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John Hancock Life Insurance Review (2026)

Written and reviewed by Hans Goldstein, licensed insurance producer, NPN 20602398 · CA Insurance License #4273294
Last reviewed October 3, 2026 · Published October 3, 2026

Editorial review by a licensed agent who may earn a commission. No insurer pays for placement or grades. Hans is paid a commission by the insurer if you buy a policy through him. For life insurance, ask and he will tell you what he earns on your specific policy.

Short answer: John Hancock (AM Best A+, stable, affirmed 12/12/2025) was No. 5 in 2025 IUL sales ($364 million). In 2026 it leaned into guarantees: Protection IUL 26 gained an optional Enhanced Death Benefit Protection rider that can run through age 121 (9/28/2026), and a new survivorship IUL launched in 2026. It also offers exam- and lab-free underwriting for some applicants.

John Hancock at a glance

Companies: John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)

AM Best financial strength: A+, affirmed 12/12/2025, stable (source).

Market position: No. 5 in 2025 IUL new premium ($364M) (LIMRA: 2025 full-year top 20 IUL company rankings).

Product	Type	Provisional Goldstein Index
Accumulation IUL	IUL	Pending 25% graded

Guarantees, the 2026 way

Protection IUL 26: a death-benefit IUL whose base Death Benefit Protection rider is designed for about life expectancy; since September 2026 an optional Enhanced rider can extend it to age 100 or more, up to 121 (John Hancock, 9/28/2026).
Protection SIUL 26: a survivorship IUL launched in 2026; ask which no-lapse options it offers and to what age.
Protection UL and Protection SUL: John Hancock's older no-lapse guarantee ULs; ask whether they are still offered before counting on them.

Survivorship GUL has nearly vanished from the market, so a survivorship IUL with a long no-lapse rider is one of the few ways left to guarantee a second-to-die death benefit. Survivorship life insurance.

Accumulation IUL

John Hancock's Accumulation IUL is its cash-value product. Its cap figures circulate in producer material, which this site does not quote; the Accumulation IUL review covers what to ask for.

Own John Hancock?

Get your policy graded.

Send your email and I'll send the in-force illustration request letter. Return it and I'll grade the policy within one business day.

We’ll email it to you. Hans Goldstein · NPN 20602398.

Rather talk it through? Or book 15 minutes on Hans’s calendar.

No-exam underwriting

John Hancock offers exam- and lab-free underwriting for some applicants on some products. Age and face limits change; ask for the current limits before you apply. Paramed vs no-exam.

COI history, stated once

John Hancock has settled cost of insurance litigation on older universal life blocks: $91.25 million in 2018 (class counsel, 7/31/2018, secondary source) and over $123 million in 2022 (Top Class Actions, 2/11/2022, secondary source). Those were older UL policies. What to do with a COI increase letter.

Who John Hancock fits

Estate buyers who want an IUL with a long no-lapse rider, including couples.
Healthy applicants under 60 who want a large IUL without an exam.

Own a John Hancock policy, or comparing one?

Send the policy or quote. Within one business day you get a written read on the Goldstein Index and two alternatives.

Rather talk it through? Or book 15 minutes on Hans’s calendar, or call 213-414-2808.

Hans Goldstein · 213-414-2808 · NPN 20602398, independent licensed insurance producer

Frequently asked questions

Is John Hancock a good life insurance company?

John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) holds an AM Best A+ rating, stable, affirmed December 12, 2025.

Does John Hancock have a guaranteed IUL?

Protection IUL 26 offers an optional Enhanced Death Benefit Protection rider that can extend the no-lapse guarantee up to age 121, added in September 2026.

Does John Hancock sell survivorship life insurance?

Yes. Protection SIUL 26, a survivorship IUL, launched in August 2026 with an optional enhanced no-lapse rider to the younger insured's age 100.

Can I get John Hancock IUL without an exam?

Sometimes. John Hancock offers exam- and lab-free underwriting for some applicants; ask for the current age and face limits.

Did John Hancock raise cost of insurance?

It settled cost of insurance cases on older universal life blocks. Those cases did not involve current IUL products.

Sources

Hans Goldstein, CA Insurance License #4273294 · NPN 20602398 · Goldstein & Co. LLC dba Goldstein Insurance Services, CA License #6016830

Contact: hans@hansgoldstein.com · 213-414-2808

General education, not tax or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on your facts and on current law, which can change. Talk to your CPA or estate attorney. Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Guarantees apply only to the contractual terms of the policy. Caps, participation rates, loan rates, charges and dividends are not guaranteed and can change. Hans is paid a commission by the insurer if you buy a policy through him. For life insurance, ask and he will tell you what he earns on your specific policy. Product and company names are trademarks of their owners. Goldstein Insurance Services is an independent agency, not affiliated with or endorsed by any insurer named here. Life insurance requires underwriting; not everyone qualifies. This page describes products in general terms; read the policy and the insurer's disclosures before you buy.