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Nationwide vs Pacific Life
Nationwide sells no-exam term online and ranked 1st in J.D. Power in 2026; Pacific Life has higher ratings and deeper IUL and VUL lines, sold only via advisors.
Verdict
Nationwide and Pacific Life are both controlled by mutual structures: Nationwide is owned by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a mutual owned by its policyholders, and Pacific Life by Pacific Mutual Holding Company. Pacific Life ranked #8 by 2024 individual life premiums ($5.17 billion) and Nationwide #12 ($3.91 billion), according to NAIC data. The big practical difference is how you buy. Nationwide sells 10- and 20-year term online with no exam up to $1.5 million for ages 21 to 55, as well as through independent agents. Pacific Life sells only through independent financial professionals, with no direct online sales.
Customer satisfaction and ratings point in different directions. In the J.D. Power 2026 individual life study Nationwide ranked 1st of 23 (701 points) and Pacific Life 17th (630). On financial strength Pacific Life is higher: AM Best A+ (Superior, December 2025), S&P AA-, Moody's Aa3 and Fitch AA-. Nationwide's profile lists AM Best A+ (Superior, November 2025), S&P A+ and Moody's A1, which it describes as a step or more below the top mutuals.
Products overlap in indexed and variable universal life with survivorship options, and both offer long-term care riders on permanent policies. Nationwide also sells whole life (Whole Life 100, 20-Pay and a single premium version) and long-term care-linked products, and in 2026 agreed to reinsure a block of fixed universal life policies from MassMutual, which continues to service them. Pacific Life does not list whole life but sells guaranteed universal life with no-lapse guarantees to ages 90 to 121, plus Pacific Elite Term with a $250,000 minimum outside California.
Choose Nationwide if
- You want to price a no-exam 10- or 20-year term policy online for up to $1.5 million.
- You want whole life from the same company that sells IUL and VUL.
- You rank customer satisfaction scores highly; it placed 1st in J.D. Power's 2026 study.
- You want a term policy of less than $250,000.
Choose Pacific Life if
- You want the higher ratings from S&P, Moody's and Fitch.
- You want guaranteed universal life with a no-lapse guarantee to an age you choose.
- You want survivorship IUL or VUL, or a cash-value-focused IUL for business owners, from a deeper product shelf.
- You are happy to work only through an independent advisor.
Key differences
| Nationwide | Pacific Life | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | Pacific Mutual Holding Company |
| 2024 individual life premiums | $3.91 billion (#12) | $5.17 billion (#8) |
| Buying | Agents; online no-exam term | Independent advisors only |
| Whole life | Yes | Not listed |
| AM Best | A+, November 2025 | A+, December 2025 |
| S&P / Moody's | A+ / A1 | AA- / Aa3 |
| J.D. Power 2026 | 1st of 23 (701) | 17th of 23 (630) |
Before you decide
Get the same coverage quoted by both, and for permanent policies compare guaranteed values with conservative index assumptions. Check the rating dates and ask about conversion if you start with term. 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.
Side by side
| Nationwide | Pacific Life | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | P&C-affiliated life insurers | Mutual life insurers |
| Customer service | 800-848-6331 | 800-347-7787 |
| Life claims | 800-848-6331 | — |
| Website | nationwide.com | pacificlife.com |
| NAIC group | Nationwide Corporation group | Pacific Life group |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio | Newport Beach, California |
| Founded | 1926 | 1868 |
| Ownership | Owned by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a mutual owned by its policyholders | Mutual holding company structure: Pacific Mutual Holding Company, controlled by policyholder members, owns Pacific LifeCorp and Pacific Life Insurance Company |
| Parent company | Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | Pacific Mutual Holding Company |
| Where it sells life insurance | Nationwide Life Insurance Company is licensed in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands; some products have New York-only versions | All states and Washington, D.C.; New York policies are issued by Pacific Life & Annuity Company |
| New York company | — | Pacific Life & Annuity Company |
| How it sells | Independent agents, financial professionals and brokers; direct online and by phone for term | Independent financial professionals; no direct online sales |
| U.S. individual life rank (2024) | 12 | 8 |
| Individual life premiums (2024) | $3.91 billion | $5.17 billion |
| U.S. market share (2024) | 2.50% | 3.31% |
| AM Best financial strength | A+ (Superior) | A+ (Superior) |
| S&P | A+ (Strong) | AA- (Very Strong) |
| Moody's | A1 (Good) | Aa3 (Excellent) |
| Fitch | — | AA- |
| J.D. Power | Ranked 1st of 23 brands (701 points; study average 649) in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study | Ranked 17th of 23 brands (630 points; study average 649) in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study |
| Term lengths | 10 and 20 years online without a medical exam; up to 30 years with Guaranteed Level Term | Pacific Elite Term in 10, 20 and 30 years (minimum $250,000); in California, PL Promise Term in 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years |
| No-exam options | No medical exam for 10- or 20-year online term up to $1.5 million, ages 21 to 55 | — |
| Best suited to | Buyers who want quick no-exam term online or indexed and variable universal life with a long-term care rider from a large, A+-rated mutual group. | Higher-income buyers working with a financial professional who want indexed or variable universal life from a highly rated, non-public insurer. |
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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