Last Updated: October 28th, 2025
Brighthouse Financial is an independent life insurance and annuity company that separated from MetLife in 2017. They offer term life insurance, indexed universal life insurance, and hybrid life-long-term care policies. With strong financial ratings (A from A.M. Best, A3 from Moody’s) and over 2.7 million policies in force, Brighthouse serves customers nationwide through licensed financial professionals.
Brighthouse Financial has been operating as an independent life insurance company since 2017, but is it the right choice for your coverage needs?
Let’s examine what Brighthouse offers in 2025, including their product lineup, financial strength, and whether they’re a good fit for you.
Who is Brighthouse Financial?
Brighthouse Financial became an independent company in August 2017 when it separated from MetLife’s retail insurance business. The split allowed MetLife to focus on employee benefits while Brighthouse concentrated on individual life insurance and annuities.
Today, Brighthouse is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and serves more than 2 million customers with approximately $243 billion in total assets as of mid-2025.
The company specializes in term life insurance, indexed universal life insurance, and hybrid life-long-term care policies. All Brighthouse products are sold through licensed financial professionals rather than directly to consumers.
The MetLife Connection
While Brighthouse originated from MetLife, they’re now completely separate companies. MetLife divested all remaining ownership in 2018, making Brighthouse a fully independent, publicly traded company on the Nasdaq (ticker: BHF).
If you had a policy issued under MetLife that became part of Brighthouse during the separation, your coverage remains unchanged. The same terms, benefits, and guarantees still apply.
What Life Insurance Does Brighthouse Offer?
Brighthouse offers three main types of life insurance coverage designed for different needs.
Term Life Insurance
Brighthouse’s term life options provide straightforward death benefit protection for a specific period.
Guaranteed Level Term offers coverage periods of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years with level premiums. Policies can be converted to permanent coverage within certain timeframes, giving you flexibility if your needs change.
One-Year Term provides short-term coverage that renews annually. This option can be useful during job transitions or other temporary situations where you need coverage for a brief period.
Coverage amounts start at $1 million for their standard term products, with higher amounts available depending on the policy and your qualifications.
Indexed Universal Life Insurance
Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus, launched in 2023, is their flagship permanent life insurance product. It’s a registered index-linked universal life insurance policy that tracks market indices without directly investing in them.
The policy includes a Guaranteed Distribution Rider that allows you to take tax-advantaged income payments after 10 years. These payments can supplement retirement income while maintaining a death benefit for your beneficiaries.
SmartGuard Plus offers buffer options (10%, 15%, 20%, or 100%) that protect your policy’s cash value during market downturns. You can choose between indexed accounts or a fixed account for your cash value growth strategy.
Hybrid Life and Long-Term Care
Brighthouse SmartCare combines life insurance protection with long-term care benefits. If you never need long-term care, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit. If you do need care, you can access benefits to help cover those costs.
This policy is available to applicants ages 40-75 and uses indexed universal life insurance as its foundation. The cash value is protected from market loss if you select the indexed option, and you can lock in long-term care benefits at any time.
Available Riders
Brighthouse offers several riders to customize your coverage:
Acceleration of Death Benefit Rider lets you access a portion of your death benefit early if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness. The SmartCare version specifically allows early access for long-term care expenses.
Disability Waiver of Premium Rider waives your premium payments if you become disabled for at least six months, helping keep your policy in force during difficult times.
Guaranteed Distribution Rider comes automatically with SmartGuard Plus policies and enables guaranteed income payments you can take after 10 years.
Extension of Benefits Rider (available with SmartCare) provides an additional two to four years of benefit payments after your long-term care benefits would otherwise be exhausted.
Financial Strength Ratings
Brighthouse maintains strong ratings from major rating agencies, indicating their ability to meet policy obligations.
As of July 2025, their ratings are:
- A.M. Best: A (Excellent) – 3rd highest of 16 ratings
- Moody’s: A3 (upper medium) – 7th highest of 21 ratings
- Standard & Poor’s: A+ (Strong) – 6th highest of 22 ratings
- Fitch: A (Strong) – 6th highest of 19 ratings
These ratings mean Brighthouse has strong financial resources and is expected to meet its obligations to policyholders. You can view the latest ratings on Brighthouse Financial’s official company page.
It’s worth noting that in January 2025, A.M. Best revised Brighthouse’s outlook to negative (while maintaining the A rating) due to operating performance challenges related to their annuity business. The company has taken steps to strengthen its balance sheet through reinsurance agreements and updated hedging strategies.
The Pros and Cons
What Brighthouse Does Well
Strong Financial Ratings: Their A ratings from major agencies provide confidence that they’ll be around to pay claims when needed.
Innovative Products: SmartGuard Plus and SmartCare offer unique combinations of benefits you won’t find everywhere. The ability to supplement retirement income while maintaining life insurance protection sets SmartGuard Plus apart from traditional policies.
Flexible Underwriting: Brighthouse’s Simple Underwriting process can provide decisions within 24 hours for qualified applicants, often without medical exams or lab work.
Distribution Network: Working through financial professionals means you get personalized guidance, though you can’t purchase directly online.
Where They Fall Short
No Direct Purchase: You must work with a licensed financial professional to buy Brighthouse products. If you prefer shopping online and comparing quotes yourself, this won’t work for you.
Complex Products: Their permanent life insurance products involve indexed accounts, riders, and various options that can be complicated to understand. You’ll need to invest time learning how they work.
Recent Operating Challenges: The company has experienced losses related to their annuity business, which led to the negative outlook from A.M. Best. While they’re taking corrective action, it’s something to be aware of.
Limited Online Access: You can’t fully manage your policy online. Many changes and inquiries require calling customer service at 888-243-1974.
Is Brighthouse Right for You?
Brighthouse makes sense if you value innovative product features and don’t mind working through a financial professional.
Their SmartGuard Plus policy is particularly worth considering if you’re looking for life insurance that can also provide retirement income. The guaranteed distribution payments combined with downside protection make it unique in the marketplace.
SmartCare is a strong option if you’re concerned about long-term care costs but don’t want to purchase separate coverage. Having both benefits in one policy simplifies your planning.
However, if you prefer straightforward term life insurance you can purchase online with transparent pricing, Brighthouse may not be your best fit. Their products work best for people with more complex financial planning needs who benefit from professional guidance.
The company’s strong ratings provide confidence in their ability to honor claims, though recent operating challenges are worth monitoring. If you’re considering Brighthouse, ask your financial professional about how the company is addressing these issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brighthouse Financial the same as MetLife?
No, Brighthouse and MetLife are completely separate companies. Brighthouse separated from MetLife in August 2017 and became fully independent when MetLife divested all remaining ownership in 2018.
Can I buy Brighthouse life insurance online?
No, Brighthouse products must be purchased through a licensed financial professional. You can’t buy directly from their website or get instant quotes online.
How long does Brighthouse underwriting take?
For qualified applicants using Brighthouse’s Simple Underwriting process, decisions can come within 24 hours. Traditional underwriting with medical exams may take several weeks depending on your health history.
What’s the minimum coverage amount for Brighthouse term life insurance?
Most Brighthouse term life policies require a minimum face amount of $1 million, though this can vary by product and state.
Can I convert my Brighthouse term policy to permanent coverage?
Yes, Brighthouse term policies can be converted to permanent coverage within certain timeframes specified in your policy, typically by age 70 or within 5 years of issue, whichever comes later.
Does Brighthouse offer no-exam life insurance?
Yes, through their Simple Underwriting process, qualified applicants can get approved without medical exams or lab work. Eligibility depends on your age, health history, and other factors.
What happens to my policy if Brighthouse is sold?
If Brighthouse were sold (which was being explored as of early 2025), your policy terms would remain unchanged. Life insurance policies are legal contracts that can’t be altered by ownership changes. A new owner would simply assume Brighthouse’s obligations.
Key Takeaways
- Brighthouse Financial is an independent company that separated from MetLife in 2017 and serves more than 2 million customers
- They offer term life insurance, indexed universal life (SmartGuard Plus), and hybrid life-long-term care coverage (SmartCare)
- Strong financial ratings (A from A.M. Best, A3 from Moody’s) indicate ability to meet policy obligations
- All products must be purchased through licensed financial professionals, not directly online
- SmartGuard Plus provides unique retirement income benefits combined with life insurance protection
- Simple Underwriting can provide approvals within 24 hours for qualified applicants without medical exams
- Recent operating challenges led to a negative outlook from A.M. Best, though the company maintains its A rating
Ready to explore your life insurance options? Our independent agents can help you compare Brighthouse with other top-rated carriers to find the right coverage for your needs.
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