Compare
Modern Woodmen of America vs Thrivent
Two member-owned fraternals with their own reps. Thrivent is open to Christians only and rated A++; Modern Woodmen has no such test and is rated A.
Verdict
Modern Woodmen of America and Thrivent are both fraternal benefit societies: nonprofit, member-owned, with no stockholders, and both sell through their own captive representatives rather than comparing carriers for you. Both offer term, whole life and universal life, and both have a charitable or community side that is separate from the insurance contract.
The differences are eligibility, size, ratings and product breadth. Thrivent sells insurance only to members, and membership is limited to Christians and their spouses; Modern Woodmen's profile describes no such religious test, and buying a product makes you a member. Thrivent is much bigger: #28 among U.S. life groups by 2024 individual life premiums, against #70 for Modern Woodmen, according to NAIC data. It also adds variable universal life, which Modern Woodmen's profile does not list.
On financial strength, AM Best affirmed Thrivent at A++ (Superior) on September 30, 2026, and S&P rates it AA+ (May 2026). AM Best affirmed Modern Woodmen at A (Excellent) in December 2025, and KBRA rates it AA- (September 2025). Neither was ranked in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.
Choose Modern Woodmen if
- You want a fraternal without a Christian membership requirement and like local chapters, scholarships and the hardship premium fund.
- You want a return of premium rider on term, or the Newborn Life Insurance Benefit for member parents.
- You value a society that raised dividends on eligible life certificates effective July 1, 2026 (dividends are not guaranteed).
- You are comfortable with an A (Excellent) AM Best rating and live in one of the 47 states where it has representatives.
Choose Thrivent if
- You are a Christian household that wants one advisor for insurance, investments and planning.
- You put the top financial strength ratings first: A++ from AM Best and AA+ from S&P.
- You want variable universal life as an option alongside term, whole and universal life.
- You want term of $100,000 to $3 million at ages 18 to 60 that may not require a medical exam.
Key differences
| Modern Woodmen | Thrivent | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership | Buying a product makes you a member | Christians and their spouses only |
| How you buy | Nearly 1,000 captive representatives in 47 states; no online application | More than 3,300 captive financial professionals; quote online, apply with an advisor |
| Term lengths | 10, 15, 20, 30 years | 10, 15, 20, 30 years |
| Permanent products | Whole life, universal life | Whole, universal, variable universal life |
| Riders in profile | Return of premium, terminal illness accelerated benefit | Riders not published on its public site |
| AM Best | A (Excellent), December 2025 | A++ (Superior), September 2026 |
| Other ratings | KBRA AA- (September 2025) | S&P AA+ (May 2026), Moody's Aa2 |
Before you decide
Get quotes for the same face amount and term from each and from at least one independent source; both sell only their own products, so see captive vs independent life insurance agents and how to compare life insurance quotes fairly. Ask about conversion rights if you are buying term, and ask how dividends and fraternal benefits can change (whole life dividends: how participating policies pay). Check the rating dates yourself with AM Best, S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings explained.
Side by side
| Modern Woodmen of America | Thrivent | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Fraternal benefit societies | Fraternal benefit societies |
| Customer service | 800-447-9811 | 800-847-4836 |
| Life claims | — | 920-628-6312 |
| Website | modernwoodmen.org | thrivent.com |
| NAIC group | Modern Woodmen of America (single company, no group) | Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (single company, no group) |
| Headquarters | Rock Island, Illinois | Minneapolis, Minnesota (operations center in Appleton, Wisconsin) |
| Founded | 1883 | 1902 |
| Ownership | Fraternal benefit society owned by and operated for its members | Fraternal benefit society owned by its members |
| Where it sells life insurance | Financial representatives in 47 states | — |
| How it sells | Nearly 1,000 Modern Woodmen financial representatives (captive) | Thrivent financial advisors (more than 3,300 financial professionals) |
| U.S. individual life rank (2024) | 70 | 28 |
| Individual life premiums (2024) | $284.8 million | $1.52 billion |
| U.S. market share (2024) | 0.18% | 0.97% |
| AM Best financial strength | A (Excellent) | A++ (Superior) |
| S&P | — | AA+ (Very Strong) |
| Moody's | — | Aa2 (Excellent) |
| Term lengths | 10, 15, 20 and 30 years | 10, 15, 20 and 30 years |
| No-exam options | — | Applicants aged 18 to 60 seeking $100,000 to $3 million of term coverage may not need a medical exam |
| Policyholder dividends | Raised dividends on eligible life certificates effective July 1, 2026, bringing its projected 2026 dividend payout to $14.6 million | — |
| Best suited to | Families in small towns and suburbs who want whole, universal or term life from a local representative plus fraternal programs, scholarships and community activities. | Christian households that want a long-term relationship with an advisor and a member-owned insurer with top financial strength ratings. |
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Facts come from each insurer's profile, where every figure carries its source and review date. Premiums are personal: compare quotes for the same coverage, not just companies.
Last reviewed October 24, 2026