Financial Strength & Ratings

National Life Group enjoys superior ratings and a long record of financial strength. EquiTrust is stable but rated lower, which may matter to risk-averse buyers.

Policy Types Offered

Coverage Options & Flexibility

National Life Group:

• Term coverage from 10 to 30 years, convertible to permanent policies
• Whole life and universal life with flexible premiums and cash value
• Indexed universal life with living benefits and cash accumulation
• Many policies include or offer living benefits for terminal, chronic, or critical illness

EquiTrust:

• Permanent life options are single-premium or fixed premium, often tied to market index performance
• WealthMax Bonus Life and WealthSure Life are single-premium policies with bonuses and interest-linked growth
• No term life; focus is on wealth transfer, estate planning, and annuity-linked solutions

Underwriting & Application Process

National Life Group: Offers traditional and accelerated underwriting. No-medical-exam options for select policies and amounts. Application is agent-assisted, with some digital tools but not fully online.

EquiTrust: Underwriting varies by product. Some policies use simplified or digital underwriting. Bridge® annuity with LTC rider uses a digital video call for underwriting with three classes: Preferred, Standard, Secure.

Pricing & Affordability

National Life Group: Competitive, especially for indexed universal life and term policies. Term life is often affordable for healthy applicants, with level premiums and conversion options.

EquiTrust: Focuses on single-premium and permanent life, cost-effective for lump-sum buyers but less accessible for those seeking low monthly premiums. No term life, so not ideal for lowest-cost, high-face-amount protection.

Alternatives to Consider

• Mutual of Omaha: Affordable term and whole life.
• Banner Life, Protective, Pacific Life: Strong for term life and competitive rates.
• Penn Mutual, Guardian, MassMutual: For high-dividend whole life.
• Corebridge, Ladder, Haven Life: For digital-first, low-cost term life.

Riders & Customization

National Life Group offers a wider array of riders for life insurance, while EquiTrust stands out for annuity and LTC-linked features.

Best For…

National Life Group:

• Shoppers wanting affordable term or indexed universal life with living benefits
• Families seeking flexible coverage, cash value, and strong financial ratings
• Those who value agent guidance and a long-standing, mission-driven company

EquiTrust:

• Buyers seeking single-premium, permanent life insurance for estate or wealth transfer
• Clients interested in annuity-linked solutions, LTC riders, or index-linked growth
• Those preferring to work with independent agents and considering lump-sum funding

Pros and Cons

Customer Experience & Support

National Life Group: High customer satisfaction, community involvement, and philanthropic focus. Agent-driven service, with digital account access and online loan requests.

EquiTrust: Good BBB rating, recognized for financial stability, but not BBB accredited. Customer reviews are mixed; some note lack of transparency and online claims options. Products and service are only available through independent agents.

Final Verdict

National Life Group is the stronger choice for most clients seeking affordable, flexible life insurance—especially term or indexed universal life—with robust living benefits and top-tier financial strength.

EquiTrust is best suited for those looking for permanent, single-premium life insurance or innovative annuity solutions, but its lower financial ratings and lack of term life may be a drawback for budget-focused shoppers.

For pure affordability and breadth of options, National Life Group generally leads, while EquiTrust is a niche choice for estate planning and lump-sum buyers.