National Life Group Guide [2025 Update]

Understanding Your Life Insurance Options in 2025

Securing the right life insurance policy is a cornerstone of responsible financial planning. It provides peace of mind, knowing your loved ones will be financially protected if the unexpected happens. As you navigate the complex world of insurance, you’ll encounter many established companies, each with its own history, products, and reputation. One name you might come across is National Life Group.

However, choosing an insurance provider isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. What works perfectly for your neighbor might not be the optimal solution for your unique circumstances, financial goals, and family needs. That’s why understanding the landscape, including specific carriers like National Life Group, is important, but working with an independent agency is crucial.

At Insurance By Heroes, we understand the weight of this decision. Founded by a former first responder and military spouse, our agency is built on a foundation of service. Our team, many with backgrounds in public service themselves, brings a unique perspective to insurance. We believe in protecting those who protect others and serving our community with integrity. As an independent agency, we aren’t tied to any single carrier. Instead, we partner with dozens of top-rated insurance companies across the nation. This allows us to shop the market extensively on your behalf, comparing options like those from National Life Group against many others to find the coverage that truly fits your life and budget.

This guide will provide an overview of National Life Group insurance as part of your broader research, updated for 2025. Remember, while this information is helpful, the key takeaway is the importance of personalized comparison. Let’s explore what National Life Group offers, keeping in mind how Insurance By Heroes can help you determine if it’s the right choice within the larger market.

Who is National Life Group? A Brief Overview

National Life Group (NLG) is not a single entity but a trade name representing a group of affiliated insurance and financial services companies. Its history dates back over 175 years, with its charter originating in Vermont in 1848. The member companies of National Life Group include National Life Insurance Company (founded 1848), Life Insurance Company of the Southwest (LSW, founded 1955 and acquired by NLG later), and Equity Services, Inc. (a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser).

NLG positions itself based on its long history and commitment to “Do good, Be good, Make good.” They offer a range of life insurance products and annuities, often emphasizing features like living benefits (riders that allow access to the death benefit under certain circumstances while the insured is still alive).

Understanding a company’s background is useful, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Financial strength, product specifics, pricing, and underwriting practices are equally, if not more, important. And critically, how do these factors stack up against other leading carriers? That’s the comparative analysis Insurance By Heroes provides.

Assessing Financial Strength: Why Ratings Matter

Before diving into specific products, it’s essential to consider the financial stability of any insurance carrier. You want assurance that the company will be around and capable of paying claims decades down the line. Independent rating agencies evaluate insurance companies based on their financial health, claims-paying ability, and overall operational performance.

Common rating agencies include A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), Moody’s, and Fitch. Each uses its own scale, but generally, higher ratings indicate greater financial strength and stability.

As of late 2023 / early 2024, National Life Group’s member life insurance companies (National Life Insurance Company and Life Insurance Company of the Southwest) typically hold strong ratings from major agencies. For instance, A.M. Best has often assigned them ratings in the ‘A’ (Excellent) category. S&P and Moody’s also generally provide solid ratings.

It’s crucial to check the latest ratings directly from the rating agencies’ websites, as these can change. While strong ratings are positive indicators, they don’t automatically mean a specific company or policy is the best fit for *you*. Pricing, policy features, underwriting niches, and customer service experiences also vary significantly across highly-rated companies. Insurance By Heroes helps you weigh these financial ratings alongside all the other factors when comparing quotes from multiple carriers.

National Life Group Insurance Products: A Closer Look

National Life Group offers several types of life insurance policies and annuities through its member companies. Here’s a general overview of their common offerings:

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance provides coverage for a specific period (the “term”), typically 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. If the insured passes away during the term, the policy pays out a death benefit to the beneficiaries. It’s often the most affordable type of life insurance, especially for younger, healthier individuals, providing straightforward protection when financial obligations (like a mortgage or raising children) are highest.

National Life Group offers term life policies, often with the option to convert the policy to permanent coverage later without needing a new medical exam. They might also include certain living benefit riders, sometimes referred to as Accelerated Benefit Riders (ABRs), which could allow early access to a portion of the death benefit if diagnosed with a qualifying chronic, critical, or terminal illness.

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: Term life is fundamental, but the details matter. Is NLG’s pricing competitive for your age and health class compared to other top carriers we represent? Are the conversion options flexible enough? Do the specific definitions and triggers for their living benefit riders align with your potential needs better than those offered by other companies? These are questions we help you answer by running comparisons across our network of insurers.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance designed to provide coverage for your entire life, as long as premiums are paid. It features guaranteed level premiums, a guaranteed death benefit, and guaranteed cash value growth within the policy. The cash value grows tax-deferred and can potentially be borrowed against or withdrawn.

National Life Group offers whole life products that provide these traditional guarantees. Policyholders may also be eligible to receive dividends, though dividends are not guaranteed. These dividends can typically be taken in cash, used to reduce premiums, left to accumulate interest, or used to purchase additional paid-up insurance.

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: Whole life offers guarantees, which can be appealing for long-term planning like estate preservation or final expenses. However, it comes at a higher premium cost than term life. Is whole life the right *type* of permanent insurance for you, or might a Universal Life policy offer more flexibility? If whole life is suitable, is NLG’s offering the most cost-effective way to achieve your goals compared to other highly-rated carriers specializing in whole life? We analyze these options side-by-side.

Universal Life (UL) Insurance

Universal life insurance is another form of permanent coverage, offering more flexibility than whole life. Policyholders typically have the ability to adjust their premium payments (within certain limits) and potentially alter the death benefit amount. Cash value growth is credited based on current interest rates declared by the company, subject to a minimum guarantee.

NLG provides UL policies that offer this flexibility. They often emphasize features like living benefit riders and potentially different death benefit options (e.g., level or increasing).

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: The flexibility of UL can be attractive, but it requires careful management to ensure the policy doesn’t lapse, especially if paying minimum premiums. Understanding how interest rates are credited and how policy charges are deducted is vital. Is the minimum interest rate guarantee competitive? How do the internal costs compare to UL policies from other carriers? Insurance By Heroes helps demystify these complex policies and compares illustrations from NLG and other providers to project long-term performance based on your funding plans.

Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Insurance

Indexed Universal Life is a variation of universal life where cash value growth is linked to the performance of a stock market index (like the S&P 500), without directly investing in the market. Growth potential is typically subject to caps (maximum growth rate) and participation rates (percentage of index gain credited), but also includes a floor (often 0%), protecting against market losses.

National Life Group is known for its IUL products and often highlights their potential for cash value accumulation tied to market indexes, alongside living benefits and death benefit protection. They may offer various indexing strategies and crediting methods.

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: IUL policies are complex financial instruments. The potential for higher returns than traditional UL comes with intricacies like caps, participation rates, and segment durations that significantly impact actual performance. Illustrations often show hypothetical scenarios based on past index performance, which is not indicative of future results. It is absolutely critical to compare IUL illustrations from multiple carriers, understanding the assumptions used. Insurance By Heroes, with access to dozens of carriers, can secure illustrations from NLG and competitors, explaining the differences in caps, participation rates, fees, and loan provisions to help you make an informed decision. Not every IUL is structured the same, and one carrier’s design might be far more suitable for your risk tolerance and goals than another’s.

Annuities

While primarily focused on life insurance here, it’s worth noting that National Life Group also offers various annuity products (fixed, fixed indexed). Annuities are contracts designed primarily for retirement income, providing tax-deferred growth and payout options.

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: Annuities serve different financial goals than life insurance. If you’re exploring annuities, the same principle applies: comparison is key. As an independent agency, Insurance By Heroes can help you explore annuity options from multiple carriers if that aligns with your financial strategy, ensuring you understand the features, fees, surrender charges, and income potential across the market.

Living Benefits: A Common Feature

National Life Group often promotes its “Living Benefits” or Accelerated Benefit Riders (ABRs). These riders are commonly available on many of their term and permanent life insurance policies, often at no additional upfront premium cost (though accessing benefits will reduce the death benefit and may have administrative fees).

These riders typically allow the policyholder to access a portion of their death benefit while still living if they experience a qualifying event, such as:

• Terminal Illness: Diagnosis with a condition expected to result in death within a specified period (e.g., 12 or 24 months).
• Chronic Illness: Inability to perform a certain number of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) or severe cognitive impairment requiring substantial supervision.
• Critical Illness/Injury: Diagnosis of a specified major condition like heart attack, stroke, cancer, kidney failure, major organ transplant, etc. (Specific covered conditions vary by policy and state).

The Insurance By Heroes Perspective: Living benefits can provide crucial financial relief during difficult health challenges. However, the specifics of these riders vary significantly between insurance companies. Key differences can include:

• The precise definitions of qualifying illnesses and triggers.
• The maximum percentage or dollar amount of the death benefit that can be accelerated.
• The calculation method used to determine the payout amount (it’s often less than the face amount accelerated due to actuarial adjustments).
• Any waiting periods or limitations.
• Whether the riders are automatically included or need to be added.

While NLG prominently features living benefits, many other top carriers we work with at Insurance By Heroes also offer robust ABRs. We help clients compare the exact terms and conditions of these riders across multiple insurers to see which company’s offering provides the most comprehensive and suitable protection based on their potential concerns.

Potential Strengths and Considerations for National Life Group Insurance

Based on product offerings and market presence, here are some potential strengths and points to consider when evaluating National Life Group, always keeping in mind that these need context through comparison:

Potential Strengths:

• Long History: Over 175 years in the business suggests stability and experience.
• Financial Strength Ratings: Historically strong ratings from major agencies provide confidence in their claims-paying ability.
• Focus on Living Benefits: Prominent inclusion of ABRs on many policies can be attractive for those concerned about the financial impact of major health issues.
• Range of Products: Offers various types of life insurance (Term, Whole, UL, IUL) and annuities to suit different needs.
• IUL Offerings: Known in the market for their Indexed Universal Life products.

Points to Consider:

• Pricing Competitiveness: Like any carrier, NLG’s pricing may be more or less competitive depending on the specific product, age, health class, and coverage amount compared to other insurers. Term life, in particular, is highly price-sensitive.
• IUL Complexity: While potentially offering higher growth, IUL policies require a thorough understanding of caps, participation rates, floors, and illustration assumptions. Performance depends heavily on these factors and future market conditions.
• Dividend History (Whole Life): While eligible for dividends, they are not guaranteed. Comparing historical dividend performance across companies can be complex but relevant for long-term projections.
• Underwriting Niches: Every company has specific health or lifestyle factors they view more or less favorably. NLG might be a great fit for one health profile but less competitive for another.
• Not Always the Best Fit: No single company, including National Life Group, is the best choice for everyone. Their strengths might align with some needs, but another carrier could offer better value, more suitable riders, or more favorable underwriting for your specific situation.

The Insurance By Heroes Role: This is precisely where our value lies. We take these potential strengths and considerations and test them against the market for *you*. Does NLG’s history translate into better value *for you* today? Are their living benefits truly superior *for your potential needs* compared to Carrier X or Carrier Y? Is their IUL illustration more realistic or advantageous *for your risk tolerance* than competitors? As an independent agency founded by individuals dedicated to service—a former first responder and military spouse—Insurance By Heroes digs into these details across dozens of carriers to find your optimal match.

Who Might Consider National Life Group? (And Why Comparison is Still Vital)

Certain customer profiles might find National Life Group’s offerings potentially appealing, prompting further investigation (which should always involve comparison):

• Individuals prioritizing robust living benefit riders and wanting them integrated into their life insurance policy.
• Those interested specifically in Indexed Universal Life and attracted to NLG’s particular indexing options and features (after careful comparison of illustrations and contract details).
• People looking for permanent coverage (Whole Life or Universal Life) from a company with a long history and strong financial ratings.
• Clients whose specific health profile or lifestyle happens to align favorably with NLG’s underwriting guidelines compared to other carriers.

However, even if you fall into one of these categories, it is absolutely essential to compare National Life Group against other leading insurers. Why? Because:

• Another carrier might offer equally strong (or even better defined) living benefits at a lower premium.
• A different company’s IUL might have more favorable caps, participation rates, or lower internal costs, potentially leading to better long-term cash value performance.
• Another highly-rated insurer could offer more competitive pricing for traditional Whole Life or Term insurance.
• Your specific health condition might receive a better underwriting class (and thus lower premiums) from a different company specializing in that niche.

Never assume one company is the default choice. The insurance market is vast and competitive. Insurance By Heroes accesses this market for you, ensuring you don’t just find *an* option, but the *best* option available for your unique circumstances.

The Insurance By Heroes Advantage: Service, Choice, and Expertise

Choosing life insurance is too important for guesswork or settling for the first option presented. Working with an independent agency like Insurance By Heroes offers significant advantages over going directly to a single carrier or using a captive agent who only represents one company.

Our Foundation of Service: Insurance By Heroes was founded by a former first responder and military spouse. Our team includes professionals with similar backgrounds in public service. This isn’t just a job for us; it’s an extension of our commitment to serving and protecting others. We understand the unique needs and concerns of families, especially those in service professions, but we bring that same dedication to every client.

Unbiased Market Access: We partner with dozens of the nation’s top-rated insurance carriers, including well-known names and specialized providers you might not discover on your own. This means we can compare policies like those from National Life Group against a wide array of competitors.

Personalized Needs Analysis: We don’t just sell policies; we provide solutions. We take the time to understand your financial situation, your family’s needs, your long-term goals, and your budget. This allows us to recommend the right type and amount of coverage.

Tailored Comparisons: Based on your needs, we gather quotes and policy illustrations from multiple suitable carriers. We then walk you through the comparisons, explaining the differences in premiums, features, riders (like living benefits), cash value potential (for permanent policies), and underwriting considerations.

Advocacy and Support: From application through underwriting and beyond, we act as your advocate. We help navigate the process, answer your questions, and ensure you receive the best possible offer. Our commitment extends beyond the initial sale; we’re here for ongoing service and reviews.

Why settle for the limitations of one company when you can have a dedicated team, rooted in service, shop the entire market for you? Whether National Life Group insurance ends up being the right fit or another carrier offers a better solution, you can be confident you made an informed decision with Insurance By Heroes.

Take Control of Your Financial Future Today

Reviewing your life insurance needs is a proactive step towards securing your family’s financial well-being. Understanding options like those offered by National Life Group is part of the process, but realizing that it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle is crucial.

The most effective way to ensure you get the right coverage at the best possible value is to work with an independent agency that puts your interests first. At Insurance By Heroes, our public service background informs our client-first approach. We leverage our relationships with dozens of carriers to compare features, benefits, and costs, finding the policy that aligns perfectly with your unique situation.

Don’t navigate the complexities of life insurance alone or limit your options to a single provider. Let the dedicated team at Insurance By Heroes use their expertise and market access to find your ideal solution.

Ready to see how policies from National Life Group and dozens of other top carriers stack up for you? It takes just a minute to get started. Fill out the quote request form on this page, and one of our knowledgeable, service-oriented professionals will begin crafting personalized comparisons designed specifically for your needs. Secure your peace of mind today.