Washington – September 29, 2026 -- U.S. News & World Report has released its 2027 Life Insurance Companies Awards, naming Nationwide as Best Life Insurance Company Overall for scoring highest across key evaluation metrics.
Five insurers win category-specific honors
MassMutual earns Best Life Insurance Company for Whole Life based on its permanent policy offerings, while Protective takes Best Life Insurance Company for Term Life for its flexible term options. USAA wins Best Life Insurance Company for Seniors for its specialized coverage, and Mutual of Omaha earns Best Life Insurance Company for Customer Service based on policyholder feedback collected in U.S. News' annual survey.
The timing targets fall financial planning season
U.S. News released the awards as families gather for the holidays and reassess their coverage needs. Rachael Brennan, an insurance reporter at U.S. News, said selecting life insurance requires clear, reliable data so policyholders can make informed financial decisions, noting the awards combine empirical industry metrics with direct policyholder feedback.
The methodology draws on nearly 3,100 policy features
U.S. News has evaluated life insurance companies since 2019. For the 2027 awards, researchers reviewed 17 life insurance companies, surveyed 407 policyholders who purchased coverage within the past five years, collected 657 data points from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and analyzed 3,081 company and policy features.
The rankings weigh three factors: customer satisfaction based on policyholder ratings of value, claims and service; company and service features including coverage types, riders and discounts; and cost, comparing baseline sample premiums across coverage levels.