Male
$33 /month
Female
$31 /month
Bottom line: John Hancock's health-focused approach to life insurance makes it stand out from the competition.
Rating Breakdown
Financial strength rating
Exceptional
Online purchase
No
NAIC complaints
Fewer than expected
Policies offered
Term & permanent
A good fit for people who want discounts and rewards for healthy behaviors.
Looking for whole life insurance? Choose one of our best whole life insurance companies of 2026.
About John Hancock life insurance
As one of the largest life insurers in the U.S., John Hancock offers term and permanent life insurance coupled with programs that reward healthy habits, but you’ll need to work with an agent to apply for a policy.
John Hancock earned 4.6 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 these ratings, John Hancock earned a spot on our best universal life insurance companies of 2026 list.
» MORE: Best life insurance companies
Where John Hancock stands out
John Hancock has a few strengths, including a long list of riders to customize coverage and generous policy limits. But the company is unique for its wellness programs, Vitality and Aspire. The former rewards healthy behavior with Amazon.com discounts, free subscriptions and savings on fresh produce, while the latter gives people living with diabetes resources to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.
Where John Hancock falls short
John Hancock doesn’t support online quotes for any of its policies, so you’ll need to contact an advisor to start the application process. Nor does the company sell whole life insurance.
More Nerdy Perspective
John Hancock has an interesting approach towards smokers. For permanent policies, smokers get non-smoker rates for the first three years. At that point, if they can prove they’ve quit smoking for at least 12 months, the insurer will upgrade them to non-smoker rates. For context, smokers often pay two to four times more for the same coverage
John Hancock life insurance policies
Term life insurance. If you’re in the market for a temporary policy, John Hancock offers term life insurance lasting 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. You can get $250,000 to $65 million in coverage and in some cases, you won’t be asked to take a medical exam.
Permanent life insurance. John Hancock sells universal life insurance, variable universal life insurance and indexed universal life insurance, with coverage ranging from $50,000 to $65 million. These policies typically last your entire life, and build cash value over time at different interest rates. Once you’ve accumulated enough cash value, you can begin to borrow against your policy.
Wellness-based programs
John Hancock has two wellness-based programs that can be added to any life insurance policy:
Vitality. When you buy a policy, you can enroll in Vitality Go, which works by tracking your data from a wearable device like a Fitbit. As you reach specific health goals, like walking a certain number of steps per day, the insurer will reward you with discounts on sites like REI as well as grocery store savings.
You can also sign up to Vitality Plus for a fee. Along with offering discounts and gift cards, this program allows you to save up to 25% on your annual premium as you make progress with your wellness goals.
Aspire. John Hancock’s Aspire program is designed for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It gives you access to a diabetes management app and health coaching, and rewards you for exercising regularly and eating healthily with a premium discount of up to 25%.
John Hancock life insurance riders
Depending on your policy and where you live, you can customize your coverage with these riders:
Accelerated death benefit.
Cash value enhancement.
Critical illness death benefit.
Long-term care insurance.
Overloan protection.
Policy split option.
Return of premium.
» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes
John Hancock life insurance rates
Below are monthly rates for a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy from John Hancock. 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 | $26.25 | $20.58 |
30 | $27.00 | $23.08 |
40 | $33.42 | $30.75 |
50 | $73.83 | $51.17 |
60 | $207.50 | $147.92 |
Source: Direct from insurer. Rates reflect the super preferred class and were valid as of 11/5/25. | ||
John Hancock complaints and customer satisfaction
A strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Over three years, John Hancock has drawn 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.
John Hancock ranked No. 15 out of 22 companies in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Life Insurance Study for overall customer satisfaction.
How John Hancock’s customer experience stacks up
John Hancock’ website is easy to navigate and includes some policy details about term lengths and coverage amounts. However, you won’t be able to get a quote for John Hancock's life insurance policies online. Instead, you’ll be directed to work with an advisor.
Once you have coverage, you can manage your policy and change beneficiaries through the web portal. Although John Hancock does have a mobile app, it’s geared towards managing the company’s retirement plans.
How John Hancock compares to other insurers
John Hancock | AARP/New York Life | Banner | |
|---|---|---|---|
Star rating | |||
Financial strength | Exceptional. | Exceptional. | Exceptional. |
NAIC complaints | Fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. |
J.D. Power ranking | #15 out of 22. | #8 out of 22. | N/A. |
Policy types offered | Term, permanent. | Term, permanent. | Term, permanent. |
Online experience | Can change beneficiaries and file a claim online. | Can get a quote and change beneficiaries online. | Can get a quote, change beneficiaries and file a claim online. |
Transparency on website | Above average. | Average. | Average. |
Best for | N/A. | ||
Read full reviews |
More about John Hancock
In addition to life insurance, John Hancock offers other financial products and services:
College savings plans.
Investment management, including socially responsible investment plans.
Retirement advice.
How to contact John Hancock
John Hancock can be reached by:
Phone: Call 800-732-5543 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. For claims, call 888-887-2739.
Email: No customer service email available.
Live chat: Not available.
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.
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.
