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Prudential vs. MetLife life insurance

MetLife offers a dynamic product selection, while Prudential's rock-solid finances are best-in-class.

Amy Stoltenberg
Amy Stoltenberg

Updated

Fact checked
Compare costs Who wins

These two mammoth providers offer term and universal coverage. But a policy with MetLife is only available through your employee unless you opt for its Brighthouse Financial brand. Compare availability, price point and customer satisfaction before making your final pick.

What is Brighthouse Financial? MetLife launched Brighthouse Financial in 2017 as a way to offer individuals life insurance policies outside of an employer. Worth $223 billion in assets, Brighthouse Financial holds over 2.3 million life insurance policies. Today, MetLife and Brighthouse Financial operate completely separately, though MetLife is the largest shareholder of Brighthouse Financial, holding 20% of its common stock.

Life insurance products

MetLife’s products run the gamut of what’s out there, while Prudential zeros in on term, universal and variable plans.

Product
Description
Prudential
MetLife
Term Most affordable option and beneficiaries get paid if you die before the policy ends
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Whole Set premiums and a benefit that builds cash value over time
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Universal Flexible premiums and a benefit that builds cash value over time
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Variable Flexible premiums, plus a range of investment options to grow cash over time
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Final expense Meant to cover end-of-life expenses, such as a funeral
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Costs

The exact cost of your life insurance policy depends on personal factors such as your age, health and gender. MetLife doesn’t publish information about its rates, so you’ll need to contact an agent to get a quote.

Here’s a glimpse of Prudential’s average monthly rates, depending on your age and gender.

Nonsmokers: Policy amount $250,000

Gender Age
Prudential
MetLife
Male 20
$22.53
N/A
Male 30
$20.34
N/A
Male 40
$24.50
N/A
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Gender Age
Prudential
MetLife
Female 20
$15.97
N/A
Female 30
$17.21
N/A
Female 40
$22.53
N/A
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Smokers: Policy amount $250,000

Gender Age
Prudential
MetLife
Male 20
$39.38
N/A
Male 30
$45.28
N/A
Male 40
$75.69
N/A
Get quotes for similar brands from Policygenius
Gender Age
Prudential
MetLife
Female 20
$28.66
N/A
Female 30
$36.97
N/A
Female 40
$62.13
N/A
Get quotes for similar brands from Policygenius

Rates include all states except New York and Montana. Quotacy data is valid as of May 2018.

Compare life insurance rates

Compare quotes for life insurance policies starting at $15/month.

Policy riders

Life insurance riders fill in the gaps where regular coverage might fall short. Browse the riders offered by Prudential and MetLife to ensure they have what you’re looking for.

Prudential
MetLife
Accelerated death benefit
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Accidental death
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Disability waiver of premium
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Chronic and terminal care
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Cash value
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Child Protection
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Survivorship (joint policies)
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Guaranteed policy split (joint policies)
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Estate protection (joint policies)
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*While MetLife doesn’t offer child protection riders, its Dependent Term Life plan can provide coverage for eligible children.

While MetLife doesn’t offer child protection riders, its Dependent Term Life plan can provide coverage for eligible children. Also, MetLife falls short on joint policy riders because it does not, in fact, offer joint policies.

Comparisons based on data available July 2019

Financial strength

Credit rating agencies analyze the health of a provider by looking at financial stability, operational excellence and risk management strategies. Here’s how MetLife and Prudential stack up:

Prudential
MetLife
 Winner
A.M. Best A+ A Prudential
Moody’s AA- A3 Prudential
Standard & Poor’s Aa3 A+ Prudential
Fitch AA- A Prudential
JD Power About average Better than most MetLife

Customer reviews

Prudential and MetLife’s Better Business Bureau profiles lend an idea of how responsible its customer service team is toward customer complaints:

BBB Rating Customer Reviews Overall
Prudential D- 1 out of 5 stars The BBB records 69 complaints over the past three years, but Prudential hasn’t responded to all of them — which is the reason behind its poor rating.
MetLife A+ 1 1/3 out of 5 stars Of 502 complaints issued over the last 3 years, MetLife has resolved each one. This high level of responsiveness earns it an “A+” rating.

Bottom line

Prudential and MetLife are both stable insurers with a solid industry reputation, but MetLife is only available through an employer. If either option doesn’t suit your needs, compare life insurance providers to find a better fit.

Compare life insurance companies

Name Product Issue age Minimum Coverage Maximum Coverage Term Lengths Medical Exam Required
Prudential
Prudential
18 - 75 years old
$100,000
$10,000,000
10, 15, 20, 30 years
Yes
Customize your term life insurance with a long list of life and disability riders. Get a free quote on Policygenius.
Go to site
More Info
Transamerica
Transamerica
18 - 75 years old
$25,000
$10,000,000
10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years
Depends on policy
Purchase a policy worth anywhere from $25,000 to $10 million, with the option to skip the medical exam. Get a free quote on Policygenius.
Go to site
More Info
MassMutual
MassMutual
18 - 80 years old
$2,000
$10,000,000
10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years
Depends on policy
Purchase term life insurance up to age 80 with Finder's #1 ranked company. Get a free quote from this A+ rated insurer on Policygenius.
Go to site
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AIG
AIG
20 - 85 years old
$5,000
$2,000,000
10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years
Yes
Buy term life insurance all the way up to age 85, and choose a policy that lasts up to an incredible 35 years. Get a free quote on Policygenius.
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More Info
John Hancock
John Hancock
18 - 65 years old
$25,000
$1,000,000
10, 15, 20 years
Depends on policy
Score a low rate on term life insurance with discounts and rewards for your healthy habits. Get a free quote on Policygenius.
Go to site
More Info
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