The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

Guardian is one of the oldest and most trusted names in the life insurance industry. Though their term life policies aren’t the most competitive, the company’s financial standing, customer experience, and permanent policies make it well worth considering.

Product Availability

Price/Value

A lot goes into choosing the right life insurance company, with the price of coverage being one of the biggest factors influencing your decision.

As long as you’re comparing companies that are in good financial shape, you can confidently pick the one that offers you the best rates.

In terms of price, Guardian’s rates aren’t the most competitive out there, especially for term life insurance. 

J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. Life Insurance Study gave Guardian a 3 out of 5 for price, indicating its rates are “about average.”

While Guardian’s policies aren’t outrageously priced, you may find lower rates elsewhere, especially if you have health conditions or a negative family health history.

Their underwriting is on the conservative side, more beneficial to healthier and younger applicants than anyone else.

Though Guardian’s prices aren’t the most competitive, there’s tremendous value to owning a policy issued by the company.

You get exceptional customer service, unmatched financial strength, and the protection of a long-lasting mutual company.

Financial Strength

Buying life insurance from a solvent company that can pay out your policy when it needs to is of the utmost importance.

In terms of financial strength, Guardian continues to be a leader in the life insurance industry, paying dividends to its policyholders for 125 years running.

In 2019, Guardian posted $79.3 billion in assets and $9.3 billion in capital.

They’ve also acquired an almost perfect slate of financial ratings from all the major rating agencies.

Here are the ratings they received from each:

A.M. Best	A++
Fitch	AA+
Moody’s	Aa2
Standard & Poor’s	AA+

These ratings indicate superior financial strength and make Guardian attractive to consumers and businesses nationwide.

Guardian puts itself in an elite class of insurers who show little to no financial faults.

Bottom line: You can count on Guardian’s exceptional dependability.

User Experience

Ideally, buying life insurance should be a hassle-free task. 

Whether you’re in the comparison phase, exploring all that a company has to offer, or you’re applying for coverage, a great life insurance company provides you with the tools you need.

Policyholders should also be able to seamlessly manage their policies.

Here’s how Guardian stacks up in terms of user experience.

Ratings

Perhaps the best marker of customer experience in the life insurance industry is the J.D. Power U.S. Life Insurance Study.

The survey, which is based on individual life insurance clients’ responses, assesses elements like a company’s website, the application process, and communication with policyholders.

Most recently, Guardian earned a 4 out of 5, signifying they are “better than most” in terms of overall customer satisfaction.

The company is also BBB-accredited and holds an “A+“, the Better Business Bureau’s highest rating.

Website

J.D. Power also ranked Guardian’s website as “better than most,” and we agree.

The website allows you to easily compare its life insurance policies and other financial products.

It also offers a transparent look at the company’s history and financial performance. 

Getting quotes is incredibly easy on the site, providing you with an instant estimate of what you could pay for coverage.

Policyholders can make a number of policy updates online, such as:

• Setting up and changing payments
• Requesting policy loans
• Completing tax documents
• Changing beneficiaries

Application

Guardian’s application process is ranked as better than most companies, too. 

When you opt for quotes from Guardian online, you have several options for getting in touch with an agent who can jumpstart the application process.

You can either enter your zip code to find a local agent or submit your contact information and wait for an advisor to reach out to you.

From there, you can expect a standard application process, where you’ll submit to a quick interview with some health and lifestyle questions followed by a medical exam.

After that, the company will use your answers and medical information to underwrite your policy, which usually takes a few weeks.

Product Availability

Guardian offers an impressive lineup of term and permanent policies that can be tailored to meet most people’s life insurance needs.

Term

Guardian Life promotes four main benefits to its term products.

1. Variety
2. Level Premiums
3. Level Coverage
4. Conversion

Like virtually all of its competitors, Guardian Life Insurance Company has level term products with 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-year term lengths.

The site provides quotes for term policies ranging from $250,000 to $5 million.

Because Guardian has such a strong focus on permanent products, their conversion option is a major asset if you think you may convert to another type of policy at the conclusion of your term.

Universal

A universal life product is one that allows a little bit of flexibility while still locking in some permanence.

Guardian offers two types of universal coverage: traditional universal and variable universal.

The only real difference between these policies is related to their investment and growth avenues.

While a universal policy’s growth is fixed through interest and cash value gains within the policy, a variable policy lets the owner take greater risks with potentially higher rewards by investing in the stock market.

You’ll also need to deal with a registered representative from the carrier to purchase this type of policy.

Whole

The name of the game with a whole life product is permanence.

However, when you deal with a mutual company like Guardian, your whole life policy also has the potential for extra growth.

This is what makes Guardian so enticing for those who need both guarantees and some amount of permanent life insurance coverage.

While not guaranteed, Guardian Life Insurance Company has paid a dividend, which goes into the cash value portion of a whole life policy, every single year going back to 1868.

The rest of the product is fairly straightforward, carrying level premiums, a guaranteed minimum death benefit, and a stated rate of growth.

You also have access to cash via loans or surrender, but they do change how the product will grow in the future.

Brand/Size

One of the oldest life insurance companies in America, Guardian was formed in 1860 by Hugo Wesendonck, with the help of a group of 20 other men.

At the time, the company’s name was Germania Life Insurance Company of America.

The company outgrew the state of New York quite quickly, proceeding to spread across several states in just a matter of years.

In fact, they were doing business across the sea with an office in Europe by 1868, the first U.S. based insurance company to do so.

In 1917, the insurer made its official name change, to Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, the title it has held for over a century.

Less than a decade later, the Guardian switched to being a fully mutual company, meaning stock was no longer offered as ownership.

Thereby, policyholders are the owners, and to this day, Guardian remains one of the most prestigious life insurance companies among the mutual insurers.

By the year 1957, Guardian began offering additional products outside of life insurance, including a major push towards employee benefits.

Over the next 30 years, this push would prove to be a large portion of Guardian’s expansion.

In addition, Long Term Care Insurance (LTCi) is available, along with disability insurance.

Aside from insurance, Guardian also has investment and retirement options available for families and individuals alike, with choices like 401(k), IRA, mutual funds, and annuities.

It continues its group products as well, focusing on dental, disability, and life.

Today, the Guardian has over 9,500 employees and $699 billion of life insurance in force.

Philanthropy

As Guardian has grown in its success, it has given back to the communities it serves.

The Guardian makes strides to assist organizations like:

• United Way
• Habitat for Humanity
• American Cancer Society

Some of their other philanthropic focuses are on empowering people with disabilities, small businesses, and the underserved.

Brand

As one of the oldest insurers in the nation, Guardian is a well-known and reputable brand, adding another level of credibility.

Guardian maintains its brand across several social media platforms.

It has a substantial following and frequently posts and interacts with clients on:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Guardian also posts on YouTube, sharing its commercials and impactful stories showcasing their policyholders and employees.

Consensus

There is a general agreement among the industry and policyholders that Guardian is a solid life insurance provider.

However, the company isn’t always featured as a top provider online. That’s likely due to its mediocre pricing and focus on permanent life insurance.

But based on its financial ratings, J.D. Power score, and other metrics, you can count on the Guardian’s path for long-standing, trusted success.

It has a seasoned history, and its business model continues to be successful through the rising and falling tides of our economy year after year.

If you like to have your insurance and investments in one place, Guardian can help. 

All in all, it’s a solid choice for any policy but more rewarding for applicants looking for permanent coverage with the potential to earn dividends.