Whole Life Comparison

[DHK]

Who do you want to work with over the long haul? Is there anything about the relationship that can stand out to you? Everything being equal... the relationship and professionalism should win your business.

 

[coachd]

I would not always go with initial thoughts on relationship. I have seen way to many people come to me with things in the past and told me it is all ok since "you name the person" and I have a great relationship and they have my utmost trust. To find out they were not doing the right thing.
I think professionalism is key. If they are they will know what is right and do what is right. From there you build that relationship over the long haul.
That all being said not every agent has every company. It is not a one size fits all.

 

[LottieGarza]

I'm actually going to take issue with this. Not you specifically, but rather with Marv and Ben.

There is a lot that can be reviewed by looking at illustrations and while the numbers may bounce around a bit, there are functional pieces to policies that are way easier to recapitulate with an illustration and quantify their effect on the policy vs. other options.

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As for the original question, mutuals are not "better." There are career sales agents who work for those mutual companies (whose job it is to sell the companies' insurance products) who would have you believe that mutuals are better. And there is no doubt that mutuals themselves think that they are better. But being mutual does not make you superior simply because you are a mutual.

As far as your comparison goes. MetLife isn't a bad whole life carrier at all. And they compete against the companies you listed (and several others) all the time.

Now, functionally there are a lot of things you can do with Guardian that you cannot do with MetLife (nor really with NYL). And those features that would be unique to Guardian could give them a serious advantage. And Guardian isn't the only company that has such advantages.

But ultimately no, Guardian and NYL are not superior just because they are mutuals and MetLife can certainly compete with them.

I am agree with you. I don't think mutual companies are better than it. I have my insurance with MetLife and I get all superior advantages of it.

 

[rockyfields]

I was introduced to the Blease Reports last year. They are a historical look at illustrated vs actual results in all sorts of Par WL dividend uses. I do not know if those reports are still available but some carriers use the figures in their advertiising and will send reports.

I did find in my research that SBLI was one of the best in the study at holding true to illustrations and provided great results. You might check them out also.

 

[davephx]

I was introduced to the Blease Reports last year. I do not know if those reports are still available

Sadly unless someone took over but doesn't look like it:
Roger L. Blease, 48, of Bangor, PA, died Sunday, July 21, 2013 . He was founder and president of Blease Research, publishers of Full-Disclosure, a software he conceived and developed for the Life Insurance Industry. He formerly worked as an life insurance analyst at A.M. Best - See more at: (link had to be deleted).

 

[rockyfields]

I had heard he died shortly after I discovered the reports. But I did not know if anyone was going to take them over.

He seems to have been held in very high regard by the people who knew him. And his reports were very valuable. That was a big loss for agents trying to be scrupulous in their due diligence.