Life Insurers Paid Record Amounts To Beneficiaries In 2020

WASHINGTON – New research from the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) shows that life insurance companies paid more than $90 billion to beneficiaries of life insurance policies in 2020, the highest ever in any single year. It also represents a 15.4% increase in payments over 2019, which is the largest year-to-year increase since the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. The data was included in the 2021 ACLI Life Insurers Fact Book that was released today.

“The data tells a compelling story about the resiliency of life insurers and their ability to protect Americans’ financial futures at all times,” said Andrew Melnyk, ACLI Vice President, Research & Chief Economist. “In a year that was taxing for everyone, life insurance benefits provided families with the means to endure financially after the loss of a loved one.”

According to the 2021 Fact Book, total life insurance coverage reached $20.4 trillion in 2020, with a record $3.3 trillion in life insurance coverage purchased. In total, 43.1 million life insurance policies were purchased last year.

“Behind every data point, every payment and every policy, there are stories of real people and families who have found some peace of mind during a difficult time,” said Melnyk. “That is the mission of the life insurance industry and one we’re prepared to fulfill no matter what.”

Other selected highlights of the new Fact Book:

• Sales of group life insurance policies, which are primarily available through employers, increased 19 percent from 2019 to 2020. Individual coverage increased nearly 3 percent.
• Annuity payments to consumers increased in 2020 to $91 billion, a 3.9 percent jump from the previous year.
• Industry assets in 2020 totaled $8.2 trillion, a jump from $7.6 trillion – a 7.7 percent increase.