Current Dividend Rates for Mutual Life Insurance Companies

March 4, 2012 - PRLog -- One of a number of factors you should consider is the company’s dividend rate, both current and historic.  The dividend of a company consists of an investment component, a mortality component, and an expense component.  Below are the 2012 dividend rates for the five major mutual companies.

Mass Mutual                    7.00%
Guardian                          6.95%
Northwestern Mutual     5.85%
New York Life                  5.80%
Met Life                             5.50%

A second factor to consider is the company’s Comdex rating.  The Comdex rating is actually not a rating but the composite of a company’s ratings from the four major rating services (Fitch, AM Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor) for financial strength, based on a scale of 1-100.  A company is considered extremely safe when the Comdex rating is over 96.

New York Life                  100
Northwestern Mutual     100
Guardian                            99
Mass Mutual                      98
Met Life                               96

It is worth noting that over the last 10 years during very difficult economic conditions, Guardian has had 5 years in which their dividend has increased.  Mass Mutual has had 4 such years.  The other companies, Northwestern Mutual, New York Life and Met Life, have had zero.

A dividend is not the rate of return on a policy but does have a major influence.  These two factors combined should help you make an informed decision when purchasing whole life insurance.

Please visit http://www.wholelifeinsurance.com to discuss your unique personal situation.

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