Triple A (AAA, Aaa) Rated Life Insurance Companies 2024

A common question I receive from clients looking for insurance is “who are your triple A rated life insurance companies 2024?” This question probably derives from the fact that when looking at the credit ratings for large companies such as Microsoft or Amazon or when looking to invest in bonds, The Big Three credit rating agencies– S&P, Moody’s and Fitch are the industry standard. AAA (Triple A) is considered the safest rating (highest) available for the long-term investment from all three rating rating agencies. This article will explain how the insurance industry is different than the other markets and why A.M. Best is a better metric to use when looking at the financial health of a life insurance company.


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Triple A Rated Life Insurance Companies

A.M. Best Rating Scale

Final Thoughts

FAQ


Triple A (AAA, Aaa) Rated Life Insurance Companies 2024

  • Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (Fitch- AAA Moody’s- Aaa)

  • New York Life Insurance Company (Fitch- AAA Moody’s- Aaa)

In the above list, you can see there are only two active triple A rated life insurance companies in 2024, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and New York Life Insurance. Correspondingly, there are only two companies AAA rated on the S&P 500, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft. However, the life insurance industry uses a fourth rating agency; A.M. Best as their gold standard. This is because A.M. Best is the only global rating agency with a specific focus on the insurance industry. While the other three credit rating agencies are still observed in life insurance, for most industry experts, A.M. Best is the primary and most important rating used.

While the other three credit rating agencies are still observed in life insurance, A.M. Best is considered the gold standard for the insurance industry.

Many of the blue chip life insurance companies such as; Pacific Life, Prudential, John Hancock, Mutual of Omaha, Penn Mutual, Protective Life, Banner Life, etc. are rated A+ Superior by A.M. Best. These companies are not only in the Superior rating category (Superior is the highest category, same as A++) but will typically have the lowest rates and most favorable underwriting guidelines in the country.

A.M. Best Rating Scale

Rating scale, triple a rated companies, A.M. Best scale

Click here to see a list of all the current A+ Superior rated life insurance companies 2024

Triple A Rated Life Insurance Companies- Final Thoughts

While a triple A rating is important in the equity and bond markets using the credit rating agencies; S&P, Moody’s and Fitch, it is different for the insurance industry. A.M. Best is the leading rating used for evaluating the financial strength of life insurance companies as they are the only global rating agency dedicated to evaluating the insurance industry. A good rule of thumb is to choose an insurer with an A (Excellent) or A+ (Superior) rating or better from A.M. Best. This will provide peace of mind the insurer was deemed to be financially strong and be able to pay out a future claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to see and compare the ratings from all the life insurance companies?

Use this chart to compare all the life insurance companies and their ratings from the main rating agencies; A.M. Best, S&P, Fitch and Moody’s.

Do I need a triple A (AAA) rated life insurance company?

No. If you choose an insurer with a A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best, you are selecting a company that is in the highest tier of financial strength (Superior) and never failed to pay a valid claim. The A+ rated life insurance companies often have the best rates and underwriting guidelines for term and universal life insurance.

Are AAA (Triple A) rated life insurance companies more expensive?

Yes, typically AAA rated life insurance are more expensive than other insurers with an A+ rating from A.M. Best.

Is the underwriting on triple A (AAA) rated companies more strict?

Yes, typically the underwriting is more strict on triple A rated life insurance companies compared to A or A+ rated insurers from A.M. Best.

Updated 3/15/2024

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