New York Life Enters 2026 with Industry-Leading Financial Strength Ratings

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer,¹ today announced that the company once again enters the new year with the highest possible financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer by all four major ratings agencies. During each rating agency’s most recent review cycle, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Ratings, A.M. Best, and Moody’s Investors Service all affirmed New York Life’s industry-leading ratings.

In November 2025, New York Life announced that the company will pay an estimated $2.78 billion in dividends to eligible participating policy owners in 2026 — the largest dividend payout in New York Life’s 180-year history and its 172nd consecutive annual dividend. Dividends are a tangible expression of New York Life’s mutuality. The company remains committed to making long-term decisions that support continued strength and deliver enduring value to the millions of individuals, families, and businesses who place their trust in New York Life.

Highlights from the ratings agencies include:

Standard & Poor’s – Rating of AA+ (Highest for a U.S. life insurer), as of Oct. 28, 2025

• Excellent business and financial risk positions
• Top market positions in the U.S. individual life insurance industry, propelled by a successful, controlled distribution model
• Consistent strategic focus on whole life policyholders

Fitch Ratings – Rating of AAA (Highest), as of Sept. 16, 2025

• Leading market position in U.S. individual life insurance market
• Exceptionally strong capital
• Diversified liability profile and earnings mix
• Loyal and productive career agency distribution channel
• Leading producer of participating whole life insurance and guaranteed income annuities as well as group life and disability insurance

A.M. Best – Rating of A++ (Highest), as of Aug. 1, 2025

• Very strong operating performance and very favorable business profile
• Very strong risk-adjusted capital
• Very strong and established industry-leading managerial career agency distribution channel
• Strong brand recognition and leading market position in retail life insurance, guaranteed income and fixed deferred annuities — with a continued top-ranked position in overall U.S. individual annuity sales and lead position in U.S. retail life sales as of year-end 2024
• A well-diversified investment portfolio with a consistent approach toward credit risk and cash

Moody’s Investors Service – Rating of Aa1 (Highest for U.S. life insurer), as of June 12, 2025

• Top-tier position in the domestic individual life insurance business
• Leading position in group life and disability insurance
• Large block of individual life insurance containing significant embedded profits
• Productive and well-established career agency distribution network
• Well-diversified investment portfolio, strong liquidity, and strong capitalization

The agencies’ complete and current public commentaries on New York Life are available here.

ABOUT NEW YORK LIFE

New York Life Insurance Company (www.newyorklife.com), a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest¹ mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance and other solutions. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies.²

¹Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/2/2025. For methodology, please see https://fortune.com/company/new-york-life-insurance/.

²Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 10/28/2025: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aa1), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).