Income Life. Each has its own service line and address, so check the issuer name on your policy before calling.
Is Globe Life financially sound?
Globe Life states on its own site that AM Best awarded it an A (Excellent) rating as of November 2025 and that it has held a rating of A or higher for over 50 years. It reports $1,885,181,575 in total claims paid in 2025. Ratings can change, so verify the current rating if it matters to your decision.
What should I do if my policy cannot be sold?
Confirm the exact coverage end date and the renewal premium if any, check the rider pages for accelerated death benefit provisions you may already have, and compare a fully underwritten policy if your health allows. Do not drop coverage you still need simply because it has no resale value; it still pays a claim.
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- Do Seniors Need Life Insurance
Pine Lake Life Solutions does not purchase life insurance policies and does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Information provided is for educational purposes only. Eligibility for any option, including life settlements, is not guaranteed and depends on individual circumstances, policy terms, underwriting, and market conditions. Consult independent legal, tax, or financial professionals before making decisions regarding a life insurance policy.