Ameritas vs Guardian Life

Verdict

Ameritas and Guardian Life both sell participating whole life, term, universal and variable universal life through financial professionals, and both also sell disability income. They are structured differently. Guardian is a mutual owned by its policyholders; Ameritas is owned by Ameritas Mutual Holding Company, with its insurers as stock subsidiaries and no outside shareholders. Guardian is much larger: #11 by 2024 individual life premiums ($4.29 billion) against Ameritas at #35 ($946.2 million), according to NAIC data.

Financial strength differs by a clear margin. Ameritas's profile lists AM Best A (Excellent), with an analysis dated June 2026, and S&P A+ (Strong). Guardian's lists AM Best A++ (Superior), affirmed in September 2025, S&P AA+ and Moody's Aa1. Guardian ranked 4th of 23 in the J.D. Power 2026 individual life study (675 points); Ameritas was not among the ranked brands. Guardian allocated a record $1.7 billion in dividends for 2026; Ameritas says it has paid dividends consistently, with no total in its profile.

For the product, Ameritas offers terms of 1, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years and Ameritas Instant Term, which has no medical exam, lab work or records and, the company says, an instant decision for 80% of qualifying applicants. It also sells no-load products for fee-based advisors and an indexed universal life. Guardian's term runs up to 30 years with a five-year no-exam conversion window and gives instant online quotes, but it lists no no-exam term product in its profile.

Choose Ameritas if

• You want a quick, no-exam term decision through Instant Term.
• You work with a fee-only or independent advisor and want no-load products.
• You want a 1-year or 15-year term option, or an indexed universal life from the same company.
• You are comfortable with an A (Excellent) AM Best rating in exchange for these features.

Choose Guardian Life if

• You want the higher AM Best and S&P ratings.
• You want a larger mutual with a record $1.7 billion 2026 dividend allocation.
• You want riders such as Waiver Plus or the Charitable Benefit rider, or a conversion window you can extend by rider.
• Customer satisfaction scores matter to you.

Key differences

Before you decide

Ask both for the same face amount and term, and ask each how conversion works and until when. Check the rating dates above against current pages, and remember a no-exam policy may cost more than a fully underwritten one. See how to compare life insurance quotes fairly, no-medical-exam term life insurance: how it works and AM Best, S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings explained.