National Life Insurance Company

One of the nation’s oldest mutual insurance companies, National Life Group sells term and permanent life policies and retirement products, with average prices and a varied user experience.

Product Availability

Price/Value

What you pay for life insurance depends on a number of factors, like your health, lifestyle, and age.

Because each company has its own standard for assessing risk factors, your rates might look different depending on the carrier you choose.

So it’s important to compare quotes from multiple companies before choosing one.

While National Life may not offer the most competitive prices on the market, the company isn’t known for having outrageous rates.

Because National Life does not offer online quotes, you’ll need to contact an agent to see what rates you could be eligible for.

The company provides the most value to future-forward applicants looking to manage multiple retirement accounts and insurance policies in one place.

Financial Strength

Financial strength is just as important as cost when it comes to comparing life insurance companies.

You need to choose a company you can depend on to to pay out your policy’s benefits.

To gauge financial strength, we can turn to credit ratings and National Life Group’s performance.

The company is rated by three of the four premier rating agencies, securing the scores below:

A.M. Best	A+
Moody’s	A1
Standard & Poor’s	A+

These ratings have resulted in a Comdex score of 90.

The company also has over $39 billion in total assets. Based on their performance and ratings, National Life Group and its subsidiaries are a dependable choice with a promising outlook.

User Experience

Another factor you shouldn’t overlook when comparing companies is user experience.

A life insurance company should make researching, purchasing, and managing a policy as simple as possible.

To assess National Life Group’s user experience, we’ve looked at indicators like consumer-informed reviews, the company’s website, and the application process.

Ratings

Two of the most authoritative rating sources for life insurance companies are J.D. Power and the Better Business Bureau.

Each year, J.D. Power releases its ranking of the nation’s top life insurance carriers based on customer satisfaction.

National Life Group was not included in the most recent survey.

The company has been the subject of complaints and legal action based on its business model, which has been accused of being a pyramid scheme.

Despite these concerns, National Life has earned a solid Better Business Bureau rating.

While National Life Group isn’t BBB-accredited, it has an “A+” rating for customer experience.

Website

If you’re looking to learn more about the company’s history, community initiatives, and financial performance, you’ll find plenty of information online.

However, information on National LIfe’s policies is sparse.

While there are an FAQ page and calculator, there is only a brief description of the company’s actual policies.

National Life Group does not disclose details like face amounts or age requirements for any of its policies and it does not provide online quotes.

Customers can use the company’s website to view policy details, make payments, and access forms for policy changes.

Application

To apply for a policy, or even to get a quote, you’ll need to contact an agent. You can request a call on the company’s website.

The agent will walk you through the application and underwriting process, asking questions about your health and lifestyle.

The company may also access your medical and driving records.

If you’re applying for a small amount of coverage and are in great health, you may qualify for no exam underwriting.

If not, you will also be required to schedule a medical exam at your convenience.

From there, National Life Group’s underwriters will evaluate your results and make a decision.

Your agent will then call you to go over your results and break down your policy details.

Product Availability

National Life Group offers a wide range of term and permanent policy options, detailed below.

Term

Term life insurance gives you temporary coverage in exchange for premium payments.

Term lengths typically range from 10 to 30 years. If you pass away during the term, a death benefit will be paid to your beneficiaries.

These policies come with fixed premiums and a guaranteed death benefit.

Term life is the most popular type of life insurance because of its flexibility and affordable rates.

Universal

Universal life insurance is a suitable choice for long-term needs.

In addition to a death benefit, universal policies offer an interest-bearing cash value account.

With a universal policy, you can adjust your face amount and premiums to fit your changing needs.

National Life Group has three types of universal coverage, with each offering different cash value growth options:

• Universal: A standard universal policy is a conservative option, with a set interest rate determined by the life insurance company.
• Indexed universal: Cash value growth is linked to an index, such as the S&P 500, with a minimum guarantee, allowing for more growth.
• Variable: With growth based on the performance of actual investments, these riskier (and potentially more rewarding) policies must be sold by a registered representative.

Whole

The most expensive type of life insurance, whole life policies offer lifelong coverage in the form of a death benefit and cash value account.

Whole life insurance is all about guarantees, allowing you to lock in your premiums and coverage amount from day one.

With National Life, whole life policyholders also have the potential to earn dividends.

While dividends are not guaranteed, the mutual company typically pays them out annually.

Brand/Size

Dating back to 1848, National Life Group has grown into an integral provider of life insurance over the last two centuries.

In 1855, National Life Group began paying a dividend to all of its participating whole life insurance policyholders, as it has continued to do every year since.

Through the Spanish Influenza, Great Depression, World Wars, and more, National Life Group has persisted.

The company has continued to grow its own brand, while also acquiring others, including Equity Services, Inc. and Sentinel Advisors for investing, and the Life Insurance Company of the Southwest for its insurance division.

In 2020, National Life Group sold $350 million of life insurance.

Outside of the life insurance arena, National Life offers several more financial products to satisfy a wide range of needs within any portfolio.

These include:

• Annuities
• Mutual funds
• IRAs
• Employer-sponsored plans
• And more

Philanthropy

National Life Group’s values are summarized in its motto: “Do Good. Be Good. Make Good.”

The company gives $2 million annually through its foundation, supporting nonprofits nationwide.

It is also committed to ending childhood hunger, partnering with organizations in its home state of Vermont and opening the Do Good Cupboard, which provides toiletries and food to people in need.

Brand Recognition

National Life Group isn’t one of the most well-known brands in the life insurance industry.

However, it has built a strong reputation in its centuries of doing business.

Today, the company primarily utilizes social media to connect with the public, with active accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

Its local charitable initiatives have also helped to grow the company’s brand recognition.

Consensus

In addition to evaluating the National Life Group directly, we’ve factored in other industry experts’ opinions of the company.

While National Life is hailed as a reputable and financially secure choice of insurer, it isn’t often ranked as one of the top life insurance companies overall.

The need to work with an agent to purchase coverage or even get a quote or basic policy details are drawbacks to consider.

Regardless, the National Life Group, National Life Insurance Company, and the Life Insurance Company of the Southwest have shown consistency which few other companies can match.

Their prices are fair, and there are a range of policies to choose from.