American National
American National offers term, cwhole, universal, guaranteed universal, and indexed universal life insurance. From this selection of policies, customers should be able to find a policy that meets their needs.
American National’s policies are available in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. American National was founded in 1905 and has earned high financial ratings from A.M. Best and Standard and Poor’s.
The Good
- Term Life Insurance Policies
- Permanent Life Insurance Policy Variety
Term Life Insurance Policy Variety
American National’s term policies come in lengths of 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 years with consistent premiums throughout the term. With these term length options, you can find a policy that meets your coverage needs.
Permanent Life Insurance Policy Variety
American National offers whole life insurance, universal life insurance, and indexed universal life insurance
Whole life insurance comes with a fixed premium and the ability to grow cash value from the policy that can be borrowed against in some cases. The whole life policies also have a guaranteed death benefit because the benefit is fixed. The additional cash value of the policy can change over time, but the death benefit will remain the same.
American National's universal life insurance policy has more flexible premiums and the ability to adjust the death benefit. It also accrues cash value that can be used for loans. If the loans are not repaid, it will affect the death benefit value.
American National’s universal life insurance policies can also be customized with the following riders:
- Disability premium waivers
- Life insurance coverage for children
The accelerated death benefit rider makes early payouts of the death benefit in the event the insured is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The accelerated benefit can be used to cover medical expenses.
Indexed universal life insurance policies have some of the same features and optional riders as universal life insurance policies. The main difference is that the policy funds are not directly invested in the stock market, so the risk is lower.
Guaranteed universal life policies offers additional flexibility by allowing you to opt for coverage through a certain age or a lifetime. You can also add a Guaranteed Cash-Out Rider that allows you to end your coverage and access some of your policy's value. It also includes an accelerated death benefit.
The Bad
- Insufficient Customer Reviews
- Limited Online Information
- No Online Quotes or Application
Insufficient Customer Reviews
American National reviews on BestCompany.com are few, so conclusions about the customer experience are not available. However, it is promising that a majority of the current reviews are positive.
Limited Online Information
American National’s website provides a good overview of the kinds of life insurance policies it has. It is unclear whether or not a medical exam is required as part of the underwriting process. For further information about life insurance rates, plan specifics, and the underwriting process, potential clients must reach out to American National directly.
No Online Quotes or Application
With American National, you must work with an agent to learn more information about policy costs and complete an application for coverage. It's helpful to have direct experience from an insurance agent as you go through the application process.
However, if you prefer an online quote and application process, you'll need to consider another life insurance company.
The Bottom Line
American National is worth considering for its high financial strength ratings and selection of permanent life insurance policies. The insurance company prides itself on offering personal service through its insurance agents.
Policyholders benefit from this personal service. However, those interested in a fully online quote and application process will need to find another insurer.
Although additional details on policies and pricing would be nice to have online, American National is a good option when choosing life insurance.
