Laura Longero is a content strategist and communications leader with more than 15 years of experience in content development in journalism, marketing and communications for start-ups to global companies. She started her career as a reporter and editor and honed her journalistic skills at the USA Today Network, working in several roles, as well as managing content and writing at MoneyGeek and XYZ Media.
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.
Why you can trust Insure.com
Quality Verified
Although it may not have the same level of name recognition as some other life insurance companies, TIAA-CREF Life Insurance, the life insurance unit of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America — more commonly known as TIAA — has a long and distinguished history that was founded to help teachers optimize their retirement.
Famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie founded TIAA as the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association in 1918. CREF, the College Retirement Equities Fund, came into existence in 1952. It was created in that year to introduce the world’s first variable annuity.
Together, TIAA-CREF offers consumers today a broad range of financial products:
The company offers both term life and permanent life policies. Its plans include level term life insurance, annual renewable term life insurance, universal life insurance and variable universal life insurance.
Unlike publicly traded firms, CREF is a nonprofit entity, while TIAA is a stock life insurance company that pays dividends to policyholders. In addition, life insurance customers are served by a company that has received high marks for customer service and overall corporate culture.
Founded more than 100 years ago, TIAA, serves 5 million active and retired individuals. It employs nearly 8,000 workers at its 80 local offices. The company headquarters are located in New York City.