Prudential Life Insurance Review 2026


Prudential offers term and permanent life insurance policies with living benefit riders and flexible underwriting guidelines.

Read our Prudential life insurance review below.

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Updated: January 16, 2026

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At a Glance: Prudential Life Insurance

Company Image
Prudential
MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
4.2/5Affordability
3.4/5Customer Experience
4.8/5Coverage Points
  • Average Monthly Cost

    $48 (F), $61 (M)
  • Average Annual Cost

    $578 (F), $735 (M)
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MoneyGeek’s Take: Is Prudential Right for You?

Prudential fits buyers who need flexible underwriting, policy customization or access to living benefit riders. It works well for applicants managing chronic health conditions, variable income or long-term planning needs.

MoneyGeek includes Prudential among insurers that offer the best life insurance with living benefits and life insurance for people with diabetes, reflecting its underwriting flexibility and rider availability.

Prudential Life Insurance Products

Prudential offers term and permanent life insurance policies designed for income replacement, estate planning and long-term financial strategies. Its lineup emphasizes adjustable premiums, conversion flexibility and early-access benefits while maintaining strong claims-paying ability.

Term Life Insurance Options

Term life insurance provides temporary coverage with level premiums and conversion features. These policies serve families, business owners and individuals seeking predictable protection.

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    Prudential EssentialTerm Val

    Focuses on affordability with level premiums and straightforward term lengths. It includes conversion options and selected riders for policyholders who want cost control without long-term commitments.

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    Prudential EssentialTerm Plus

    Adds expanded conversion features designed for long-range planning. The policy supports policyholders who expect changing coverage needs later in life.

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    Term Essential

    Offers level premiums and optional riders that add flexibility during the policy term. It also allows access to living benefit features under qualifying conditions.

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    PruTerm One

    Uses annual renewable terms with premiums that reset each year. Businesses and short-term buyers often use this structure for temporary obligations.

Whole Life Insurance Options

Prudential whole life insurance focuses on final expense planning with permanent coverage. Policies include fixed premiums and a guaranteed death benefit.

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    Final Expense Whole Life

    Final expense insurance provides lifelong coverage designed to help pay funeral and burial costs. Premiums remain fixed, and coverage stays in force as long as payments continue.

Universal Life Insurance Options

Universal life insurance offers permanent coverage with flexible premiums and cash value potential, allowing you to adjust payments and death benefits within policy limits.

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    PruLife Essential UL

    Includes flexible premiums with no-lapse guarantees when funding requirements are met. Optional riders allow you to tailor coverage for health-related needs.

Cash value growth isn't guaranteed and depends on policy performance, fees, and market conditions.

Indexed Universal

Indexed universal life insurance credits interest based on market indexes while limiting downside exposure. Cash value growth depends on index performance and policy limits.

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    PruLife Founders Plus Indexed UL

    Offers fixed and indexed crediting strategies within one policy. Built-in downside limits help reduce the impact of market declines.

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    Prudential Momentum IUL

    Offers cash value growth through multiple indexed strategies. The policy suits long-term planners comfortable with performance-based crediting.

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    PruLife Survivorship Index UL

    Covers two insured individuals under one policy and pays a death benefit after both have passed away. Policyholders often use it for estate liquidity and wealth transfer strategies tied to indexed interest crediting.

Indexed Variable Universal

Indexed variable universal life combines index-linked crediting with variable investment options. Policyholders balance growth potential with higher risk exposure.

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    FlexGuard Life IVUL

    Has growth strategies that use buffers and floors. You can access cash values while managing downside risk.

Variable Universal

Variable universal life insurance allows direct exposure to investment subaccounts with higher growth and risk potential.

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    VUL Protector

    Keeps lifetime death benefit coverage in force with required premium funding. It emphasizes stability of coverage while allowing limited exposure to investment subaccounts.

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    PruLife Custom Premier II

    Supports higher face amounts and flexible premium designs tailored to complex planning needs. Financial professionals typically structure this policy for people seeking customization and investment-linked cash value growth.

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    PruLife SVUL Protector

    Insures two individuals under one policy. The policy focuses on maintaining death benefit coverage while offering access to variable investment options.

Prudential Life Insurance Riders

Riders allow you to tailor coverage based on health and family needs.

Rider
Description

Waiver of Premium

Keeps coverage active if disability prevents payments

Accidental Death Benefit

Pays an additional benefit for qualifying accidental death

Children’s Protection Rider

Adds term coverage for eligible dependent children

Terminal Illness Rider

Allows early access to the death benefit after diagnosis

Living Needs Benefit

Accelerates death benefit for qualifying medical conditions

Rider availability varies by state. Contact Prudential or a licensed agent to confirm which riders are available in your location.

How Much is a Prudential Life Insurance Policy?

Prudential life insurance costs vary based on age, health, coverage amount, policy type and underwriting method. Term policies have lower premiums, while permanent policies cost more due to lifetime coverage and cash value features. Medical exams, tobacco use and selected riders also affect pricing.

Data filtered by:
20 years
Select
Male
No
$100,000$17$205
$250,000$34$410
$500,000$61$735
$750,000$88$1,060
$1,000,000$108$1,301
$1,500,000$158$1,904
$2,000,000$209$2,518
$3,000,000$309$3,723

Life insurance rates and availability vary by state, age, health and other factors. Rates shown are estimates based on our survey methodology and may not reflect your actual premium. This review is for informational purposes only and isn't insurance advice. Consult with licensed insurance professionals for personalized recommendations.

How to Buy a Prudential Life Insurance Policy

You can buy a Prudential life insurance policy through a licensed agent or financial professional. The process begins with selecting a policy type and coverage amount. Applicants complete a health questionnaire, and some policies require a medical exam.

Prudential also offers accelerated underwriting for eligible applicants. Once underwriting finishes, your coverage begins after premium payment.

Ongoing policy management remains available through agents and online account access.

Prudential's Life Insurance Claims Process

Prudential lets beneficiaries file life insurance claims online, by phone or through an agent. Claimants submit a death certificate and policy information.

After review, Prudential pays approved claims as a lump sum or structured option based on policy terms. Claim timelines depend on documentation completeness.

Visit https://www.prudential.com/personal/life-insurance/file-a-life-insurance-claim for more information.

Prudential vs. Other Life Insurance Companies

MoneyGeek Score
4.1/5
4.7/5
4.5/5
4.7/5
4.6/5
Policy Types
Term, Final Expense (Whole), Universal,
IUL, VUL, Indexed Variable Universal
Term, Whole, Universal, IUL
Term, Whole, Universal, IUL
Term, Whole, IUL
Term, Whole, Universal
No-Exam Policies?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NAIC Complaint Index
10.63
N/A
N/A
N/A
0.08
J.D. Power Score
626 (17th)
653 (ninth)
666 (fifth)
N/A
685 (second)
A.M. Best Rating
A+
A+
A+
A+
A++
Customer Sentiment
18.18% positive, 81.82% negative
82% positive, 18% negative
77% positive, 23% negative
95.33% positive, 4.67% negative
90% positive, 10% negative

Prudential Life Insurance Company Review: Bottom Line

Prudential has a diverse life insurance product portfolio. Strong financial ratings support its policies, while living benefits and flexible underwriting appeal to buyers with complex needs.  Our Prudential life insurance review also found the insurer to be one of the best companies for people with diabetes. It also ranks among the top insurers with living benefits.

Comparing Prudential with other life insurance companies can help you evaluate coverage options and pricing.

Compare Insurance Rates

Ensure you are getting the best rate for your insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Prudential Life Insurance Policies: FAQ

Does Prudential offer no-exam life insurance?
Can Prudential term life insurance convert to permanent coverage?
Do Prudential life insurance policies pay dividends?

How We Rated Prudential Life Insurance

Choosing life insurance requires balancing current coverage needs with long-term premium costs. We built this Prudential life insurance review around the three decisions that matter most when you're comparing quotes: monthly cost, how the company treats customers during claims, and whether coverage options match your family's situation.

We weighted affordability at 55%, customer experience at 30% and coverage options at 15% because flexibility matters when your income, dependents, or health status changes.

Our sample profile: 40-year-old male nonsmoker, 5'9", 160 pounds, average health rating. We adjusted age, gender, height, weight, tobacco use, and health rating to see how Prudential prices policies as circumstances shift.

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About Mark Fitzpatrick


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Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.


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