
Replacing Employer-Sponsored Life Insurance plan with Manhattan Life
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By James Tobin, CFP®
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Disclosure
Please note Workers Bequest life Insurance is not in any way affiliated with Manhattan Life. This article is our personal review of the term life insurance product offered through Manhaatan Life as well as alternatives. If you are looking to contact Lincoln Heritage directly, call them at (800) 877-7705. If you are looking for a lost policy, contact the NAIC policy locator service for help.

Manhattan Life Insurance Carrier Specifics
Policy Options | Term, Universal Life, Whole Life |
Term Lengths | 15,20,30 |
Riders | Available |
Ratings | A+ - A.M. Best |
States | All States |
Pricing | Less Competitive |
Customer Service | |
Issue Age | 18-60 |
Min. Coverage | $25K |
No Exam Option | Yes |
Expert Review Of THE MANHATTAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

Reviewed by
Jim Tobin, CFP®
Why you can trust this review
At Workers Bequest Life Insurance, we value our editorial independence. We keep our reviews strictly factual so you can use them to make informed decisions. Life insurance carriers referred to on this site do not approve reviews.
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company is a member of The Manhattan Life financial services family.
This review will address company history, financial ratings, and the positives and negatives of Manhattan Life Insurance Company.
Additionally it will address some specific situations where it may make more sense to go outside the The Manhattan Life family of products.
The goal here is to help you get a proper upgrade from an Employer-Sponsored Life Insurance plan and help you choose a more befitting Life Insurance plan.
Manhattan Life Insurance Company History
Founded in 1850, and recognized for reliably paying the widowed wives of Union soldiers, Manhattan Life Insurance Company is now part of the multi- Billion dollar The Manhattan Life enterprise. While Manhattan life only accounts for about 100 MM in premiums, it continues to grow due to both workplace benefits and its' affiliate companies.
Although the primary focus of Manhattan life has drifted from individual life insurance policies to work place benefits, the carrier still offers individual policies that are revered within the industry for catering to underserved niches.
Manhattan Life Insurance Company Ratings
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company strong ratings for financial stability. This indicates that the company is in strong position to meet it's obligations going forward.
- A.M. Best Company: The Manhattan Life rating given by A.M. Best was an B++ (Good).
- Moody's Ratings: n/a
- S&P Ratings- n/a
- Comdex Score- n/a
While AM Best list B++ as "good". It is below the general standard for financial ratings that Workers Bequest Life Insurance sets for the carriers we recommend. However, if you are in a specific niche that Manhattan Life fits we are willing to make an exception.
Manhattan Life Insurance Company Products
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company offers term insurance and whole life insurance.
Term Life Insurance
Manhattan life is mostly known on the individual side for offering no exam policies. The no exam term policies available are
- Family Protecting EZ - 15 to 30 year terms.
- Viva Life Family - 15 to 20 year term, dependent on age of applicant.
- Viva Life Professional - 15 to 20 year term, depending on age.
- Viva Living Benefit - 15 to 20 year term, depending on age.
- Mortgage Protection Insurance MCI Gold - 15 to 30 year terms.
Manhattan life also offers a fully underwritten term policy (exam required) which offers better pricing in exchange for taking an exam. The no exam policies have coverage amounts ranging from 25K-250K and the fully underwritten will go much higher.
Whole Life
The whole life product line up mirrors the term line up in many ways in that there is a low limit ($100,000) no exam option and a higher limit (3MM) fully underwritten option. Respectively, these products are Viva Lifetime & Family Premier.
Other products of The Manhattan Life Insurance Company
As well as it's individual life insurance products, it also Medicare supplements and group insurance, such as , group accident, group disability, group retirement health care insurance.
Additionally, Manhattan Life does a robust business in the workplace voluntary market. These products range from critical care and cancer insurance to dental and vision coverage.
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company is known for innovative employee benefit products and is a leader in the employee benefit market place.
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company Rates and Quotes
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company markets it's products both directly though it's agents and independent agents.
Because most independent agents don't use Manhattan Life unless they have a niche clientele, it can be difficult to obtain rates for Manhattan Life products without speaking to a Manhattan Life agent. There is no quote path available on the carrier website.
Are The Manhattan Life Insurance Company Voluntary rates competitive?
Not likely.
Probably not the answer you were looking for, I know. It is however, the truth.
It has been our experience at Workers Bequest Life Insurance that carriers who do not make apples to apples comparisons easy are not competitive. While there may be an exception to this rule f thumb, the reality is that carriers who are among the price leaders make it easy for you to find out.
Price busters, like Banner Life, Protective and Lincoln are consistently much less expensive than carriers who don't offer on line rates. In fact, even impaired risk carriers like Prudential are usually less costly.
Cases where The Manhattan Life Insurance Company is not a great choice
If you have a specific condition, you are best off speaking with an independent agent to find out which carrier will give you the best chance to get approved at a great rate that will last beyond employment with your current employer.
That being said, if you fit into a niche that Manhattan Life serves ,such as not having a social security number, than Manhattan Life can be a savior.
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company Suicide Exclusions
The 2 year suicide clause that is part of all life insurance policies in the United States, is the same. (Note that some states use a 1 year exclusion)
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company Customer Service
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners reports a complaint index of 1.22 for Manhattan life (2018). This is slightly above the national average of 1 percent
Additionally, while The Manhattan Life Insurance Company is not rated by JD Power & Assoc., it has a BBB rating of A+.
Manhattan Life:
Address:10777 Northwest Freeway
Houston, TX 77092
Phone:(800) 877-7705
Web:https://www.manhattanlife.com
The Manhattan Life Insurance Company
Review Final Verdict
If you have notable health impairment(s), you will likely be better suited by shopping around on the open market and then comparing what you find to the Manhattan Life insurance rate. Moreover, having the use of an independent expert who can send your application to a carrier that is likely to view you in the best possible light has value that The Manhattan Life carrier can't offer. However, if you are hit a certain niche, coverage from Manhattan Life is a home run.
Finally, we are glad about the efforts you've made on checking out for a better upgrade for your Employer Sponsored Life Insurance Plan and finally decided on Workers Bequest. We are committed to a totally transparent process (we'll even share our computer screen with you if you'd like), and making the application process as painless as possible.
Simply give us a call or send us an email so we can get you started. If you have any questions, We'd also like to hear them.