National Life Group
- Convertible term policies.
- Generous living benefits.
- Fewer complaints than expected.
- No online quotes.
- Some policies not available in New York.
Why trust NerdWallet
About National Life Group Life Insurance
Founded in 1848, National Life Group is one of the oldest life insurance companies in the U.S. This insurer offers term, whole and universal life insurance, and many policies have generous living benefits. However, you’ll need to connect directly with a National Life Group agent to get a quote.
National Life Group life insurance rating
National Life Group earned 4.5 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.
» MORE: Best life insurance companies
Pros
- Convertible term policies.
- Generous living benefits.
- Fewer complaints than expected.
Cons
- No online quotes.
- Some policies not available in New York.
National Life Group life insurance policies
Term life insurance. National Life Group offers 1, 10, 15, 20 and 30-year term life insurance policies starting at $100,000. These policies are open to applicants aged 18-85 and include accelerated death benefit riders for chronic and terminal illness. National Life Group’s term life policies can also be converted to permanent life insurance.
Whole life insurance. This insurer’s whole life insurance policies start at $50,000 and are open to applicants up to 85 years in age. Since National Life Group is a mutual life insurance company, whole life policyholders are eligible to earn dividends — but these aren’t guaranteed.
Universal life insurance. National Life Group offers several types of universal life insurance policies that build cash value at either a fixed or variable rate. Some of the insurer’s indexed universal life policies offer a minimum guaranteed interest rate of around 1%.
» MORE: Types of life insurance
National Life Group customer complaints and satisfaction
Over three years, National Life Group 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.
National Life Group ranked No. 14 out of 21 companies for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power's 2024 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.
National Life Group sample life insurance rates
Below are monthly rates for a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy from National Life Group. 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 | $22.00 | $18.04 |
30 | $22.44 | $19.80 |
40 | $34.76 | $30.80 |
50 | $86.24 | $82.92 |
60 | $249.04 | $169.84 |
Source: Direct from insurer. Rates reflect the best non-tobacco risk class and were generated on 10/23/25. | ||
Where National Life Group stands out
National Life Group combines a solid reputation and strong financial stability with a variety of life insurance policies, including some that can earn dividends based on the company’s financial performance. Many of the policies offered come with generous living benefits and other features such as children’s term riders.
This insurer also has fewer complaints than other life insurance companies of its size and made the J.D. Power 2024 list of the highest rated individual life insurers for customer satisfaction.
Where National Life Group falls short
Although National Life Group does have a mobile app and online portal for existing policyholders, there is no option to get a quote or apply for a policy online. You’ll have to speak directly with a National Life Group agent to learn more or apply for a policy.
How National Life Group compares to other insurers
National Life Group | State Farm | New York Life | |
|---|---|---|---|
Star rating | 4.5NerdWallet rating | ||
Financial strength | Exceptional. | Exceptional. | Exceptional. |
NAIC complaints | Fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. | Fewer than expected. |
J.D. Power ranking | #14 out of 21. | #1 out of 21. | #15 out of 21. |
Policy types offered | Term and permanent. | Term, permanent, and no exam. | Term and permanent. |
Read full review |
» MORE: How to shop for life insurance
What Reddit users say about National Life Group
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.
Most mentions of National Life Group on Reddit were positive, with users praising the insurer’s living benefits. Redditors who commented about National Life Group’s permanent life insurance tended to criticize indexed universal life insurance in general and not the insurer specifically. In at least one case, National Life Group was mentioned in association with a lawsuit about misleading IUL policy information but other Redditors were quick to point out this is a common problem.
Questions from Reddit: Our experts answer
Should I surrender or keep my indexed universal life insurance policy?
In general, surrendering an indexed universal life insurance policy comes with some fees, potential tax implications, and would end your life insurance coverage. For most policyholders, a better option is to borrow against the cash value of your policy.
What are the best term life insurance policies for parents?
Term life insurance policies that include living benefits are a good option for most people. Parents of special needs children may want to consider permanent life insurance or a term policy that can be converted to permanent life insurance to secure lifelong coverage.
What it’s like to apply for a policy with National Life Group
National Life Group doesn’t allow you to get a quote or apply for life insurance online. If you prefer not to call the insurer directly, you can fill out a form online and an agent will contact you instead.
How National Life Group’s customer experience stacks up
National Life Group has a life insurance section on its website that offers basic information about the types of life insurance they sell but no policy-specific information. To learn more, you’ll have to fill out a form with your email, phone number, and zip code so a financial professional from National Life Group can contact you.
When we called the insurer, the automated menu didn’t offer a way to ask general questions. We waited about three minutes on hold before speaking to a company rep who couldn’t provide any specific details about policies or benefits. To get more information, we were told to fill out the contact form online and an agent would call us.
National Life Group does have a mobile app for policyholders where you can see policy details and make payments. The app receives mostly positive feedback and is well-rated in both Apple’s App Store and on Google Play, but some users have described issues with making payments.
More about National Life Group
National Life Group, which is based in Montpelier, Vermont, also sells group life insurance and other annuities.
How to contact National Life Group
National Life Group can be reached by:
Phone: Call 800-732-8939 during business hours.
Email: Send a message to LifeCustomerService@NationalLife.com.
Live chat: Not available.
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.
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. Life Insurers Miss the Mark on Clarity of Information and Personalization—Particularly Among Younger Customers, J.D. Power Finds. Accessed Oct 28, 2025.
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 2021-2023. 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.
