Male
$40 /month
Female
$38 /month
Northwestern Mutual offers term and permanent life policies, and has one of the lowest complaint ratios out of all the life insurers we review.
Rating Breakdown
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
No
NAIC complaints
Far fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & permanent
A good fit if you want term, whole or universal life insurance and don’t need to customize coverage.
About Northwestern Mutual
As the largest life insurer in the U.S., Northwestern Mutual stands out for exceptional customer satisfaction ratings and offers term, whole and universal life insurance. But it only has a handful of riders or policy add-ons available.
Northwestern Mutual earned 4.9 stars out of 5 for overall performance, scoring well for financial strength and consumer complaints. 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 these ratings, Northwestern Mutual is one of our best life insurance companies. The company also earned spots on our 2026 lists in the following categories.
Where Northwestern Mutual stands out
Northwestern Mutual has excellent financial strength and customer satisfaction ratings. It offers all major types of coverage: term, whole, universal and variable universal life, catering to a range of insurance needs.
As the name suggests, Northwestern Mutual is also a mutual company, meaning some policyholders may be eligible to receive dividends. The company has paid out dividends every year for the last 155 years.
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 Northwestern Mutual falls short
The only way to apply for coverage is through an agent, and the company doesn’t offer online quotes without you providing your contact information. Plus, the website is sparse when it comes to detailed information about each policy, such as coverage amounts and age ranges.
More Nerdy Perspective
When we assess life insurance companies, we look at the number of complaints filed to state regulators over a three-year period. Northwestern Mutual has one of the lowest complaint ratios of all 50+ insurers we review — a stat they’ve held on to for several years in a row. This means if you’re applying for a policy with Northwestern Mutual, you can expect to receive good customer service.
Northwestern Mutual life insurance policies
Term life insurance. Northwestern Mutual sells two types of term life policies: Annual renewable term life, which can be renewed each year, and level term life, which lasts 10 or 20 years. You must be between the ages of 18 and 65 to apply for a 10-year term life policy, and between 18 and 60 to apply for a 20-year policy.
Whole life insurance. The company’s whole life policy is open to applicants ages 0 to 85. You may be able to add a term life benefit to your whole life coverage, which can help maximize the amount of money you’re able to pay into the policy.
Universal life insurance. Northwestern Mutual offers two types of universal life insurance. Survivorship universal life insurance covers the lives of two people, typically a couple, and pays out when the second person dies. The company also sells a "Custom Universal Life" policy that lets you adjust the death benefit and premiums as your needs change.
Variable universal life insurance. Northwestern Mutual’s variable universal policy offers flexible premiums and death benefits. With variable universal life insurance, you can also choose the investments the cash value is tied to — making it a policy with higher potential risks and higher potential returns.
Accidental death & dismemberment insurance. Northwestern offers AD&D coverage either as a policy rider or as a stand-alone insurance policy. This coverage pays out or can increase your death benefit if you die in an accident or lose a limb, your eyesight or become paralyzed as a result of one.
» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes
Northwestern Mutual life insurance riders
Most Northwestern Mutual policies include an accelerated death benefit, which allows you to access your life insurance payout early if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Depending on the policy you choose, you may be able to add one or more of these other life insurance riders:
Long-term care. Lets you use part of your death benefit for care expenses if you’re unable to perform certain tasks of daily living.
Waiver of premium. Pauses your life insurance premiums for a period of time if you’re disabled.
Guaranteed insurability. Allows you to buy more coverage without having to take another medical exam or answer health questions.
Northwestern Mutual life insurance rates
Below are monthly rates for a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy from Northwestern Mutual. 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.
Age | Monthly rate - man | Monthly rate - woman |
|---|---|---|
20 | $27.33 | $22.50 |
30 | $27.92 | $24.50 |
40 | $39.92 | $38.25 |
50 | $85.58 | $67.50 |
60 | $198 | $165.83 |
Source: Direct from insurer. Rates reflect the super preferred class and were valid as of 10/30/25. | ||
Northwestern Mutual 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, Northwestern Mutual 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.
Northwestern Mutual ranked No. 5 out of 22 companies for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.
- What Reddit users say about Northwestern Mutual
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.
On Reddit, users are generally positive about Northwestern Mutual, citing the company’s strong financials and long history of paying dividends. A few threads mentioned the aggressive sales tactics used by some agents, though.
Some Redditors seem to prefer Northwestern Mutual for permanent life insurance, especially for high net worth individuals.
How Northwestern Mutual’s customer experience stacks up
Northwestern Mutual’s site is organized and easy to navigate. There’s plenty of informational content throughout, including life insurance calculators and video explainers to frequently asked questions. The site directs users to connect with a financial advisor via clickable buttons. Despite this ease of use, Northwestern Mutual doesn’t provide much in the way of policy details on the website and you can’t get a quote online.
The contact page lists the customer service phone number as well as details for Northwestern Mutual’s offices in Wisconsin and New York. However, it’s not clear whether customers can visit those locations.
When we called the insurer, an automated responder asked a few questions to direct our call. Within two minutes we were talking to a client services agent, who gave us generic answers to basic questions like how much coverage you can buy. The rep recommended reaching out to an advisor.
Northwestern Mutual has an app that’s compatible with Apple and Android devices. It features tools for financial planning and investment management.
What it’s like to apply for a policy with Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual only sells policies through its financial advisors — you can’t apply for a policy online. If you’re interested in learning more about coverage, you’ll need to choose a financial goal and enter your age, location, household income, phone number and email address. The company will then pair you with an advisor, typically within a few minutes.
Screenshot captured by our editorial team on December 2, 2025.
How Northwestern Mutual compares to other insurers
Northwestern Mutual | MassMutual | Guardian | |
|---|---|---|---|
Star rating | |||
Financial strength | Exceptional. | Exceptional. | Exceptional. |
NAIC complaints | Far fewer than expected. | Far fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. |
J.D. Power ranking | #5 out of 22. | #6 out of 22. | #4 out of 22. |
Policy types offered | Term, permanent. | Term, permanent. | Term, permanent. |
Online experience | Can change beneficiaries and file a claim online. | Can get a quote for some policies online. | Can get a quote, change beneficiaries and file a claim online. |
Transparency on website | Average. | Average. | Average. |
Best for | Overall life insurance. Term life insurance. Whole life insurance. Seniors. Mutual life insurance. Veterans. Universal life insurance. AD&D insurance. | 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. |
Read full reviews |
More about Northwestern Mutual
As a mutual company that’s been in business for 165 years, Northwestern Mutual is owned by its policyholders, some of whom are eligible to receive annual dividends when the company does well. The company is set to pay out $9.2 billion in dividends in 2026, the highest payout in its history.
Northwestern Mutual also provides:
Estate planning services.
Investment services.
How to contact Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual can be reached by:
Phone: Call 866-950-4644 on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
Email: Not available.
Live chat: Not available.
Frequently asked questions
Is Northwestern Mutual life insurance good?
Is Northwestern Mutual life insurance good?
Northwestern Mutual life insurance is generally good value due to its exceptional financial strength and top marks for customer satisfaction. The company offers term, whole and universal life insurance. If you need to customize your policy with riders, you may want to consider a different top-rated insurer that offers more options, such as Guardian Life.
Can you cash out a Northwestern Mutual life insurance policy?
Can you cash out a Northwestern Mutual life insurance policy?
It depends on what kind of life insurance you have. Permanent life insurance policies build cash value and once you have enough, you may be able to borrow against or withdraw against those funds. Keep in mind that cashing out or surrendering a life insurance policy cancels your coverage and may come with extra fees.
Which company is the largest life insurer in the U.S.?
Which company is the largest life insurer in the U.S.?
Northwestern Mutual is the largest life insurer in the U.S. by market share, according to the latest data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
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.J.D. Power. J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study. Accessed Dec 17, 2025.
- 2.Northwestern Mutual. Northwestern Mutual Announces Historic $9.2 Billion Dividend Payout in 2026. 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.
