Prudential life insurance ratings and review 2026

Prudential is the No. 9 life insurance company for 2026. It earned a 4.40 out of 5, standing out most for easy billing and well-rounded coverage options.

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Prudential is the No. 9 life insurance company in our 2026 ranking, and it’s a solid pick if you want dependable coverage from an established brand with a wide mix of term and permanent life options. 

What stands out in the data is how strong Prudential is in billing and long-term relationships. It leads our billing category and has very high “would recommend,” trust, and renewal scores, which suggests that once people become Prudential customers, they tend to stick around. The trade-off is that service and overall satisfaction scores sit in the middle of the pack, not at the very top of our list.

Below is our full review of Prudential, based on third-party metrics (including AM Best, NAIC, where applicable) and our in-depth survey of life insurance customers.

9
Prudential
4.40 Insure.com Score
Ease of service
Customer Survey
NAIC
AM Best Rating
A+
Effective date:
Pros and cons
Pros:
  • Prudential’s $338 average premium is over 11% below the national average, making it a cost-friendly option from a financially strong insurer.
  • Positive billing experience, making it easier to manage payments and avoid surprises throughout the life of the policy.
  • Solid policy offerings, giving buyers a good mix of term and permanent options they can adjust as their needs change.
  • Highly recommended, trust, and renewal scores, showing that many policyholders feel comfortable staying with Prudential for the long term.
  • Flexible underwriting for smokers, making Prudential a competitive choice for people who use tobacco.
Cons:
  • Customer satisfaction scores are mid-range, so the service experience may not feel as seamless as top-ranked carriers.
  • Higher-than-average complaint index score, which may mean some policyholders experience issues when making changes or asking for help
  • Not the best fit for shoppers who want the absolute top scores in service, ease of use, or digital experience.

At a glance: Who Prudential is best for

A good match for:

  • Buyers who want a well-known insurer with steady financial strength and long-term experience
  • People who want flexible underwriting, including smokers who may get better rates here than with competitors
  • Shoppers who prioritize a smooth billing and payment experience

Why people choose Prudential:

  • More than 11% cheaper than the national average, giving shoppers strong value for a financially stable insurer
  • Wide menu of life insurance choices, so you’re not boxed into a single product type as your life changes
  • Strong loyalty among long-time customers, reflected in high trust and high renewal intent
  • Its Term Essential 20 policy balances affordability with accessibility, especially for applicants who use tobacco

Keep in mind:

  • Customer satisfaction and ease-of-service scores are mid-range compared to top competitors
  • Digital experience isn’t as streamlined as some newer, tech-forward insurers

How Prudential scores for customer satisfaction, ease of service, policy offerings, and billing process

Prudential’s survey results show a mixed but meaningful performance across key service categories. It earns positive marks for policy offerings and billing, which suggests its products are well designed and easy to maintain once you’re a policyholder. Billing, in particular, is a standout area. Prudential received the highest score among the compared companies, which reflects smooth payment handling and fewer billing frustrations.

Its ratings for customer satisfaction and ease of service fall in the lower portion of the group, suggesting that the day-to-day experience of making updates or accessing documents may not feel as seamless as that of the top performers. Prudential is dependable, although it is not the highest-rated provider in our rankings.

Here’s how Prudential compares to its competitors:

CompanyCustomer satisfactionEase of servicePolicy offeringsBilling process
Prudential68% 76% 74% 95%
New York Life76% 84%80% 88% 
State Farm72% 78%82%85%
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How Prudential scores for recommendations, trust, and renewals

Prudential performs strongly in long-term confidence measures. High recommendation and trust scores indicate that customers feel good about the coverage they’ve selected and the support they receive. The company also has a strong renewal score, which shows that people who choose Prudential tend to stay with it — a sign of both stability and satisfaction.

These results paint a picture of a company that builds solid, lasting relationships with its policyholders. While Prudential doesn’t top every service category, these loyalty indicators show that customers generally feel supported and confident sticking with their coverage.

Here’s how Prudential compares to its competitors:

CompanyRecommendedTrustworthinessRenewals
Prudential89%94%96%
Mutual of Omaha97%96%97%
State Farm82%88%94%
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How Prudential scores for different age groups

Prudential delivers steady performance across age groups, with most younger buyers rating it well for straightforward coverage and flexibility as their needs change. Middle-aged adults tend to respond positively to Prudential’s mix of term and permanent options, especially if they expect their financial needs to evolve over time. Seniors scored Prudential slightly lower, but still within a strong range, reflecting their comfort with the company’s financial stability and long-term focus.

This pattern indicates that Prudential is well-suited for a wide range of shoppers — especially those in mid-career or planning for increased financial responsibilities. Seniors may want simplicity and predictability when choosing coverage, and Prudential still delivers that, even if its digital or service experience isn’t as strong as top-scoring competitors.

Here’s how Prudential compares to its competitors:

CompanyYoung adultsAdultsSeniors
Prudential72% 76% 73% 
MassMutual70% 86% 84% 
AAA86% 83% 84% 
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How much does Prudential cost compared to competitors?

Prudential’s pricing is solidly competitive. With an average annual premium of $338, it lands more than 11% below the industry average of $382, which can make a noticeable difference over the life of a policy. For shoppers who want a blend of value, brand stability, and flexible coverage options, Prudential offers a strong middle-ground price point.

When looking at similarly performing competitors, Prudential sits in the middle of the pack — not the cheapest, not the most expensive — which allows shoppers to balance cost with coverage options and overall company strength.

CompanyAverage annual premium
Pacific Life$280
Prudential$338
Guardian Life$395
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Types of life insurance offered by Prudential

Prudential offers a range of life insurance options designed to meet different goals and budgets. Availability and details can vary by product and state, but here’s what you can generally expect:

Term life insurance

  • Designed to cover you for a set period, such as 10, 20, or 30 years
  • Often used for income replacement, mortgage protection, or covering years with higher financial responsibilities
  • Some term policies may offer the ability to convert to permanent coverage within certain timeframes, which can be helpful if your needs change

Permanent life insurance options

  • Includes coverage that can last your entire life when premiums are paid as required
  • These policies may build cash value over time, which you can access or borrow against under certain conditions
  • Permanent coverage can be used for long-term goals, such as legacy planning, estate considerations, or helping cover final expenses

Policy riders and customizations

  • Prudential offers riders that let you tailor a policy to your situation, such as options for additional term coverage, benefits if you become seriously ill or disabled, or coverage for children
  • These add-ons can be useful if you want more flexibility without buying a separate policy

States where Prudential offers coverage

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States where Prudential offers coverage
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington, D.C.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
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AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

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How to contact Prudential

Prudential
  • Customer service phone: 800-778-2255
  • Website: prudential.com
  • Mailing address:
    Prudential Insurance Company of America
    751 Broad Street
    Newark, NJ 07102
  • Hours: Customer service is typically available during standard business hours, and online account access is available 24/7.

Methodology

In 2025, Insure.com surveyed more than 2,000 insurance consumers through independent research firm Dynata. Customers named their life insurer and rated it on customer satisfaction, ease of service, policy offerings, billing, and their experience across different applicant types (seniors, middle-aged adults, young adults, people with pre-existing conditions, people who are overweight, and people who prefer no-exam coverage). We also asked whether they planned to keep their policy, would recommend their insurer, and trusted their insurer.

For insurers with enough survey responses, we added:

  • AM Best financial strength ratings, which measure a company’s ability to meet long-term obligations
  • NAIC complaint index scores, calculated using weighted complaint data based on each company’s annual written premium
  • Life insurance rate data from Compulife to assess overall pricing competitiveness, though this wasn’t included in the final score

With guidance from Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., Managing Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, we applied the following weights to determine each company’s final score:

  • Customer survey: 60%
    • 10% customer satisfaction
    • 10% ease of service
    • 10% policy offerings
    • 10% likelihood to recommend
    • 10% likelihood to renew
    • 10% trust
  • AM Best: 25%
  • NAIC complaints: 15%

Each insurer received a rating between 0.5 and 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest performance.

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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor

 
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Nupur Gambhir is an insurance expert and managing editor of Insure.com. She specializes in life and health insurance content, and has experience as a marketing consultant.

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