If you are in good health, get the policy now on your own. Insurance for a healthy adult at preferred rates is much cheaper than an employer's group policy, though it gets more expensive every year you age, so lock in the low price while you can.

If you have a health issue that prevents you from getting anything but standard rates, consider a short term (10 yr) policy that will bridge until you get the employer coverage.

We didn't bother as my husband could afford child care if needed but it would just be a stretch for a few years. My parents would chip in financially if he needed it (though he'd probably not accept it). It didn't make sense. We did get a separate one from work as my husband changes jobs every few years and we worried about that few month lag in getting benefits started. We also wanted to make sure I could pay off the house as that is our biggest expense.

Anonymous wrote:I had no problem qualifying for life insurance as a SAHM. The independent insurance that my husband and I qualified for was WAY less expensive at a much higher coverage rate than his employer's insurance. We were buying in our early 30s, healthy, and with clean medical histories for both us and our parents. YMMV.

+1 Except I got the life insurance in my late 30ties while pregnant: 1 million. You can get quotes online and the insurance company will send the medical tech to you for the exam. Super easy to get term life insurance.

I had no problem qualifying for life insurance as a SAHM. The independent insurance that my husband and I qualified for was WAY less expensive at a much higher coverage rate than his employer's insurance. We were buying in our early 30s, healthy, and with clean medical histories for both us and our parents. YMMV.

I am a SAHM and I don't carry life insurance but DH makes enough that if something happened to me, he could easily hire a nanny. It is a bit of a hassle to get independent life insurance and your risk of dying is most likely small so I wouldn't do it unless your family would lose your house or be in dire financial straights if you weren't there.

When I stayed at home I did have my own life insurance policy. Now that I am back to work full-time I have a policy through my employer.

Totally up to you and your risk tolerance. I quit work to SAH and we bought our own policy.

If I'm going to SAH until DC starts school at age 3 or 4, should I get my own life insurance policy or just wait until I go back to work to get the employer's?