Of course, a trusted life insurer with loyal customers can land a windfall ofprofit. Per the Insurance Information Institute, $126.1 billion was paid in lifeinsurance premiums in 2013, and this doesn't take into account theinvestment income that life insurers generate each year. LIMRA also showedin 2013 that ample opportunity remains for growth. Just 44% of U.S.individuals had life insurance at that time, half of all households claimed to beunderinsured, and a full 30% of domestic households held no life insurance.

Simply examining which life insurer has the most customers isn't exactly thebest measure of brand loyalty, as it could simply be a factor of a largermarketing budget than its peers. Instead, we'll turn to research firm Brand

Keys and its 19th annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index to decipher which life insurance company is truly driving customerengagement and trust. Brand Keys' survey was conducted across nine regions and included more than 36,000 people.

All told, Brand Keys ranked 10 life insurance companies. An image of Snoopy might elicit fond memories from your childhood, but lifeinsurer MetLife ranked No. 9 among 10 in Brand Keys' life insurer rankings and will need more than the cast of Peanuts to boost itsimage. At the other end of the spectrum, ahead of Nationwide at No. 4, State Farm at No. 3, and New York Life at No. 2, was Allstate,which held true to its word to keep customers "in good hands."

Put simply, Allstate recognized that keeping the customer happy would keep its bottom line healthy, and its No. 1 brand ranking clearlyshows this is working. Second, I'd suggest Allstate's marketing budget has helped it secure and retain consumers. Although he mostoften advertises the company's auto insurance business, Allstate spokesmen Dennis Haysbert has become a well-recognizedcommercial figure over the years.

Finally, I'd simply opine that Allstate's 80-plus years in business, along with prudent and conservative investment management skillsthat have kept its nose largely clean of financial crises, have painted a positive image for the company. Allstate's financial position issuperior to many of its peers', leaving consumers to perceive they can trust Allstate to take care of them or their family when the timecomes to collect on a life insurance policy.

WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE INSURANCE,

This is the CompanyConsumers Trust Most

by Sean Williams

Choosing your insurer isn't as cut-and-dried as you might think. According to data aggregator Statista, 850 different life

insurance companies operated in the United States as of 2013 — down from a peak of more than 2,300 in 1988. You can

thank industrywide consolidation and a few financial bubbles for the shrinking number of life insurance policy

underwriters. However, 850 is still no small number.

Altogether, these factors make Allstate America's most preferred life insurer.[ ](This is an excerpt of an article by Sean Williams that originally appeared on The Motley Fool on March 29, 2015)

This content was licensed by Allstate Insurance Company from The Motley Fool, LLC. As of 5/13/2015, the author, Sean Williams, had no material interest in anycompanies mentioned in this article and The Motley Fool owns shares of American International Group and has the following options: long January 2016 $30 calls onAmerican International Group. The Motley Fool recommended American International Group and Progressive. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we allbelieve that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Life insurance offered through Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL; Allstate Assurance Company, Northbrook, IL; Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE andAmerican Heritage Life Insurance Company, Jacksonville, FL. In New York, life insurance offered through Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY.Securities offered by Personal Financial Representatives through Allstate Financial Services, LLC (LSA Securities in LA and PA). Registered Broker-Dealer. Member FINRA,SIPC. Main Of�ce: 2920 South 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506. 877-525-5727.

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