List of Life Insurance Companies and Ratings

An insurer’s financial strength rating (FSR) measures total financial holdings against ongoing obligations — in other words, how much money the company has versus how much it could potentially have to pay out in claims.

An excellent FSR of “4” or above means that the company is guaranteed to be able to pay out on claims of any size. (This is particularly important if you’re looking for a policy with a sizeable death benefit.) A higher FSR also means that the insurer has a strong credit outlook and would be able to weather tough economic periods.

Our life insurance financial score incorporates ratings from three of the main financial ratings agencies: A.M. Best (which specializes in insurance companies), S&P Global, and Moody’s Investors Service.

To determine how satisfied customers are with their life insurance coverage — and the amount they’re paying for it — we looked to J.D. Power’s 2018 life insurance study. The survey polled more than 5,000 life insurance customers about their satisfaction with “policy offerings,” “statements and billing,” and “price.”

We considered all three factors in the “coverage and price” category, but remember: Life insurance is incredibly personal. Your coverage needs will be different from the next guy’s, and prices can vary widely from person to person.

If you’re interested in a company with a seemingly low rating in this category (“3.5” or below), it may still be worth checking out its coverage and getting a quote to see whether that insurer works well for your unique situation.

Because of the way life insurance is designed, you’ll interact with your provider rarely (if at all) after purchasing a policy. That said, situations where there are interactions between company and customer are relatively high-stakes. For instance: If a policyholder passes away, their insurer should ideally have responsive customer service and a smooth claims process so that an already-difficult situation doesn’t become even more strenuous for the family.

To gauge the quality of customer service at the top life insurance companies, we looked at two metrics: J.D. Power’s 2018 life insurance study, which measures customers’ overall satisfaction and their opinion of companies’ support channels, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which keeps track of the number of official complaints filed against any life insurance company.

This category simply shows which of the three main life insurance types a company offers (term life, whole life, and/or universal life). Most companies offer all three, but a few are more limited, so be sure to check that the companies you’re considering have what you need. Not sure which kind of life insurance is best for you? Start here with our guide to choosing the right life insurance policy.

Companies with a “★” in this column have been featured in one or more of our best life insurance reviews. Click any star to learn more about what makes that provider unique and see whether it might be a good fit for you.