American General Life Insurance has been around since 1960 and is a subsidiary of AIG, but how much do you know about the company? We’ve conducted a deep dive into American General Life Insurance to explain our findings.
We’ll explain all the products available through American General, what people are saying about them, and help you determine if it’s right for you.
If you are looking for a plan for you and your loved ones, call our agents at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Get started now with our free quoting tool.
Key takeaways
American General Life Insurance is a subsidiary of AIG.
Guaranteed Acceptance policies are available through American General.
American General has good financial backing. However, the user reviews are not favorable.
American General is a legitimate insurance company that can give your beneficiaries a payout.
What is American General Life Insurance?
American General Life Insurance is a subsidiary of American International Group (AIG) and was founded in 1960 in Houston, TX. Over the years, AIG has provided insurance coverage and is considered to be one of the largest financial and insurance companies in the world.
The company has more than 88 million customers in 130 different countries. American International Group has surpassed assets of $200 billion.
In 2022, American General Life Insurance rebranded to Corebridge Financial. The company still sells life insurance under “American General Term Life Insurance”, and the products are sold through independent brokers or consumers online. Additionally, American General Life Insurance offers permanent life insurance, term life insurance, accidental death insurance, and universal life insurance.
American General Life Insurance Types
American General Life Insurance provides four basic life insurance products. Prices will vary depending on your age, health, gender, amount of coverage, and more. Here’s a brief explanation of each product they offer.
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance provides coverage for a set period. Generally, you can get a term life plan for 10, 20, or 30 years. Some of the main features of a term life insurance policy include:
- You can choose the term length that works with your lifestyle
- Premiums will remain the same for the entire length of your policy unless you choose to change them
- If the policyholder passes away while holding the policy, the beneficiary will receive the death benefit
Term life insurance is typically the least expensive type of coverage. However, due to the limited terms and high payouts, the policies have strict underwriting requirements, which makes it ideal for young adults, but seniors will have a hard time getting coverage.
Universal Life Insurance
Universal life insurance is a permanent life insurance that builds cash value over time. This cash value can be borrowed against or withdrawn at any time as long as premiums are paid on time. Some benefits of choosing a universal life insurance policy include:
- Lasts your entire lifetime, as long as premiums are paid
- Builds cash value over time, and the policyholder can withdraw later or borrow against it
- Provides a death benefit to the policyholder
- Depending on the policy, you can adjust your premiums and death benefit throughout your contract
Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance policies cover policyholders for their entire life as long as monthly premiums are paid. These policies build cash value over time, which protects your loved ones and acts as a financial asset.
Burial insurance, or final expense insurance, is a variation of whole life insurance for seniors. They have smaller payouts and premiums to fit seniors’ needs.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
Guaranteed issue life insurance is a whole life policy that doesn’t consider medical conditions when policyholders apply for coverage. This makes guaranteed issue life insurance policies ideal for those with pre-existing conditions.
However, because they accept everyone regardless of medical status, it can cost significantly more than an average whole life policy, and there is typically a two-year waiting period.
American General Life Insurance Ratings and Financial Strength
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) bases its ratings on many factors, including a company’s complaint history, how they respond to customer complaints, its transparency in advertising, compliance with legal and industry standards, government actions taken against it, and more.
The BBB does not accredit American General Life Insurance, and it was rated an “F.” Their customer review rating is 1.04/5, with many customers discussing the difficult payout process and poor customer service. Many reviews warn other potential customers to stay away from American General Life Insurance.
A.M. Best Rating
A.M. Best utilizes a rating system similar to a letter grade you would receive in school, which helps you understand the overall quality of a company. A.M. Best will assign credit ratings based on companies’ financial strength.
In 2026, A.M. Best gave American General Life Insurance an “A,” which means the company’s financial strength is strong.
NAIC
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) analyzes complaint trends within the insurance industry and grades companies against others to determine if they receive more complaints. Generally, if a company is below 1.0 on its Complaint Index, it receives fewer complaints than other companies.
American General Life Insurance received a 0.47 in 2025, so they received fewer complaints than other insurance companies.
Moody’s
Moody’s rating scale determines the likelihood that an organization can meet financial obligations. This score helps investors decide on their portfolio and whether they’d like to invest.
Moody’s uses a 21-notch rating scale from Aaa to C to assess the borrower’s creditworthiness. In 2026, Moody’s gave American General Life Insurance Company an A2 rating, indicating an upper-medium grade and low risk of default. However, it is only the sixth-highest rating in Moody’s rating chart.
American General Life Insurance Reviews
Karen B.
USA
1/5
Horrible beyond belief. I couldn’t have had a worse experience ever in my life!
Jolanda C.
USA
1/5
I have received nothing but stalling tactics from them for payout on a $25,000 Accidental Life Policy that my mother had been paying on since 1982. Dealing with the sudden death of a loved one is difficult enough without having to deal with the difficulties of having to deal with a company who preys on grieving families and tries to get them to take a lower payout. I’m consulting an attorney
Lakeshia C.
USA
2/5
This is an awful company! My mom passed unexpectedly in January 2024. I found out through the funeral home that I was co-beneficiary and my grandmother was co-beneficiary. I had no idea my mom elected this. There was constant back and forth with this company as to whether I was co-beneficiary. Every rep had a different story. One told me there was an “investigation” and it was determined I wasn’t. Eventually they paid out (I definitely was co-beneficiary!). Even after the payout I kept getting letters about providing proof of heirship. A month ago my 2 sisters and I received letters saying my mom had another policy. They told us only ONE of us had to fill out a claim form. My oldest sister faxed it in. The representative said it would be 14 to process….it’s been a month!
Is American General Life Insurance a Legitimate Company?
Yes, American General Life Insurance is a legitimate company. While they are subsidiaries of AIG, they still offer life insurance options you can take advantage of. They boast a strong financial backing, so your beneficiaries will still get their payout promptly.
However, considering the wide range of products and limited online resources, it’s hard to navigate to the plan you’d like. Plus, the customer reviews are less favorable than those of other life insurance companies.
Pros and Cons of American General Life Insurance
Pros
- Strong financial backing and is a sibsidiary of AIG
- A wide range of options that are customizable to your goals and needs
- Plans available that accept individuals with health concerns
Cons
- Poor customer reviews
- Some policies have high premium hikes
- Wide range of products can be confusing for customers to navigate
- Limited online resources available to customers
Is American General Life Insurance Right For You?
If you are in good health, American General Life Insurance might not be the right fit. There are plenty of other life insurance options that can get you higher coverage at more affordable premiums, and we recommend you shop around to find your perfect policy.
However, if you are in poor health, have been denied life insurance, or have a pre-existing condition, American General Life Insurance has a guaranteed acceptance plan you can take advantage of. We recommend taking a guaranteed acceptance plan if you are unable to find another policy, but we’ve helped plenty of seniors with pre-existing conditions find a policy that fits their budget and provides enough coverage.
Conclusion
Customer reviews for American General Life Insurance are poor, and the company has a 1.04 rating on the BBB. Many customer reviews report that American General has poor customer support and refuses to pay their claims.
We believe there are plenty of affordable options that provide more coverage. At Final Expense Benefits, we only work with the top carriers to provide you and your loved ones with premium coverage. Here are some of the rates you can expect when you partner with us:
| Company |
Male 50y/o |
Female 50y/o |
Male 60y/o |
Female 60y/o |
Male 70y/o |
Female 70y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$34 |
$27 |
$50 |
$40 |
$70 |
$56 |
|
|
$31 |
$26 |
$43 |
$35 |
$71 |
$53 |
|
|
$31 |
$24 |
$44 |
$33 |
$75 |
$53 |
|
|
$34 |
$29 |
$45 |
$35 |
$79 |
$59 |
|
|
$33 |
$26 |
$48 |
$36 |
$82 |
$58 |
Call our experts Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET at (866) 786-0725 or use our free online quoting tool to receive an estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is American General Life Insurance the same as AIG?
No, American General Life Insurance is a subsidiary of AIG.
Is American General Life Insurance Good?
American General Life Insurance may have a policy that fits your needs, but customer reviews are poor. However, the company does offer guaranteed acceptance plans and has strong financial backing.
What Determines Coverage Eligibility?
Determining factors for obtaining coverage include age, medical history, and physical health. However, there are plans available that will accept you no matter your health status. It is important to find a plan that fits your needs so that you are not overpaying for a plan that is not benefiting you.
Does American General offer final expense life insurance?
American General offers whole life insurance. However, there wasn’t a specific option built for seniors.