AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company

Formerly known as AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, Equitable is a financially stable provider with moderate customer reviews, which offers term and universal policy options.

Product Availability

Review Breakdown

Price/Value

When you apply for life insurance, the company will use your application, records, and potentially a medical exam to determine your rates.

Factors like your age, weight, medical conditions, and your family history will dictate what you pay for coverage.

Every company uses its own standards to assess risk, so one carrier might be more cost-competitive than another depending on your risk factors.

Equitable does not provide online quotes. To see what rates you could be eligible for, you’ll have to contact one of Equitable’s financial advisors.

Overall, Equitable’s policies are reasonably priced, especially if you’re young and healthy.

But if you’re looking to get the lowest rates possible on term life insurance, Equitable may not be the cheapest option.

However, with its close focus on retirement planning, the company offers a lot of value to permanent life insurance shoppers.

Financial Strength

You shouldn’t base your choice of life insurance provider on cost alone. It’s also important to look into a company’s financial strength.

You need to be insured by a carrier you can depend on to meet its financial obligations.

We can look to credit ratings to assess how solvent a life insurance company is.

Currently, Equitable has the following ratings:

A.M. Best	A
Standard & Poor’s	A+
Moody’s	A2

Equitable’s parent company, Equitable Holdings, boasts $809 billion in assets under management.

Based on the company’s solid financial performance and credit ratings, Equitable has an excellent financial outlook.

User Experience

Life insurance can get complicated. Your life insurance company should be committed to making the process as effortless as possible.

To assess Equitable’s user experience, we’ve analyzed factors like its consumer ratings, website, and application process.

Ratings

Two of the most useful metrics for evaluating a life insurance company’s customer experience are Better Business Bureau ratings and J.D. Power’s annual life insurance study.

Equitable has been BBB-accredited since 1937, and it has earned an “A+” rating due to its transparency, fair business practices, and communication with clients.

Equitable also earned a top 20 spot on J.D. Power’s survey for overall customer satisfaction.

The company earned a score of 733 on a 1,000 point scale.

While Equitable fell below the industry average score of 763, its inclusion in the survey suggests it offers a satisfactory customer experience.

Website

Equitable’s website is well-organized and easy to use. It points individuals, employers, and financial professionals to the information they need.

You can find background information regarding Equitable and its financial strength, as well as details about its products.

While the site does provide some information on its life insurance policies, it does not include eligibility requirements or face amounts.

Another shortcoming of Equitable’s online experience is the lack of online quotes.

Unlike some of its competitors, Equitable does display customer reviews for each of its policies online.

Policyholders can also use the website to view their policy details, update their personal information, and make payments.

Application

To apply for a life insurance policy from Equitable, you have to work with a financial advisor.

Though some carriers offer online applications with an instant decision, you can expect a standard underwriting process with Equitable.

This process involves completing an application with an agent or advisor and allowing the company to access your records.

You’ll also likely be required to schedule a medical exam.

With your records and results in hand, the company will determine your eligibility and set your rates.

Product Availability

Equitable offers three life insurance products:

• Term
• Indexed universal
• Variable universal

In addition to offering individual policies, Equitable also has employer-sponsored policies.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each policy option.

Term

Equitable’s lineup of term policies is called the Term Series. These policies provide temporary coverage with a guaranteed death benefit.

Term life insurance is the most flexible and affordable type of life insurance, making it an ideal fit for most shoppers.

With Equitable, you can choose between 1, 10, 15, and 20-year terms.

Their term policies are also convertible, meaning you can convert your policy into a permanent one if your needs change.

Indexed Universal

If you’re looking for more permanent coverage to meet long-term needs, BrightLife^® Grow could be a suitable choice.

With this policy, you get an interest-earning cash value account, which you can access through loans or a policy surrender.

An indexed universal policy focuses on cash accumulation by more aggressively targeting market indices for cash growth.

Your policy’s growth is tied to an index of your choice, and your account is protected from loss by a 0% floor.

Variable Universal

For more hands-on investing (at a higher level of risk), you may be interested in Equitable’s variable universal policy, the VUL Optimizer^®.

To purchase a variable universal policy, you will need to speak to a registered representative of the company for purchase, as your investments are tied to the market.

Because of the increased risk and the complexities of setting up this type of policy, variable universal coverage cannot be sold without a representative’s assistance.

Variable universal policies are designed to aid in cash accumulation and preservation.

Brand/Size

One of just a handful of companies who made its debut pre-1900s, Equitable has a storied past.

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company has stood the test of time, continuing to be a giant among the largest life insurance companies in the United States, with a national and international reach.

Henry Baldwin Hyde was the original founder of The Equitable, previously called The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States.

After a decade in business, the company was writing more new businesses than all of its competitors around the globe.

With innovation and an eagerness to succeed, the company continuously made strides to be the best it could be.

Today, Equitable has more than 2.8 million clients.

The company now serves several markets, including:

• Accident insurance
• Annuities
• Critical illness
• Dental Insurance
• Disability
• Individual investments
• Life insurance
• Retirement plans (401k, 403b, 457b)
• Vision insurance

Philanthropy

Over the years, Equitable has exhibited a heart for volunteering and donating to improve the communities it serves through the Equitable Foundation.

One of their initiatives, the Equitable Excellence Scholarship, has awarded more than $30 million to over 6,800 students.

The foundation also matches charitable gifts made by its employees and financial professionals in its network.

The company contributes to disaster relief, as well, supporting the Red Cross.

Equitable also partners with the following organizations:

• Dress for Success
• New Teacher Center
• Students Against Destructive Decisions

Brand Recognition

Due to its long history in the industry, extensive range of products, and massive customer base, Equitable is a relatively well-known brand.

The company engages with tens of thousands of followers between its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.

Though it has a smaller following on the platform, Equitable also uses Youtube to share educational and marketing content with followers.

Consensus

Equitable, formerly AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, is a large, financially strong provider you can depend on.

But is it widely considered as a top life insurance provider?

We’ve factored expert reviews and rankings from across the industry into our algorithm to gauge the consensus around Equitable.

The conclusion? Equitable doesn’t always top the list as one of the best overall life insurance companies.

If you’re looking for the cheapest term life insurance possible, Equitable may not be your best bet.

However, if you’re seeking a financially stable carrier to host your estate plan, permanent coverage, or accumulation product, AXA Equitable is a solid choice.