--- title: Life Insurance for Police and firefighters | Coverfolk url: https://coverfolk.com/jobs/first-responders updated: 2026-10-08 --- # Life insurance for police and firefighters Police and firefighters run toward danger. BLS says patrol officers have some of the highest injury rates of any job. Firefighting can be dangerous at every scene. [Find my coverage gap](/jobs/first-responders/calculator) Updated October 8, 20267 sources[Fact checked](/editorial-standards) **824,200**About 824,200 police and detective jobs and 355,300 firefighter jobs (2025)[Source: BLS OOH: Police and Detectives](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm) **11.3**fatal injuries per 100,000 workers in 2023, vs 3.5 for all jobs[Source: BLS CFOI: Civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2023](https://www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/civilian-occupations-with-high-fatal-work-injury-rates.htm) **3.2x**the average risk at work, based on the BLS rates [### police and fire coverage calculator Your pay, your loans, your work plan. See the gap in 30 seconds. Open](/jobs/first-responders/calculator) [### If you die on the job What workers comp, work plans and Social Security pay, and what they don't. Open](/jobs/first-responders/on-the-job-death) ## Why it matters In 2023, police officers had a fatal injury rate of 11.3 per 100,000 full time workers. The rate for all workers was 3.5. There is a federal benefit for line of duty deaths. It does not cover every death, and work coverage usually ends when you leave or retire. Your own policy fills that gap. * The federal Public Safety Officers' Benefits program pays death and education benefits to survivors of officers, firefighters, and other first responders who die in the line of duty. The death benefit was $461,656 for deaths in fiscal year 2026 (Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026). * About 87 percent of firefighters work for local government. Coverage through a job usually ends when you leave it. ## What an insurer may ask you Have these ready. Being honest up front gets you a real price and avoids problems at claim time. * Your role, such as patrol, SWAT, or interior firefighting * Full time, part time, or volunteer * Health, age, and tobacco use * Driving record ## Common questions Does the federal PSOB benefit replace life insurance? No. PSOB covers line of duty deaths that qualify. Life insurance can pay for other causes of death too. How much does PSOB pay? For deaths in fiscal year 2026, the death benefit was $461,656. Will my job raise my life insurance price? It may. Insurers look at your job, age, health, and tobacco use. What happens to my department coverage when I retire? Coverage through a job typically ends when you leave. Ask your plan about your options before you go. ## Coverage people in this job pick [**Term life: The most coverage for the least money, for 10 to 30 years.**](/coverage/term-life)[**Mortgage protection: Life insurance sized to your home loan, so the house stays paid.**](/coverage/mortgage-protection)[**Final expense: Small whole life plans that pay for a funeral and last bills.**](/coverage/final-expense)[**Does my job change what I pay for life insurance?**](/answers/does-my-job-affect-life-insurance)[**Is the life insurance from my job enough?**](/answers/work-life-insurance-enough)[**How much life insurance do I need?**](/answers/how-much-life-insurance-do-i-need) ## Sources 1. [BLS OOH: Police and Detectives](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm) 2. [BLS OOH: Firefighters](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/firefighters.htm) 3. [BLS CFOI: Civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2023](https://www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/civilian-occupations-with-high-fatal-work-injury-rates.htm) 4. [BJA: Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program](https://bja.ojp.gov/program/psob) 5. [BJA: PSOB Benefits by Year](https://www.bja.ojp.gov/program/psob/resources/benefits-by-year) 6. [Texas Department of Insurance: Life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html) 7. [Texas Department of Insurance: Do you need life insurance?](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/tips/life-insurance.html) Other jobs ## We cover a lot of hard jobs [**7.7x** the average risk**Truck drivers**Long hauls, owner operators and company drivers.](/jobs/truck-drivers)[**5.3x** the average risk**Lineworkers**Power line crews who climb for a living.](/jobs/lineworkers)[**14.8x** the average risk**Roofers**One of the riskiest jobs in the country.](/jobs/roofers)[**4.4x** the average risk**Construction**Laborers, helpers and crew leads.](/jobs/construction-workers)[**2.2x** the average risk**Electricians**Union, open shop and self employed.](/jobs/electricians)