How safe is your insurance company?

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Will your insurance company be there for you?

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Buying a whole life policy or annuity isn’t just about comparing premiums and benefits. It’s also about ensuring the insurer can deliver on its promises. If the company runs into financial trouble, your payout could be delayed, reduced, or even put at risk.

You can reduce that risk by checking the insurer’s ratings for financial strength, reviewing its record with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and confirming it participates in your state’s guaranty fund. Taking these steps before you sign an insurance policy or annuity contract helps to ensure your coverage stays in force and your investment is protected.

When you buy life insurance or an annuity, you’re making a long-term bet that the company you’re purchasing it from will still be around and financially sound when it’s time to pay. Most insurers deliver on that promise, but a few get into financial trouble, putting your benefits or your beneficiaries’ payments at risk.

That risk is avoidable if you take time to check an insurer’s stability before you buy. Start by reviewing ratings that measure a company’s financial strength. Confirm that it’s licensed in your state and participates in your state’s guaranty fund, which steps in if the company fails. And use the NAIC’s website to review an insurer’s financial records and complaint history. A little homework now can help you avoid problems later.

Several independent agencies assess the financial strength of insurance companies, each using its own scale and methodology. Some focus solely on the insurance industry, while others cover a broader range of financial products. Look for companies rated in the A range or higher by at least one agency, and consider checking several rating sources to get a more comprehensive picture.

Focuses exclusively on the insurance industry. Ratings range from A++ (superior) to D (poor); A– and higher is generally considered strong.

Rates insurers and many other types of companies. Uses a letter scale from AAA (exceptionally strong) to D (default).

Covers insurers along with other sectors. Ratings run from AAA (extremely strong) to D (default) or R (regulatory supervision).

Rates insurers, corporations, and governments. Uses a letter-and-number scale from Aaa (exceptional) to C (lowest). Aaa to A3 is generally considered strong.

Rates a broad range of financial institutions, including insurers. Grades run from AAA (extremely strong) to D (default). Ratings of A– or higher indicate a strong capacity to meet obligations.

Covers insurers, banks, and other financial companies. Uses school-style grades from A (excellent) to F (failed), with plus and minus signs indicating upper or lower thirds of a grade.

Every state has an insurance guaranty fund, and licensed life insurers are required to contribute to it. (Some states maintain separate funds for life insurance and property and casualty insurance.) If a company becomes insolvent, the fund steps in to cover all or part of the insurer’s obligations, subject to state coverage limits. To ensure you’re protected, confirm your insurer is licensed in your state and contributes to the guaranty fund. If the company fails, the fund may cover some or all of what you are owed on an annuity, and your beneficiaries can still receive a life insurance payout.

NAIC monitors insurers and offers tools for reviewing their financial strength and consumer track record. Its consumer insurance search includes complaint histories, licensing information, and financial overviews for life insurance companies.

Searching this database can reveal whether other consumers have filed complaints and provide insight into how an insurer manages its finances.

Insurance companies can fail, but you can protect your benefits by taking a few precautions. Choose an insurer that participates in your state’s guaranty fund, and review its ratings from agencies that evaluate financial strength. Check licensing and complaint records through the NAIC, and verify that the company’s financial position appears stable.

Although no step can guarantee your insurer will always be able to meet its obligations, these measures greatly improve the chances that you or your beneficiaries will receive a life insurance payout or your annuity payments will arrive as promised.