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Protective Life Insurance Review

Protective Life offers basic life insurance policies to people of all ages ​
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Flexible universal life insurance option
Affordable term life insurance
Coverage is available nationwide

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Northwestern Mutual

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Reviews Report

  • Reviews.com rates Protective Life insurance a 4.2 out of 5; Protective’s operating companies carry an A+ (Superior) Financial Strength Rating from AM Best with a Stable outlook.
  • Current portfolio emphasizes Classic Choice Term and multiple universal life options (Custom Choice UL, Advantage Choice UL, Lifetime Assurance UL), plus Indexed Choice UL and Strategic Objectives II VUL — see Protective’s product pages for details and availability.
  • Term shoppers can obtain online quotes on Protective’s site; level periods commonly range 10–40 years with a conversion window to eligible permanent policies, and riders such as accelerated death benefit, children’s term, waiver, and accidental death are available on many forms (term life).

Protective Life Insurance is a value-focused option when comparing life insurance company choices. Financial strength remains upper tier (AM Best A+; Stable outlook), and the company supports digital servicing with a centralized Support hub for account access, payments, forms, and online life-claims initiation (Support; life claims).

In this Protective review we considered product breadth, pricing posture, digital resources, financial strength, and policyholder experience. For satisfaction benchmarks, see the 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study (1,000-point scale). To add broader consumer context, the American Customer Satisfaction Index reports a 0–100 score for life/annuity/retirement providers, and the NAIC’s Company Complaint Index shows complaint frequency relative to market share (index=1.00 is average; lower is better).

Protective Life Insurance Overview

Reviews.com Score:
4.2
In business since:
1907
AM Best: AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
A+
J.D. Power: J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality.
2024 study: not top-ranked

Protective’s financial strength remains a highlight: AM Best affirms an A+ (Superior) FSR with a Stable outlook for Protective Life Insurance Company and core subsidiaries — see AM Best or Protective’s Financial Strength Ratings. In J.D. Power’s 2024 study, Protective was not among the top-ranked carriers for overall satisfaction. For complaints, review Protective’s latest life-line Complaint Index via the NAIC Consumer Information Source (index=1.00 is average; lower indicates fewer complaints than expected for size).

Coverage options span level term and multiple permanent designs. Protective’s term‑like Custom Choice UL provides flexibility to continue coverage beyond the initial level period (often with a gradually reduced death benefit), and you can tailor many policies with riders such as accelerated death benefits (terminal illness and, on select permanent policies, chronic illness), waiver of premium/monthly deductions, children’s term insurance, accidental death benefit, an income‑structured payout rider, and overloan protection (Custom Choice UL; Income Provider Option).

PROS

  • Many different riders for customization Protective offers a broad rider set across term and permanent products (e.g., accelerated death benefit for terminal illness; chronic illness on select permanent policies; waiver of premium/monthly deductions; children’s term; accidental death; Income Provider option; overloan protection).
  • Flexible universal life designs Custom Choice UL mimics level term premiums for a chosen period and can continue coverage with an adjusted death benefit; Advantage Choice UL and Lifetime Assurance UL target lifetime protection with flexible or guaranteed structures.
  • Digital support and online quotes Protective provides online term quotes and a Support hub for payments, forms, and initiating life claims online (self‑service varies by product/state).
  • Strong financial strength AM Best assigns an A+ (Superior) Financial Strength Rating with a Stable outlook to Protective’s core life companies, indicating a superior ability to meet obligations.

CONS

  • Not top-ranked in latest J.D. Power study In J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study, Protective was not among the highest overall satisfaction brands.
  • No participating whole life focus Protective’s consumer lineup centers on UL/IUL/VUL rather than new participating whole life policies; those seeking dividends may prefer mutual carriers.
  • Purchases often completed with an agent You can quote term online, but applications and underwriting steps vary; many policies are finalized through an agent depending on product/state.

Protective Life Insurance Highlights

Coverage & Riders
Customer Experience
Before You Buy

Protective’s lineup balances value and flexibility. Classic Choice Term (level periods commonly 10–40 years) includes a conversion window to eligible permanent policies (term life). Permanent options include Custom Choice UL (term‑like UL that can continue with an adjusted death benefit), Advantage Choice UL (current‑assumption UL), Lifetime Assurance UL (guaranteed UL), Indexed Choice UL (IUL), and Strategic Objectives II VUL.

Policyholders can customize coverage with riders (availability varies by product/state):

  • Accidental death benefit
  • Accelerated death benefit (terminal illness; chronic illness on select permanent policies)
  • Waiver of premium/monthly deductions
  • Overloan protection (permanent policies)
  • Income Provider Option for structured beneficiary payouts (details)
  • Term rider (additional temporary coverage on permanent policies)
  • Children’s term insurance

Protective was not among the top-ranked carriers in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study. For complaints, consult the NAIC Company Complaint Index for the life line of business (index baseline = 1.00; lower is better). For a complementary view of satisfaction, the ACSI Finance & Insurance report provides a 0–100 score for life/annuity/retirement providers.

Depending on product, state, and your profile, you may qualify for accelerated underwriting with no medical exam. You can obtain online quotes for term life and manage common servicing needs through Protective’s Support hub, including payments and life-claim initiation.

Protective Life Insurance Policies

Protective Life Insurance vs. The Competition 

ProviderReviews.com ScoreJ.D. Power Customer Satisfaction*AM BestAvailable Policies
Protective Life4.2Not top-ranked (2024)A+Term
Custom Choice UL
Advantage Choice UL
Indexed universal
Variable universal
Globe4.6Not top-ranked (2024)ATerm
Whole
Final expense
Northwestern Mutual4.4Above industry average (2024)A++Term
Whole (participating)
Universal
Liberty Mutual3.5Not applicableALife insurance offered through partner providers
No proprietary life policies

Data current as of November 2025

*J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study. Based on a 1,000-point scale.

Protective Life vs. Globe

Globe focuses on simplified-issue, direct-to-consumer policies with smaller face amounts and fewer customization options, while Protective offers broader permanent policy types and riders. J.D. Power’s 2024 study highlights that relationship-based, full-service carriers tend to score higher on overall satisfaction than direct-only brands; Protective was not top-ranked, and Globe is not among the top performers either. For financial strength, Protective lists A+ (AM Best) versus Globe’s key subsidiaries at A (Excellent) on their respective ratings pages (Protective; Globe Life).

Protective Life vs. Northwestern Mutual

Both offer a wide range of protection options, but Northwestern Mutual emphasizes advisor-led planning and participating whole life with industry-leading financial strength (A.M. Best A++; Moody’s Aaa; Fitch AAA; S&P AA+) per its ratings page. Protective’s strengths are competitively priced term and multiple UL/IUL/VUL choices supported by strong but slightly lower ratings (AM Best A+; S&P AA-; Moody’s A1; Fitch A+). In J.D. Power’s 2024 study, Northwestern Mutual performs above the industry average, while Protective is not among the top-ranked carriers.

Protective Life vs. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual is primarily a P&C insurer and no longer issues new proprietary life insurance policies; its site refers life insurance shoppers to partner providers (Liberty Mutual life insurance). Protective, by contrast, continues to sell term and a broad suite of permanent policies with conversion options and multiple rider choices.

Protective Life Insurance FAQ

Methodology

We evaluated Protective Life insurance based on riders, coverage, digital resources, financial strength, and customer satisfaction to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best life insurance reviews. To compare life insurance companies with other providers across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

  • Number of Riders: Carriers with broader rider menus (e.g., accelerated death benefits, waiver, children’s term, accidental death, income-structured payouts, overloan protection) receive higher credit in our methodology.
  • Financial Stability: Reviews.com uses insurer financial strength ratings from AM Best as a core indicator of claims-paying ability.
  • Customer Satisfaction: We reference J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study (1,000-point scale) for relative policyholder satisfaction ranking.
  • Coverage: Companies score higher when term policies are convertible to eligible permanent options and when multiple permanent policy types (UL/IUL/VUL) are available to fit different needs.
  • Resources: We assess website functionality and self-service, including the ability to obtain online quotes, make online payments, initiate claims online, and access clear product education and forms.

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