What do A.M. Best ratings mean for life insurance carriers?

A.M. Best is the leading credit rating agency for the insurance industry and has been rating carrier financial strength for over 120 years. Their ratings assess a carrier's ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations, particularly the payment of policyholder claims.

The Financial Strength Rating (FSR) scale runs from A++ (Superior) at the top, through A+ (Superior), A (Excellent), A- (Excellent), B++ (Good), B+ (Good), and continues down to levels indicating vulnerability. The top four rating levels—A++, A+, A, and A-—are collectively referred to as "A-rated" in the insurance industry.

When you see "A-rated (A.M. Best)" on this site, it means the carrier holds one of these top four ratings, indicating excellent financial strength and a high likelihood of meeting policyholder obligations over the long term. This is especially important for permanent life insurance policies intended to perform over 20, 30, or 50+ years.

A.M. Best ratings are not a guarantee of future performance, and ratings can change over time—which is why periodic policy reviews that assess carrier health are valuable. Agents in our network work exclusively with A-rated (A.M. Best) carriers.