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Global Atlantic Financial Group
Financial strength rating
Online purchase
NAIC complaints
Policies offered
Global Atlantic Financial Group
Financial strength rating
Online purchase
NAIC complaints
Policies offered
Global Atlantic Financial Group has a few subsidiaries, each of which offers a different type of insurance. Accordia issues indexed universal life insurance, while Forethought issues whole life insurance policies for funeral expenses through funeral homes. The products are all marketed under the Global Atlantic brand.
» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes
Global Atlantic life insurance
Global Atlantic earned 2.5 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.
Global Atlantic life insurance policies
Global Atlantic specializes in indexed universal life insurance, a permanent life insurance policy that builds cash value over time. The cash value accumulates interest based on the movements of the stock market.
The insurer offers three policies: Lifetime Foundation Elite, Lifetime Builder Elite and Global Accumulator. They differ in terms of how they treat the cash value portion, as well as the policy’s payout, which is known as the death benefit. A Global Atlantic financial advisor can walk you through the nuances to decide which one suits your needs.
» MORE: Cash value life insurance
A variety of life insurance riders can be added to the policies, including a Wellness for Life rider, which gives a discount for visiting a doctor at least every other year and maintaining weight in a certain range. Other riders include:
Accelerated death benefit, which allows the insured to access part of their death benefits early if they are diagnosed with certain critical or chronic illnesses.
Child rider, which provides coverage for a child 15 days to 17 years old until they are 25 years old, when the rider can be converted to a permanent policy.
Accidental death benefit, which provides coverage if the insured dies from an accident.
Terminal illness accelerated death benefit, which gives the insured early access to their death benefits if they have a life expectancy of 12 months or less.
Return of premium, which pays out premiums plus interest when the death benefit is paid.
Waiver of monthly deductions, which waives monthly fees if the policyholder becomes completely disabled for six months or more before age 65.
Waiver of premium, which credits a policy the monthly premium amount if the insured is totally disabled for at least six months before age 65.
Note that Global Life’s pre-need life insurance is available only through funeral homes. These whole life insurance policies are sold when funeral plans are made. After death, the policy pays the benefit to the funeral home to carry out the expressed wishes.
Global Atlantic customer complaints
Global Atlantic Financial group had far more than the expected number of complaints to state regulators for a company of its size for life insurance, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
More about Global Atlantic life insurance
If you’re interested in life insurance, you have to speak with an agent to get a quote or buy a policy. Global Atlantic does have an online portal, where existing customers can make premium payments.
Global Atlantic also sells fixed and variable annuities.
Life insurance buying guide
Before you start comparing companies, choose the type of life insurance you want, such as term or whole life. Decide which life insurance riders, if any, you want the policy to include. Calculate how much life insurance you need and how long you want the coverage to last. Check that the insurers you’re considering offer the coverage you’re looking for.
When comparing rates, be sure the quotes are for the same amount of coverage over the same period of time. It’s also important to make sure the policy’s medical requirements match your needs. For example, if you want to skip the life insurance medical exam but don’t mind answering health questions, confirm that the application process for each policy you're comparing aligns with that.
Price may not be the biggest driver behind your decision to buy. Look at the number of consumer complaints each company receives, as high numbers can be a red flag about the quality of service.
For more guidance, see our life insurance buying guide.
Life insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s life insurance ratings are based on consumer experience, complaint index scores from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for individual life insurance, and weighted averages of financial strength ratings, which indicate a company’s ability to pay future claims. Within the consumer experience category, we consider ease of communication and website transparency, which looks at the depth of policy details available online. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare with one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
