Do you need a Social Security number to get life insurance?
Short answer
Usually you need a U.S. taxpayer ID, and for most people that's a Social Security number — many carriers ask for one on the application. Some carriers' foreign-national guidelines accept an IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead, but requirements vary by carrier, product and residency status. If you don't have an SSN, tell us up front and we'll check which carriers accept your ID before you apply.
Short version: it depends on the carrier, and we check before you apply — because an application filed with the wrong ID is an application that stalls. Here’s what’s behind the question, using only what we can verify.
Why the application asks for a number at all
Life insurance companies make payments the IRS wants reported. Interest added to a death benefit is taxable, and if you ever surrender a policy for more than you paid in, the insurer sends a Form 1099-R showing the taxable part (IRS Publication 525). IRS Form W-9 explains that anyone required to file an information return must get your correct taxpayer identification number — which may be a Social Security number or an ITIN. That’s at least one clear reason the field is on the application.
What an ITIN is — and isn’t
According to the IRS, an ITIN is a 9-digit tax processing number for people who need a U.S. taxpayer ID but aren’t eligible for an SSN, and you can apply for one regardless of immigration status (using Form W-7). The W-9 instructions say it directly: a resident alien who doesn’t have, and isn’t eligible to get, an SSN uses an ITIN as their taxpayer ID.
An ITIN does not:
- authorize work in the U.S.
- qualify you for Social Security benefits
- provide or change immigration status
- serve as identification outside the federal tax system
Will a carrier accept an ITIN?
Honestly: some will, some won’t. Foreign-national underwriting guidelines we’ve reviewed from some carriers list an SSN or an ITIN as acceptable, usually alongside other requirements — proof of identity, a U.S. address, U.S. bank funds, time in the country. Other carriers and products ask for an SSN, full stop. Because the answer changes by carrier and by product, we don’t guess. We confirm with the specific carrier before you fill anything out.
If you can get an SSN, it may widen your options
Social Security says all U.S. citizens can request a number, and some noncitizens can too — if they work or attend school in the U.S., or have a valid nonwork reason. Applying is free. If you’re eligible and don’t have one yet, getting it before you apply can open more carriers.
Never use someone else’s number
It’s tempting to borrow a relative’s SSN to “make the application work.” Don’t. In Michigan, knowingly putting false material information on an insurance application with intent to deceive is a fraudulent insurance act (MCL 500.4503), punishable as a felony by up to 4 years in prison, a fine of up to $50,000, or both (MCL 500.4511). It’s also the surest way to give an insurer grounds to deny the claim your family is counting on.
What to bring to the conversation
Tell us which ID you have (SSN, ITIN or neither yet), your residency or visa status, how long you’ve been in the U.S., and whether you have a U.S. bank account. With that, we can tell you which carriers fit before you apply. We’re a life insurance agency, not a tax or immigration practice. Start here or call 586-343-1505.
Sources: IRS — Individual Taxpayer Identification Number · IRS — Form W-9 and instructions · IRS Publication 525 · SSA — Request a Social Security number · Michigan Compiled Laws §500.4503 · Michigan Compiled Laws §500.4511
Updated October 11, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. United Eagles Financial is an independent life insurance agency, not an insurance carrier; coverage depends on carrier underwriting and state availability.