John Hancock Life Insurance Review

John Hancock offers a broad mix of term and permanent life insurance with a wellness-based pricing program that can materially affect premiums. Through its optional Vitality PLUS add-on, eligible policyowners can earn premium savings of up to 25% based on annual engagement and Vitality status; features and availability vary by product, underwriting class and state, and Vitality PLUS is not available in New York (NY policies generally include Vitality GO benefits without premium savings). See details on John Hancock Vitality and its producer overview on John Hancock’s Sales Hub, and independent reviews from NerdWallet and Forbes Advisor.

Fit will depend on your priorities: John Hancock’s strength lies in its engagement-based pricing and broad permanent lineup (UL/IUL/VUL) with access to policy cash value for loans/withdrawals on permanent policies, plus digital quote-and-apply for many term scenarios. Tradeoffs include mixed-to-average customer satisfaction indicators in industry benchmarks, the need to monitor Vitality participation to maintain savings, and administrative processes that often require specific forms for policy changes. For current third‑party benchmarks, consult the latest J.D. Power U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study and the NAIC’s Consumer Insurance Search for the most recent Company Complaint Index by line of business and year (NAIC CIS).

Pros

• Premium savings potential up to 25% with John Hancock Vitality PLUS (savings depend on engagement/status, product, underwriting class and state; Vitality PLUS not available in New York; Vitality GO offers rewards but no premium savings; see also Sales Hub, NerdWallet, Forbes).
• Access to potential cash value via loans/withdrawals on permanent policies (UL/IUL/VUL), subject to policy terms and state approvals (Forbes, NerdWallet).
• Online quoting and application for many term scenarios, including an instant quote and apply experience for coverage amounts up to $5,000,000; industry-wide, digital and accelerated underwriting have expanded since 2020 (J.D. Power, MIB Life Index).

Cons

• Customer experience indicators tend to land around the industry average in third‑party benchmarks; check the most recent J.D. Power study for brand comparisons and the NAIC CIS portal for the latest complaint index by year/line.
• Vitality savings are not guaranteed and can change annually with your engagement/status; Vitality PLUS isn’t available in New York, where Vitality GO benefits do not include premium savings (John Hancock Vitality, Sales Hub).
• Administrative changes typically require the appropriate form, which can add paperwork; keep the forms portal handy.

The Life Insurance Factors We Analyzed

Customer Experience

John Hancock supports digital self‑service and broker-assisted sales, with online quotes and applications for many term cases. To gauge service quality, use both survey and regulatory sources: J.D. Power’s U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study (overall satisfaction on a 1,000‑point scale; rankings change each year) and the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search for the Company Complaint Index by line of business. In NAIC’s framework, 1.0 represents the expected level of confirmed complaints for an insurer’s market share; values below 1.0 indicate fewer-than-expected complaints and values above 1.0 indicate more-than-expected complaints. CIS typically displays the latest year and up to two prior years so you can review trend (NAIC CDS overview, NAIC Market Share Reports).

Additional context: The Better Business Bureau lists an A+ rating for John Hancock. Because survey scores and complaint indexes are updated annually, always reference the current-year J.D. Power study and the NAIC CIS page when comparing John Hancock to peers.

Coverage and Rider Information

John Hancock’s lineup spans term life, universal life (UL), indexed UL (IUL), variable UL (VUL), and a guaranteed-acceptance final expense (guaranteed‑issue whole life) option. Many policies can be paired with the Vitality program (Vitality GO or Vitality PLUS), which integrates wellness tracking and, with PLUS, can deliver engagement-based premium savings up to 25% where available (John Hancock Vitality, Sales Hub, Forbes, NerdWallet).

Term life: John Hancock offers multiple term durations commonly seen in the market (often 10, 15, 20 and 30 years depending on product and state) with an online instant quote and application flow for many scenarios up to $5,000,000. Specific eligibility and face-amount limits depend on age, underwriting class and state approval (Forbes, NerdWallet).

Permanent life: The UL/IUL/VUL portfolio provides lifetime coverage potential and access to policy cash value. UL emphasizes flexible premiums and death benefits; IUL links interest crediting to an index (subject to caps/participation rates); VUL offers investment subaccounts with market risk/return potential. Policy loans/withdrawals reduce cash value and death benefit and may have tax implications; product mechanics and costs vary by policy (Forbes, NerdWallet).

Final expense: John Hancock’s guaranteed‑acceptance whole life is designed for simplified end-of-life costs with modest fixed death benefits and no medical exam; eligibility ranges, benefit amounts and graded benefit periods vary by state and policy form. Acceptance is guaranteed within the eligible age range; verify current specifics with a licensed agent or John Hancock (Forbes, NerdWallet).

Common riders and options include an accelerated death benefit for terminal illness, chronic/critical illness or long‑term care benefits on select policies, waiver of premium/disability riders, and conversion provisions on term (where offered). Availability, definitions and charges vary by product and state—review current rider guides or speak with an agent for today’s lineup (Forbes, NerdWallet). For filing claims or general policy service, see John Hancock’s claims resources (three rider options link currently routes to claims).

Life insurance coverage features

John Hancock Overview: Financial Strength, Availability and History

John Hancock has insured Americans for more than a century and a half and is widely recognized among U.S. consumers (YouGov). Coverage is offered across the U.S. via independent brokers and direct channels, subject to state approvals. Financial strength is a key consideration when choosing a long‑duration policy: leading agencies publish Insurer Financial Strength Ratings (IFS/FSR) with stable scales and definitions through 2025—see S&P Global Ratings definitions, Moody’s rating symbols/definitions, and AM Best rating scales for how to interpret letter grades and outlooks. John Hancock also benefits from its relationship with global parent Manulife, which supports scale and capital resources.

• In business since: 1862
• S&P Global financial strength rating: A+
• Moody’s financial strength rating: A1
• AM Best financial strength rating: A+
• States served: Nationwide

The Competition

All information accurate as of 11/07/2025

The Bottom Line

John Hancock is a strong, nationally available life insurer known for integrating wellness with coverage. Vitality PLUS can deliver up to 25% premium savings for eligible policyowners who actively engage (not available in NY; terms vary), while Vitality GO offers rewards without premium reductions. The company provides online quotes and applications for many term policies up to $5,000,000 and a broad menu of permanent options with cash value features. For experience benchmarks, consult the current J.D. Power study and the NAIC CIS complaint index by year/line. Financial strength remains a positive, with upper‑tier ratings from major agencies; always verify the latest letter grade and outlook on agency sites.

If you want a policy that pairs digital application convenience with wellness‑linked value, John Hancock is worth a close look—particularly if you plan to engage with Vitality to maximize potential savings.

John Hancock FAQ

Is John Hancock a good life insurance company?

It’s a financially strong insurer with national availability and a distinctive wellness program. With Vitality PLUS, eligible customers can earn up to 25% premium savings based on engagement and annual status (varies by product/underwriting class/state; not available in NY). Independent reviewers also highlight the breadth of permanent policy options and the ability to apply online for many term scenarios (Forbes, NerdWallet). For service benchmarks, reference the latest J.D. Power study and NAIC CIS complaint index.

What types of life insurance does John Hancock offer?

Term life, universal life (UL), indexed UL (IUL), variable UL (VUL), and guaranteed‑acceptance final expense coverage. Many policies are eligible for Vitality GO or Vitality PLUS (PLUS offers the potential for premium savings where approved). Specific features, riders and limits vary by product and state (John Hancock Vitality, Sales Hub, Forbes, NerdWallet).

How can you cancel John Hancock life insurance?

To cancel your John Hancock life insurance policy, you must complete a Policy Surrender Form and mail the form directly to John Hancock. The typical cancellation time is 7–10 business days for traditional policies and seven calendar days for variable policies.

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