Pacific Life insurance, reviewed.
Pacific Life is one of the larger and longer-established life insurers in the country, based in Newport Beach, California, and in business since 1868. The bottom line: a financially strong, A+ rated carrier known for competitive term and a deep permanent line, with universal, indexed universal, and variable universal life for cash-value and estate goals.
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What it does well
Strength you can feel good about.
Pacific Life is a carrier estate planners and cash-value buyers reach for, and these are the reasons why.
A large, long-established insurer
Pacific Life has been in business since 1868 and manages hundreds of billions in assets, the kind of scale that matters when a claim is filed decades from now.
A+ (Superior) from AM Best
AM Best assigns Pacific Life a Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook, among the highest tiers the agency awards.
Competitive term pricing
Pacific Life term rates often run below the national average for healthy applicants, which makes it a strong carrier to price when term is the goal.
A deep permanent line
Universal life, indexed universal life, and variable universal life sit alongside term, so the same carrier can cover temporary and lifelong needs.
Built for cash-value and estate goals
Its permanent and survivorship policies are frequent building blocks in cash-value and estate-planning strategies, a common reason advisors reach for it.
Higher no-exam limits
Pacific Life offers accelerated, no-exam underwriting up to high coverage amounts for qualifying applicants, which can speed things up.
Want Pacific Life’s number for your age? A licensed professional will run it and compare it to the market. No obligation.
Call (855) 809-1893What they offer
A plan for temporary, permanent, and shared needs.
Pacific Life’s shelf spans low-cost term through cash-value permanent coverage and second-to-die policies built for estate planning (per Pacific Life):
Term life
PL Promise Term
Level-premium term coverage, often convertible to a permanent policy later, a low-cost way to cover a mortgage or income years.
Permanent life
Universal, indexed & variable UL
Permanent coverage that builds cash value, including universal, indexed universal, and variable universal life to match different goals.
Survivorship
One policy, two lives
Second-to-die coverage that insures two people under a single policy, often used for estate planning and legacy goals.
One thing to know before you shop: Pacific Life does not publish online quotes, and its policies are placed through independent licensed agents. That is where a side-by-side comparison earns its keep, since you only see the real number once someone runs it.
Financial strength
How strong is Pacific Life?
AM Best rates Pacific Life Insurance Company A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook, its second-highest tier, most recently affirmed in December 2025 (per AM Best). A financial-strength rating measures an insurer’s ability to pay claims, which is the promise that matters most decades from now.
Ratings can change, so it is worth confirming the current mark yourself. AM Best is the rating agency that specializes in insurers; the letter and outlook on ambest.com tell you where the carrier stands today.
Is it a good fit?
A strong pick for term and for cash-value goals.
Pacific Life fits two kinds of buyers especially well. If you want low-cost term, its rates often price below the national average for healthy applicants. If you want permanent coverage for cash value or estate planning, its universal, indexed universal, and variable universal line gives an advisor a lot to work with.
Because there is no online quote, the only way to know it is your best value is to set it beside two or three other strong carriers for your exact age and health. That comparison is free, and sometimes the honest answer is that what you already have is fine.
When a carrier is this strong on both term and permanent coverage, it earns a place on the list. We still compare it, because the right carrier is the one that fits your profile best.
Already have a policy?
Confirm you’re getting their best rate.
If you already hold a Pacific Life policy, a licensed professional will read it with you and check whether the same premium could buy more elsewhere. With a carrier this strong, often you’re in good shape, and we’ll say so plainly.
Free · no obligation · Mon-Sat · 10am-9pm
- Whether term, permanent, or survivorship coverage fits your goals
- If converting a term policy makes sense before the window closes
- Whether a permanent policy is funded the way you intended
- Whether another strong carrier beats it for your profile
Straight answers
Pacific Life questions, answered.
Reviewed by Braxton Mondell, licensed insurance agent (NPN 22045329) · Updated July 2026
01Is Pacific Life insurance good?
Yes, Pacific Life is one of the larger and longer-established life insurers in the country, in business since 1868. AM Best assigns it a Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook, the kind of backing that matters when a claim is filed years from now.
02What is Pacific Life’s AM Best rating?
AM Best rates Pacific Life Insurance Company A+ (Superior), its second-highest tier, with a stable outlook, most recently affirmed in December 2025. You can confirm the current rating at ambest.com, since ratings can change over time.
03What does Pacific Life offer?
Pacific Life writes a broad shelf: level term life, universal life, indexed universal life, variable universal life, and survivorship (second-to-die) coverage. That range covers everything from temporary needs to permanent cash-value and estate-planning goals.
04Does Pacific Life sell term life insurance?
Yes. Its PL Promise Term is level-premium term coverage, and its term rates often run below the national average for healthy applicants. Term is typically the lowest-cost way in, and many Pacific Life term policies can convert to permanent coverage later.
05How much does Pacific Life cost?
It depends on your age, sex, health, the type of policy, and the coverage amount. Term is usually the least expensive; permanent coverage costs more because it lasts for life and builds cash value. A quick call gives you a real quote for your situation rather than a guess.
06How do I get a Pacific Life quote?
Pacific Life does not offer online quotes or applications; its policies are sold through independent licensed agents. A licensed professional on our team can run your Pacific Life number and set it beside a few other strong carriers so you can see where you land best.
07How do I reach Pacific Life customer service?
Existing policyholders can reach Pacific Life through the number on their policy or at pacificlife.com. If you’d like someone to read your policy with you first, a licensed professional on our team can do that and help you contact the carrier.
08Is Pacific Life a good fit?
For many people, yes, especially if you want a large, A+ rated carrier with competitive term and a deep permanent line for cash-value or estate goals. Whether it is your best value depends on your profile versus other strong carriers, which a free review confirms in minutes.
This is an independent review. Policy Review Center is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pacific Life; product names are used for identification only. Plan details and ratings come from the carrier and AM Best and can change. Confirm current terms with Pacific Life and the current rating at ambest.com. Educational only, not financial advice; any coverage changes are completed through licensed insurance professionals.
Keep reading
- All life insurance company reviews (compare Pacific Life against every major carrier we review).
- Prudential life insurance review (another large national insurer with a broad term and permanent shelf, worth pricing side by side).
- Lincoln Heritage life insurance review (a very different carrier built around final expense, a useful contrast).
- Nationwide life insurance review (a full-line insurer with living benefits, a close comparison on term and permanent plans).
- Weighing indexed universal life? See how indexed universal life works, or get a free policy review.
See every option. Then choose.
Call and a licensed professional will compare Pacific Life against the broader market for your age and health, and tell you straight which gives you the most.