In this AXA Equitable life insurance review, we show you the benefits and features that make Equitable competitive.
Equitable Life Overview
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company offers competitive term life insurance and permanent life insurance.
It’s important to consider all factors when deciding the best life insurance companies for your needs.
Equitable Rating Information
AXA Equitable has been helping people since 1859, with 2.8 million clients in the U.S., and over $701 billion of assets under management. (09/2019)
Independent rating agencies reported the following as of 2018:
- AM Best = A (3rd highest of 15)
- Moody’s = A2 (6th highest of 21)
- S&P = A+ (5th highest of 20)
Life insurance company ratings are just one aspect that you should consider when choosing your life insurer.
Life Insurance Products
You’ll find that Equitable is competitively priced, especially for life insurance amounts of $500,000 or greater.
Term Series 160
Term Series 160 is AXA Equitable’s level term life insurance policy.
- Minimum Face Amount – $500,000
- Issue Ages – 18 – 75 (varies by term length)
- Choice of Term Lengths:
- Annual Renewable Term (ART) – Ages 18 – 70
- TermOne – Ages 20 – 99
- Term 10 – Ages 18 – 75
- Term 15 – Ages 18 – 70
- Term 20 – Ages 18 – 65
The conversion privilege for the 10, 15 and 20-year term is the earlier of age 70 or prior to the end of your level term period. The ART is age 70.
Equitable will give you a conversion credit equal to 125% of the first-year base premium you paid (does not include rider costs). After the first 5 years, the conversion credit is 100% of the first year premium.
Other features that may appeal to you include the ART discount of 10% for the first year only if you pay annually.
TermOne
If you’re looking for a term insurance policy available for a 99-year-old, AXA Equitable is the only life insurance company we know of that has one!
The TermOne life insurance product expires at the end of one year and is not renewable.
Some details of this policy include:
- Issue Ages 20 – 99.
- Minimum Face Amount is $25,000
- Maximum Face Amount:
- Age 20 – 69 = $1,000,000
- Age 70 – 79 = $500,000
- Age 80 – 99 = $250,000
- Premium Mode – annual premiums only
- Underwriting Rate Class – Standard rate only.
- Tobacco and Non-tobacco receive the same rate.
- Conversion – This policy may be converted if the issue age is under 79.
IUL Protect 160
Equitable offers the IUL Protect indexed universal life insurance policy.
With index universal life insurance policies, the interest rate credited to your policy is based on the performance of a stock index, the S&P 500 for this product.
With the IUL Protect 160, Equitable provides a guaranteed death benefit to age 90, with non-guaranteed performance lasting to age 100 and beyond.
Benefits and features of the IUL Protect include:
- Minimum Face Amount – $50,000
- Issue Ages – 18 – 85
- Choice of Fixed or Indexed Interest Accounts
- Charity, Living Benefits, and Long Term Care Riders
Equitable’s IUL policy is competitive with many companies, including Lincoln National and AIG index universal life products.
If you’re looking for long term cash value accumulation with a guaranteed death benefit, the Equitable index universal life policy is worth a look.
Whole Life Insurance
AXA Equitable offers an interest sensitive whole life insurance policy.
This is a non-participating (no dividends) policy that offers:
- Minimum Face Amount – $50,000
- Issue Ages 18 – 80
- Premiums are guaranteed
- Cash value equals the face amount at age 100.
- Riders for Living Benefits, disability, childrens term rider
If you are looking for whole life insurance, we’ll provide you with illustrations from Equitable and other companies with whole life.
Equitable Life Insurance Riders
There are a number of riders available, including:
- Children’s Term Insurance Rider
- Disability Premium Waiver Rider
- Living Benefits Rider
Charitable Legacy Rider
AXA Equitable offers a no cost charitable legacy rider on its IUL Protect product. This rider provides a benefit equal to 1% of your base policy (up to $100,000) to charities of your choice.
Children’s Term Insurance Rider
- Available on children age 0 – 17
- Coverage amounts from $2000 up to $25,000 ($50,000 in NY)
- Limitations apply based on the amount of your policy.
- The cost is $5.25 per every $1,000 of coverage
- The rider covers all eligible children
- The rider may be converted to permanent insurance at a later date.
Disability Premium Waiver Rider
This additional cost rider waives the premium on your policy when you provide the company with documented evidence of total disability has continuously existed for the past 6 months.
Premiums are waived as long as the disability continues.
Living Benefits Rider
This no-cost rider allows the policy owner to receive a portion of the policy’s death benefit if the insured is terminally ill with no more than 12 months to live.
The maximum benefit available is the lesser of 75% of the policy’s death benefit or $500,000. The availability and benefits of this rider may vary by state.
Long Term Care Services Rider
Equitable’s long term care rider is available with the IUL Protect policy for an additional cost. This rider allows you to accelerate your life insurance death benefit to be used for qualified long term care expenses.
Policy Changes
The following rules apply to policy changes:
- Face amount of coverage may not be changed.
- Tobacco use change allowed after policy year 1.
- Rating Reduction requests are allowed after year 1
- Some riders may be added or terminated after the policy has been issued.
Underwriting Review
Underwriting Programs available include
STEP Program – Equitable offers the Smart Total Evaluation Program that allows a one rate class improvement if you have other favorable risk factors and a healthy lifestyle.
STEP Eligibility and Factors Considered
- Ages 20 – 69
- All fully underwritten products are available
- Non-Tobacco users only
- Favorable insurance labs
- Family history is favorable
- Exercises on a regular basis
With this program, if you have one factor that keeps you out of a better rate class, the STEP program may help you get a better underwriting offer.
An Incentive to Stop Tobacco Use
Equitable offers an incentive for their universal life insurance policies for current tobacco users.
If you are currently a tobacco user, Equitable will charge you non-tobacco cost of insurance charges for your first year of the policy.
If you have documented with your physician that you have not used tobacco for 12 months, you may continue with the non-tobacco cost of insurance charges.
This program offers great potential if you were in the process of quitting, or for people who quit smoking less than 12 months ago.
Foreign Nationals and U.S. Citizen Expatriates
Equitable offers underwriting programs to help both foreign nationals and U.S. citizens living abroad. If this situation applies to you, please submit a request and we will provide you with the information specific to your situation.
Equitable Conclusion
The Equitable tends to be very competitive with higher face amounts and older insureds. We’ve had success placing coverage for executives and others with health issues, and shop all cardiac cases to Equitable.
Please take a few minutes to submit your quote request today. Thank you.
