Key takeaways
MassMutual is our best pick overall. It has a diverse policy lineup, low complaints and strong financials.
Guardian is worth looking into if you have a health condition, while Northwestern Mutual scores points for customer experience and Thrivent stands out for its hybrid life insurance.
If you're in the market for permanent life insurance, consider Pacific Life.
NerdWallet’s editorial team collected and analyzed data from more than 50 insurers — evaluating their financial strength, how transparent they are with key information and their customer experience, among other factors — to select the best life insurance companies in the U.S. We’ve also highlighted standout features of the best policy from each of our top-rated providers.
We review these assessments and update this list regularly. As of Nov. 14, 2025, these are our picks for the best life insurance companies:
Best life insurance companies in 2025
Insurer | NerdWallet rating | Types of life insurance available | |
Best overall | Term, whole, universal and variable. | ||
Best for health conditions | Term, whole, universal and variable. | ||
Best customer experience | Term, whole, universal and variable. | ||
Best permanent life insurance | Term, universal, variable universal and indexed universal. | ||
Best hybrid life insurance | Term, whole, universal and variable universal. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole. | |||
Why trust NerdWallet
1,413 life insurance rates sets collected.
441 life insurers analyzed by our team of experts.
185 policies assessed.
Dive deeper: Ratings methodology for life insurance.
NerdWallet's life insurance content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in life insurance. We follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our site is accurate and fair so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.
Best life insurance company overall: MassMutual
Best overall
MassMutual
- Wide range of term and permanent life insurance policies.
- Supports online claims.
- Low rate of complaints from consumers.
- Most policies require a medical exam.
💰 MassMutual sample monthly rates
Male: $34.58
Female: $28.33
Pros
- Wide range of term and permanent life insurance policies.
- Supports online claims.
- Low number of complaints.
Cons
- Some policies require a medical exam.
Why we picked it: MassMutual gets top marks in NerdWallet’s life insurance scoring. It’s one of the largest life insurance companies in the country, and its financial strength ratings offer confidence that it’ll be around in the future.
You can get a variety of policy types from MassMutual, including term and whole life insurance and more flexible options such as variable universal life insurance.
MassMutual is a mutual life insurance company, which means it’s owned partly by policyholders and pays out dividends to eligible members. And those members appear satisfied — MassMutual gets some of the fewest customer complaints in the industry.
📄 Policies offered: Term, whole, universal and variable universal.
⭐ Standout life insurance policy: MassMutual’s LifeBridge policies provide $50,000 of free term life insurance coverage for ten years to low-income parents.
Riders available:
Accelerated death benefit.
Waiver of premium.
Paid-up additions.
Long-term care access.
Guaranteed insurability.
Renewable term.
Life insurance supplement.
Yearly term purchase.
Online experience: MassMutual does support online applications for some types of life insurance policies but still encourages speaking to a financial professional. MassMutual policyholders can also file claims and make payments online.
» Read our full review of MassMutual life insurance
Best for health conditions: Guardian
Best for health conditions
Guardian Life
- Very few complaints from consumers for a company of its size.
- Offers unique coverage options, such as policies for HIV-positive applicants.
- Minimal policy details on the site.
- Can't buy a policy online.
💰 Guardian sample monthly rates
Male: $31.33
Female: $26.18
Pros
- Underwriting might be more lenient for people with health conditions.
- Offers unique coverage options, such as policies for HIV-positive applicants.
- Very few complaints from customers.
Cons
- Minimal policy details on the site.
- Can’t buy a policy online.
Why we picked it: Guardian stands out for its more relaxed underwriting standards and is known for making life insurance accessible for people living with health conditions like HIV. If you have a health condition, you might have an easier time getting approved or qualifying for better rates with Guardian.
Guardian also has very low complaint rates, and it’s a mutual life insurance company, so it’s owned by customers and pays dividends to qualifying policyholders.
📄 Policies offered: Term, whole, universal and variable universal.
⭐ Standout life insurance policy: Guardian offers $100,000 up to a maximum of $10 million of term life insurance for qualifying HIV-positive applicants.
Riders available:
Accelerated death benefit.
Accidental death benefit.
Waiver of premium.
DuoGuard (beneficiary purchase option).
Guaranteed insurability.
Paid-up additions.
Index participation feature.
Lifetime protection builder.
Long-term care.
Policy split option.
10-year annually renewable term.
Online experience: Guardian has a website with a lot of information about life insurance generally, but very few policy-specific details. And while you can get a quote online, you’ll have to contact Guardian to purchase a life insurance policy.
» Read our full review of Guardian life insurance
Best customer experience: Northwestern Mutual
Best for customer experience
Northwestern Mutual
- Fewer complaints than expected for a company its size.
- Highly rated for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power study.
- Consistently pays a dividend to eligible customers, which is common among mutual life insurance companies.
- Company website doesn’t give specifics about coverage amounts or riders.
- Limited riders available.
💰 Northwestern Mutual sample monthly rates
Male: $39.92
Female: $41.25
Pros
- Industry-leading low complaint rates.
- Highly rated for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power study.
- Consistently pays generous dividends to eligible customers.
Cons
- Website doesn’t give specifics about coverage amounts.
- Limited riders available.
Why we picked it: Northwestern Mutual has better complaint rates than any other life insurance company NerdWallet reviewed, on average. It’s also consistently a top performer on J.D. Power studies of customer satisfaction with individual life insurance policies.
Like the other companies on our list, Northwestern Mutual is a mutual life insurance company, so it’s owned by customers rather than shareholders and may pay dividends to those who qualify.
📄 Policies offered: Term, whole, universal and variable universal.
⭐ Standout life insurance policy: Northwestern Mutual’s Term80 provides annual renewable coverage until the age of 80 with the option to convert to permanent life insurance.
Riders available:
Long-term care.
Waiver of premium.
Guaranteed insurability.
Online experience: Northwestern Mutual’s site is fairly easy to navigate with a blend of general information about insurance and some policy specific details. However you won’t be able to purchase a life insurance policy online.
» Read our full review of Northwestern Mutual life insurance
Best for permanent life insurance: Pacific Life
Best permanent life insurance
Pacific Life
- Low rate of customer complaints.
- Offers a variety of term and permanent policies.
- Some policies are not available in New York.
- No online quotes.
💰 Pacific Life sample monthly rates
Male: $27.86
Female: $23.53
Pros
- Good reputation among its customers.
- Offers a variety of term and permanent policies.
Cons
- Some policies are not available in New York.
- No online quotes.
- Doesn't offer whole life insurance.
Why we picked it: Pacific Life has a stellar lineup of permanent life insurance policies, including a competitive indexed universal life insurance policy. These policies typically grow based on stock market indexes like the S&P 500. They also have a guaranteed floor, which means your life insurance cash value won’t fall below a certain amount if the stock market dives.
As a mutual company, Pacific Life is owned by its members, not stockholders.
📄 Policies offered: Term, universal, variable universal and indexed universal.
⭐ Standout life insurance policy: Pacific Life’s Horizon ECV IUL policy is an indexed universal life policy that allows you to choose between a guaranteed interest rate or the higher earning potential of a rate tied to an index account.
Riders available:
Accelerated death benefit rider.
Chronic illness rider.
Long term care rider.
Children’s level term rider.
Waiver of premium rider.
No-lapse guarantee rider.
Return of premium rider.
Online experience: Pacific Life’s website is easy to navigate, with pages dedicated to each type of life insurance offered by the company. You can also download guides on Pacific Life products available in your state. However this insurer doesn’t offer a mobile app to manage your policy.
» Read our full review of Pacific Life insurance
Best for hybrid life insurance: Thrivent
Best for hybrid life policies
Thrivent
- Received far fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company its size.
- May pay dividends to select policyholders.
- Offers disability and long-term care insurance in addition to life insurance.
- Website offers little detail about coverage amounts or riders.
- Life insurance is available only to those with a Christian affiliation.
💰 Thrivent sample monthly rates
Male: $63.64
Female: $53.32
Pros
- Low volume of customer complaints.
- May pay dividends to select policyholders.
- Offers disability and long-term care insurance.
Cons
- Website has little detail about coverage amounts or riders.
- Life insurance is available only to those with a Christian affiliation.
Why we picked it: Thrivent emphasizes charitable work, offering resources to support members’ volunteer activities and donations. It’s a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society serving Christians — you’ll need to attest your faith or attest that you’re the spouse or child of a Christian to become a member and purchase life insurance.
Like other companies among our top-rated life insurance picks, Thrivent is member-owned and pays out dividends to those who are eligible.
📄 Policies offered: Term, whole, universal, variable universal.
⭐ Standout life insurance policy: Thrivent’s CareForward is a hybrid long-term care and life insurance policy. It offers long-term care benefits as well as an accelerated death benefit rider for terminal illness.
Riders available:
Guaranteed purchase option.
Guaranteed increase option.
Waiver of premium for disability.
Paid-up additions..
Insurance split option benefit.
Online experience: While Thrivent does support online quotes, you’ll have to contact the company directly to apply for and purchase a policy. Thrivent’s website is easy to use but it lacks policy specific details.
» Read our full review of Thrivent life insurance
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 441 life insurers reviewed
📝 185 policies assessed
🔢 1,315 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 (40%). 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 (40%). 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.
👀 Policy detail availability (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.
☎️ Ease of communication (10%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores.
⭐ 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.
Best term life insurance companies in 2025
Term life insurance provides temporary coverage for a set number of years, usually one to 30. It’s the cheapest and most popular type of coverage, and insurers can stand out for offering affordable prices, riders and more. These term life insurance companies all scored at least 4.5 stars, and most offer a range of term lengths:
Guardian: 1, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
MassMutual: 1, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.
Northwestern Mutual: 1, 10 or 20 years.
Thrivent: 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
Pacific Life: 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.
New York Life: 1, 10, 15 or 20 years.
Penn Mutual: 10, 15, 20 or 30 years.
AARP: Until age 80.
Best whole life insurance companies in 2025
Whole life insurance typically lasts your entire life. As a type of permanent life insurance, it also builds cash value over time. We’ve compared whole life companies based on factors like coverage flexibility and the potential to earn dividends. These companies scored at least 4.5 stars:
Best no-medical-exam life insurance companies in 2025
With no-medical-exam life insurance, the application process is streamlined. Depending on the policy you choose, you might have to answer some questions about your health and lifestyle, though some policies skip both the exam and questionnaire. These companies scored 4 stars or more:
Insurer | NerdWallet rating | Issue age | Coverage available | |
Best for seniors | 50 to 74. | $10,000 - $150,000 (up to $100,000 for NY residents). | ||
Best for policy choice | 50 or younger. | $50,000 - $100,000 (term and IUL) $25,000 - $100,000 (whole life). | ||
Best flexible term life | 20 to 60. | Up to 3 million. | ||
Best for longer terms | 20 to 75. | Starting at $100,000. | ||
Best convertible term | 18 to 60, depending on term length. | $100,000 - $2.5 million. | ||
Best whole life | 15 days to age 65. | $20,000 - $100,000. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its no-exam policy specifically. | ||||
Pros and cons of life insurance coverage
Pros
- Can help replace income or provide for final expenses.
- Some policies offer early access to the death benefit in the event of terminal illness.
- Term life insurance is affordable and sufficient for most people.
Cons
- Often requires a medical exam for more affordable rates.
- Some types of life insurance can be more expensive and complicated to manage.
How to choose the best life insurance for you
Shopping for coverage? Follow these steps to find the right life insurance for your needs.
1. Decide on a type of life insurance 🤔
Term life insurance is sufficient for most people. It lasts a set number of years — like 10, 20 and 30 — and is designed to cover you for the years when you have the most financial obligations. For most term life insurance policies, the premiums stay the same, so you'll know exactly how much the policy will cost.
If you need lifelong coverage, permanent life insurance is another option. There are a few policies that fall under this umbrella, including whole life insurance, universal life insurance and variable life insurance. These policies typically don't expire as long you pay your premiums. They also build cash value at either a fixed or variable rate. Once you've accumulated enough cash value, you can begin to withdraw or borrow against those funds.
» MORE: Cash value life insurance
2. Calculate how much coverage you need 🔢
The next step is determining how much life insurance you need. Check out our guide to see different ways to crunch the numbers.
A simple way to calculate life insurance needs is to think about everything you pay for now and everything you expect to pay for in the future. This could include everyday expenses like child care, utilities and groceries, as well as long-term costs like college tuition and mortgage payments. Once you have a number, subtract the value of any assets you own. The final amount is the gap a life insurance policy can help to fill.
3. Get prices from a handful of companies 💲
The cost of coverage varies among companies, so aim to compare life insurance quotes from multiple insurers.
Although many companies sell similar policies, some focus on certain products — such as whole life — or on particular customers, such as seniors who need life insurance. You can narrow your options by focusing on companies that specialize in the type of insurance you’re looking for.
More about top-rated life insurance companies
Looking for a specific type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:
Biggest life insurance companies in the U.S.
Here are the 10 largest life insurers in the United States based on market share for individual policies in 2024, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence:
Northwestern Mutual
New York Life
MassMutual
Prudential
Lincoln Financial
State Farm
Guardian
Protective Life
Pacific Life
John Hancock
All of these companies offer a lineup of term and permanent policies, and most have been in business for over 100 years.
*Sample rates are based on a $500,000, 20-year term life insurance policy for a healthy, nonsmoking 40-year-old man and woman.
