Male
$36 /month
Female
$30 /month
MassMutual's strong lineup of policies and low volume of customer complaints help make it one of NerdWallet's highest-rated life insurance companies.
Rating Breakdown
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
No
NAIC complaints
Far fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & permanent
A good fit for people looking for whole life insurance.
Choose one of the insurers from our best no-exam life insurance list if you’re looking to get a policy without taking a medical exam.
About MassMutual life insurance
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. is one of the largest U.S. life insurers with a broad range of term and permanent life insurance, but most policies require a medical exam.
MassMutual earned 4.8 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.
Based on this star rating, MassMutual is one of our best life insurance companies for 2026. It also made our 2026 lists in the following categories:
Where MassMutual stands out
MassMutual’s exceptional financial strength and low volume of complaints coupled with its broad range of life insurance policies makes it one of the best life insurers in the country. Its whole life insurance is a standout with generous face amounts and high rates of cash value growth. MassMutual is also a mutual company owned by its policyholders. It’s set to pay out $2.9 billion to eligible policyholders in 2026, the largest dividend payout in the company’s history.
Did you know…
A life insurance dividend is a payment insurers make to permanent policyholders when there is leftover profit from the business year. Dividends can be paid out as a check or used to buy more coverage, lower premium payments, accrue interest or cash value, and even pay down a policy loan.
Where MassMutual falls short
While MassMutual has a wide range of life insurance and riders available to customize your policy, you’ll probably need to take a medical exam to qualify. Unlike many other insurers, MassMutual doesn’t support online quotes for most types of life insurance. Instead, you’ll have to fill out a form and have a financial professional contact you.
More Nerdy Perspective
MassMutual is a solid life insurance company that’s easy to deal with. Honing in on whole life insurance, MassMutual is unique for its guaranteed cash value interest growth rate of 2% to 3.75%. To compare, most insurers cap returns at 1% to 3.5%.
MassMutual life insurance policies
Term life insurance. People ages 18 to 75 can apply for a term life insurance policy lasting 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years, with coverage starting at $100,000. Premiums are typically locked in for the life of the policy, and you may convert to permanent coverage at a later date.
Whole life insurance. MassMutual has a variety of whole life insurance policies to choose from, all of which offer essentially lifelong coverage and build cash value over time. You can apply from age 0 to 60 or 90 depending on the policy you choose, and most death benefits start at $25,000. There’s no maximum coverage amount, but if you want a lot, you’ll have to justify your need for a large policy.
Universal life insurance. Available to people ages 18 to 85, this universal life insurance policy typically lasts your entire life. Coverage starts at $50,000. It also offers flexible premiums, which may be appealing to people whose income fluctuates. MassMutual’s universal life insurance policies also come with a no-lapse guarantee and an accelerated death benefit for chronic illness.
Variable universal life insurance. Along with offering permanent coverage and flexible premiums, variable universal life insurance allows you to be more hands-on with the cash value portion of your policy. You can work with a MassMutual representative to choose the investments that align with your goals and risk tolerance.
MassMutual life insurance riders
The life insurance riders available to you will depend on the policy you choose, but may include:
Accelerated death benefit. Gives you early access to part of your death benefit if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness.
Waiver of premium. Pauses premiums if you become too disabled to work.
Paid-up additions. Allows you to pay higher premiums to increase your death benefit and grow your cash value faster.
Long-term care access. Lets you tap into part of your death benefit to help with health expenses.
Guaranteed insurability. Enables you to buy extra coverage without taking an exam or answering health questions.
Renewable term. Lets you add term coverage to a whole life policy, with the option to renew each year.
Life insurance supplement. Gives you a combination of whole and term coverage, paid for by rider premiums and policy dividends.
Yearly term purchase. Uses dividends from certain permanent policies to buy one-year term coverage.
» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes
MassMutual sample life insurance rates
Below are monthly rates for a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy from MassMutual. These are sample rates for a nonsmoking man and woman in excellent health — the final quote you’re offered will depend on factors like your age, health, lifestyle, occupation and driving record. These rates are applicable in all states except New York.
Age | Monthly rate - man | Monthly rate - woman |
|---|---|---|
20 | $25.24 | $20.02 |
30 | $25.24 | $20.45 |
40 | $36.11 | $29.59 |
50 | $85.27 | $64.82 |
60 | $238.39 | $163.13 |
Source: Direct from insurer. Rates reflect the super preferred class and are valid as of 10/28/25. | ||
MassMutual customer complaints and satisfaction
A strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Over three years, MassMutual has drawn far fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators for a company of its size, according to a NerdWallet analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
MassMutual ranked No. 6 out of 22 companies for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.
- What Reddit users say about MassMutual
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like life insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
The comments about MassMutual are generally positive, with users saying they like the company’s customer service and policy lineup. Some Redditors say MassMutual’s life insurance policies aren’t cheap, but are worth the higher price tag. Others report that their MassMutual agent promoted whole life insurance as an investment, which they felt was questionable advice. Overall, we saw more user questions about the best type of life insurance to buy in different situations, and whether it’s a good idea to treat a policy as an asset.
How MassMutual compares to other insurers
MassMutual | Guardian | Northwestern Mutual | |
|---|---|---|---|
Star rating | |||
Financial strength | Exceptional. | Exceptional. | Exceptional. |
NAIC complaints | Far fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. | Far fewer than expected. |
J.D. Power ranking | #6 out of 22. | #4 out of 22. | #5 out of 22. |
Policy types offered | Term & permanent. | Term & permanent. | Term & permanent. |
Online experience | Can get a quote for some policies online. | Can get a quote, change beneficiaries and file a claim online. | Can change beneficiaries and file a claim online. |
Transparency on website | Average. | Average. | Average. |
Best for | Overall life insurance. Whole life insurance. Seniors. Mutual life insurance. Universal life insurance. 40- and 50-year olds. | Overall life insurance. Term life insurance. Whole life insurance. Seniors. Mutual life insurance. Veterans. Universal life insurance. 40- and 50-year olds. Cheapest life insurance. | Overall life insurance. Term life insurance. Whole life insurance. Seniors. Mutual life insurance. Veterans. Universal life insurance. AD&D insurance. |
Read full reviews |
More about MassMutual
Along with a suite of retirement and investment products and services, MassMutual offers these types of insurance:
Employee benefits, including group life insurance, critical illness insurance and accident insurance.
How to contact MassMutual
MassMutual can be reached by:
Phone: Call 800-272-2216 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
Email: Fill out the form on MassMutual’s contact page.
Live chat: Not available.
Frequently asked questions
Is MassMutual's cash value insurance worth it?
Is MassMutual's cash value insurance worth it?
It depends. Cash value life insurance typically lasts your entire life, so it can be a good option for those with lifelong financial dependents, such as a child with a disability. It can also suit high net worth individuals who have maxed out tax-advantaged retirement accounts, like 401(k)s, and are looking for a way to boost tax-deferred savings. But cash value policies usually have price tags five to 20 times more expensive than term life insurance. Permanent life insurance is a lifelong commitment, so weigh the costs before signing up for a policy.
How does MassMutual calculate its dividend payout?
How does MassMutual calculate its dividend payout?
Mutual life insurance companies like MassMutual often pay annual dividends to their permanent policyholders. Typically, the company’s board of directors decides whether to pay out dividends — they’re not guaranteed — and how much money to award.
The payout is calculated based on the company’s cash reserves, operating expenses, investment returns and profits from the previous financial year. These finer details typically aren’t disclosed to policyholders. They’ll either receive a dividend or they won’t.
Do I have to speak to an agent to get a life insurance quote from MassMutual?
Do I have to speak to an agent to get a life insurance quote from MassMutual?
In most cases, you will need to speak to a MassMutual agent to get a quote for life insurance. The website has a contact form you can fill out if you want to learn more about MassMutual’s life insurance policies. There is some pricing information available on the website, including average rates for term life insurance.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.MassMutual. MassMutual to Pay Record $2.9 Billion in Policyowner Dividends in 2026. Accessed Dec 17, 2025.
- 2.J.D. Power. 2025 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study. Accessed Dec 17, 2025.
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 445 life insurers reviewed
📝 210 policies assessed
🔢 1,515 data points analyzed
📊 Star rating categories
When NerdWallet evaluates life insurance companies, our editorial team considers the insurer's strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things that matter most to customers buying a long-term financial product. We then weigh these factors carefully:
💰 Financial strength (35%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s financial stability and ability to pay claims far into the future. The top life insurance companies have an exceptional financial strength rating of A+ or A++ (Superior).
🗣️ Consumer complaints (35%). Our top-rated life insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators over a three-year period, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
☎️ Consumer experience (20%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores. The same goes for insurers who support online quotes, beneficiary changes and claims.
👀 Transparency (10%). Our methodology gives higher scores to transparent insurers who clearly display information about their policy options, coverage amounts and term lengths (if applicable) on their site.
⭐ What our star ratings mean
Companies with 5 stars are exceptional, with strong financials, diverse policy lineups and great reputations for customer service.
Companies with 4.5 stars are excellent, with solid financials and policy offerings, and good customer service track records.
Companies with 4.0 stars are good, and potentially great for people looking for niche coverage options.
Companies with 3.5 stars or fewer could do better in certain categories, like financial strength and customer complaints.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings or our reviews. Read more about our life insurance ratings methodology and editorial guidelines.
