Prudential Life Insurance Review 2026

As one of the largest life insurance companies in the U.S., Prudential has an excellent financial strength rating and offers a broad slate of universal and term life insurance policies. But it draws close to the expected number of complaints from customers.

Prudential earned 4.3 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.

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Where Prudential life insurance stands out

Prudential stands out for two term policy features that most competitors don’t offer. Its term life policies don’t simply expire at the end of the term — instead, policyholders can continue their term coverage at higher rates or reduced amounts. And Prudential allows its term policies to be converted to any permanent policy the company offers. Prudential’s site also has plenty of information about the types of life insurance the company sells, something many other insurers don’t do.

Where Prudential life insurance falls short

You can’t buy a Prudential life insurance policy online on your own, and the website doesn’t provide a customer service email address or live chat. And if you’re shopping for whole life insurance, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

To buy a policy with Prudential, you’ll need to work with a life insurance agent or broker. Some applicants 18 to 60 years old may qualify for a streamlined application process that doesn’t require a medical exam.

Term life insurance. Prudential's main term life insurance policies have level premiums for 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. When the term ends, you can opt to keep your policy, but premiums may go up or the amount of coverage may go down. All policies include a free accelerated death benefit rider, and you can convert your term policy to any of Prudential’s permanent life insurance options before a deadline.

• Term Essential. Prudential offers term life policies of $100,000 or more. Applicants in good health may qualify for up to $3 million in coverage without medical tests. 

• Prudential EssentialTerm Value. This policy is designed to be a cost-effective term life option. Applicants in good health could qualify for up to $5 million in coverage without a medical exam. 

• Prudential EssentialTerm Plus. Prudential allows you to convert to any permanent policy until your level premiums end — whether that’s 10, 15, 20 or 30 years — or until you turn 70, whichever comes first. Applicants in good health can also skip the medical exam and still qualify for up to $5 million in coverage.

• PruTerm One. You’ll need to take a medical exam to apply for Prudential’s annual renewable term policy, which can then be renewed every year at a higher rate. 

Universal life insurance (UL). Prudential sells several types of universal life insurance.

• PruLife Essential UL. This universal life policy builds cash value at a steady interest rate and has lots of rider options to customize your coverage.

• Variable universal life insurance (VUL). The distinction of Prudential’s VUL policies is that they combine the potential for cash value growth from your choice of investments with flexible premium payments. There are three options for VUL policies, including VUL Protector, PruLife Custom Premier II, and PruLife SVUL Protector, which is a survivorship VUL policy that covers two people (typically a married couple) and pays out after the second person dies.

Indexed universal life insurance (IUL). The cash value of indexed universal life insurance is typically tied to the performance of stock indexes, so it comes with higher risks and higher potential rewards. Prudential has a few IUL policies.

• PruLife Founders Plus Indexed UL. This indexed universal life policy lets you choose between three different ways to build cash value, including an option for a fixed rate or one linked to the S&P 500.

• PruLife Survivorship Index UL. This is the survivorship version of the PruLife Founders Plus Indexed UL, with similar choices for building cash value.

• Prudential Momentum IUL. Prudential offers several choices for accelerating cash value growth in this policy, including rates tied to either the S&P 500 or Nasdaq 100.

• Prudential FlexGuard Life IVUL. Prudential’s variable indexed life insurance offers the potential for aggressive cash value growth or loss through variable rates.

Final expense insurance. Prudential doesn’t sell traditional whole life insurance, but it does offer final expense insurance. This form of whole life is designed to cover funeral costs and other end-of-life expenses when an insured person dies. The policy skips the medical exam but requires a health questionnaire. It’s open to applicants ages 50 to 85, with coverage ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 depending on your health.

» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes

Below are monthly rates for a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy from Prudential. 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.

A strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Over three years, Prudential life insurance has drawn close to 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.

Prudential ranked No. 12 out of 22 companies for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Life Insurance Study[1].

• What Reddit users say about Prudential life insurance

  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.

  Reddit threads about Prudential life insurance are mixed. Some Reddit users found Prudential was strict about medical history during the application process, especially in regards to mental health conditions. Others praised Prudential's wide variety of life insurance offerings, particularly the value of convertible term life policies and living benefits.

  One thing most Reddit threads seemed to agree on was the superior financial stability of Prudential Life, although many commenters had issues with the company’s customer service.

How Prudential’s customer experience stacks up

The Prudential website offers detailed information about the company’s life insurance policies, plus a robust FAQ section with answers to common questions. If you have questions or want to buy a policy, you can use the site’s search tool to find financial professionals near you. You can also fill out a form with your contact details and areas of interest, and a professional will reach out to you.

When we called Prudential, it took three minutes to get a human on the phone. The rep was able to answer a couple of general questions about term life insurance, though she suggested that we work with a financial professional to get specifics.

Prudential doesn’t offer a mobile app or a live chat, though it does have a “virtual assistant” that can help with basic policy management functions. And while you can’t get an online quote, Prudential does support online claims and changing beneficiaries through their web portal.

What it’s like to apply for a policy with Prudential

You’ll generally need to work with a financial professional to get a Prudential life insurance policy. However, on the company’s term life insurance page, there’s a pop-up window offering “affordable life insurance in minutes,” which makes it sound like you can buy a policy online.

Screenshot captured by our editorial team November 18, 2025.

The link takes you to a form where you can enter some basic details — ZIP code, name, birthdate, email and phone number — but it doesn’t give you a quote at the end. Instead, there’s a message telling you to stand by for an agent’s call.

Founded in 1875, Prudential offers a suite of financial products, like annuities, investments and workplace benefits.

Prudential can be reached by:

• Phone: Call 800-778-2255 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and a representative will direct your call to the right department. 

• Email: No customer service email available.

• Live chat: Not available.