Best Life Insurance Companies In 2016

Northwestern Mutual

Unquestionably, Northwestern Mutual is our top rated life insurance company for 2016.
Northwestern has been around for over a century, providing some of the most competitive permanent life insurance products in the entire industry. Backed up by perfect ratings from all four major credit rating agencies, they’re one of just a handful of companies with a perfect Comdex score.
While consumers see higher prices for term life and limited availability of product (sold exclusively through company agents only), these two downfalls are masked by an institution with $220 billion in assets, a long standing history, a stout financial portfolio, and promising future.
You will have access to insurance products, like participating whole life insurance, to full-scale investments to suit every need in your household or business.

New York Life

Coming in a close second place on our list of top ten life insurance companies, New York Life is a near match to Northwestern Mutual.
Having been in business nearly 170 years, they are one of the longest standing life insurance companies in America. They, like Northwestern, have top of the charts scores from all four of the rating agencies who review financial institutions, putting them in elite company.
New York Life has a most excellent suite of exclusive products offered from their agents only, and expect to pay the price for the extra quality, brand, and benefits. They are also the underwriting institution behind the highly acclaimed AARP, one of the most recognized names for senior benefits.
Expect a superior product from this company who has offered dividends for over a century.
See our full New York Life Insurance Company review.

Massachusetts Mutual

Massachusetts Mutual, our third place contender for the year, is yet another life insurance company in our top three to be owned by its policyholders, and not by investors.
One of the larger companies we reviewed coming in over $500 billion in total assets, Mass Mutual has perfect ratings from all major rating agencies, with the exception of Moody’s, putting them among the strongest, financially stable life insurance companies in America.
Another reason Massachusetts Mutual is ranked so high this year is its focus not only only insurance, but financial planning. Many carriers have chosen to offer life insurance, but few have made such large strides as Mass in integrating insurance and investments together.
See our full Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company review.

MetLife

MetLife continues to be the largest provider of life insurance in the United States, but this was not enough to put them in the top 3 for the year 2016; simply being the largest life company is not enough.
The largest, most recognized name in life insurance, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company brand is the giant of the industry. Since the civil war, MetLife has been offering life insurance to fit any budget, any business, or any need. Among these needs, other insurance products from dental to disability are available all under one roof.
Although it’s harder to get accepted with MetLife than many other companies, they offer a great lineup of products, including term, universal and whole. The ratings received by all four credit agencies are fantastic, and MetLife has secured “A” ratings across the board.
Metropolitan Life also has an affinity to working with those with specials needs, so consider this if it fits your criteria.
See our full MetLife (Metropolitan Life Insurance Company) review.

Banner

The go-to company for term life insurance in 2016, Banner has become one of the most aggressive insurers on pricing for the entire term market. They are hands down the best life insurance company for low prices on a term policy.
Although not a monster sized brand like many of its competitors, Banner is a long standing life insurance carrier who not only offers competitive premiums, but underwrites several very impaired risk categories most other life insurers shun.
$600 billion dollars of life insurance are currently in force with Banner Life, and they are housed in a financial conglomerate with nothing but “A” ratings from the agencies who rate them.
In addition to their term products, they offer very competitive universal life insurance options to fit the needs of the permanent insurance crowd. However, they don’t offer any true whole life products; they stick to what they know best.
See our full Banner Life Insurance Company review.

Transamerica

Just outside the top 5 of our list, Transamerica is a century old life insurance company with a great group of product choices to meet any need.
Nearly famous for it’s prominence in the skyline of San Francisco alone, Bank of America’s purchase of Occidental and it’s re-branding to Transamerica has given the company new life since its inception more than 110 years ago. Today, they host “A” ratings from all four rating agencies.
Transamerica Life offers an excellent variety of life insurance, including term, universal, whole and accident. Outside of their insurance arm, there are additional resources for investments, if you so choose, where Transamerica and their subsidiaries are competitive.
Transamerica is also international.
See our full Transamerica Life Insurance Company review.

Prudential

Prudential is a household name, and their industry dominance and niche underwriting has gotten them into our top 10 best life insurance companies list this year.
Extremely successful in several smaller areas of life insurance, Prudential also has leveraged its brand to become a leader in the life insurance industry as a whole. This 140 year old financial institution is a premiere insurer, with ratings of “A” or better from all of the rating agencies. In competition with MetLife for most life insurance sold, Prudential did take home the highest in net premiums, topping $13 billion.
Although there is no whole life availability, Pru does have term, universal and indexed universal to fill their portfolio of products. Non-life insurance options include accident, critical illness, disability, and more.
Prudential has exceptional underwriting for smokers.
See our full Prudential Life Insurance Company review.

Fidelity

Most highly recognized for its investment side, few realize how well Fidelity has moved up within the life insurance industry.
Although it’s toward the bottom of our best life insurance companies list, it has a special place among the graded life insurance niche, earning its spot in the overall category for 2016. Fidelity is responsible for new advances in the marketplace, including it’s hybrid life insurance product line.
The company itself is aged and well known, and has more than $100 million of in force life insurance policies. There are also term products, whole life, and no exam policies available through Fidelity. As the company continues to embrace change, look for them to rise more towards the top in the coming years.
Fidelity has received an “A-” from A.M. Best, one of the top rating agencies.
See our full Fidelity Life Association review.

Principal

Another rising company for life insurance is Principal, coming in at number nine on our list of top 10 life insurance carriers we reviewed.
Although it is more highly rated than some of our other companies on the list, including four ratings of “A” or better, Principal does not quite have the footprint yet of a best in class carrier.
One of the prime reasons Principal Life Group made our list was not only their host of term, universal and variable universal life products, but their no exam life insurance underwriting which allows consumers to purchase up to $1,000,000 in coverage, regardless of which type of insurance they choose. This doubles the industry allowance on death benefit amounts.
Principal has more than just life insurance among its offerings, including financial investments through subsidiaries.
See our full Principal Life Insurance Company review.

Protective

Squeaking into our list of best life insurance companies at number ten is Protective, a company many haven’t heard of just yet. Despite this, they have a dominant foothold within more than one sector of the life insurance industry.
For more than a century now, Protective Life has lived up to its name in protecting households and businesses all across the United States. With more than 5 subsidiaries, an international presence, four separate “A” ratings, and a huge number of policyholders, Protective is getting noticed for the first time in a major way.
You will have your pick of term life insurance, universal, or variable universal, where Protective is extremely price competitive. Especially with its universal products, Protective is one of the few companies who offers permanent insurance for all tiers of fully underwritten life insurance.
If you are considering permanent coverage for estate planning, Protective may be among your considerations.
See our full Protective Life Insurance Company review.