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Principal review

Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Principal suits people who pick up dental, life and critical illness cover through an employer benefits package rather than shopping cover alone. It is an insurer founded in 1879 in the US, and the dental annual maximum is typically Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year.

Key facts

Best for
Employer benefits members who want dental and income protection from an insurer in the US.
Insurance types
Dental, Life, Critical-illness, Income-protection↗
Provider type
Insurer↗
Cover limit
Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year↗
Claims channels
Dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), Member submits their own claim, Online account or mobile app to view claims↗
Age range
Member, spouse and dependents to age 26↗
Legal entity
Principal Life Insurance Company↗
Headquarters
United States↗
Founded
1879↗
Support channels
Phone, Email, Help-centre↗
Official website
principal.com

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXLinkedInyoutube.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Cover spans dental, life and critical illness under Principal Life Insurance Company.
  • Supervised by NAIC and US state insurance regulators in the US.
  • Reachable on phone, email and help centre for policy and claim queries.

Cons

  • Support runs on phone, email and help centre only, so questions stay remote.
  • Dental cover applies to Member, spouse and dependents to age 26, so older dependents fall outside.
  • The dental annual maximum is typically Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year, capping restorative work.
Principal

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Scored 9.4 / 10 by SumCue.

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Who it suits

  • People whose dental cover comes through an employer benefits package.
  • Members who want dental, life and critical illness in a single workplace bundle.
  • Employers comparing cover that reaches Member, spouse and dependents to age 26.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Linxea, which lists life cover, suits standalone life buyers.
  • EuroAsia Insurance covers auto, home and travel, not workplace benefits.
  • Oney Préstamos ES covers health, life and gadget, sitting apart from benefits.

Who runs it

Principal Life Insurance Company is the entity behind the policies. The group is based in the US and has operated since 1879, which matters for workplace buyers weighing a long established carrier. It answers to NAIC and US state insurance regulators in the US, listed as 71161. Members reach staff on phone, email and help centre.

How Principal compares

Where Principal is available

Available
United States
Licence in United States
NAIC / US state insurance regulators (71161), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Is Principal an insurer or a broker?+

Principal is an insurer, so the policy is underwritten by the company named on the documents. Policies are issued by Principal Life Insurance Company, and the cover types listed are dental, life and critical illness. Cover sits on the employer benefits route rather than a direct quote.

How much does the dental policy pay each year?+

The dental annual maximum is typically Dental annual maximum typically $1,000 to $2,000 per year. That figure is the ceiling for the year, so heavy restorative work sits against it and members often spread checkups across the balance. The policy does not pay claims above the cap.

Who can be covered on the dental policy?+

Cover applies to Member, spouse and dependents to age 26. That means an adult member, their spouse and any dependents inside that band, which suits families with young children on the same policy. Members can also view claims once cover starts.

How are claims made?+

Claims run through dentist files the claim on the member's behalf (preferred), member submits their own claim and online account or mobile app to view claims, so the dentist usually files on the member's behalf as the preferred route. Members can also file their own claim and follow status in the online account or mobile app.

How do I get help from Principal?+

Support runs on phone, email and help centre, which means a phone line, email and a help centre rather than a branch counter. That suits members who are comfortable handling questions remotely, and claim detail appears in the online account or mobile app.

How long has Principal been around and where is it based?+

The group was founded in 1879 and is based in the US, operating as an insurer under Principal Life Insurance Company. That track record is the main draw for workplace buyers, who want cover written by a long standing carrier.

Which regulator supervises Principal?+

Principal Life Insurance Company is overseen by NAIC and US state insurance regulators in the US, and its listing with them is 71161. Oversight sits at state level in the US rather than with a single national body.

What do starting premiums look like across the insurers listed?+

Across the insurers listed, the median starting premium is €8.31 and the upper quartile begins at €29.72. Read those as market context when you price a Principal policy through your employer, then compare them with your own quote.

Sources

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Premium from, Monthly payments.

Principal

Principal

Employer benefits members who want dental and income protection from an insurer in the US.

9.4/10See alternatives