| There are few Americans that have not heard of | | | | Insurance Company. In 49 states it is officially |
| Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, more recently | | | | MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company based in |
| heavily promoted as MetLife. My personal review of | | | | Irvine, California. In the state of New York it is |
| MetLife covers concerns about losses effecting | | | | known as First MetLife Investors Insurance |
| financial ratings and value of stocks. Metropolitan Life | | | | Company. Since the 1980's, Snoopy and other |
| Insurance Company has a load of positives also | | | | famous Peanuts characters provide an identity image |
| worth a closer review. | | | | for them. In addition, MetLife Investors has |
| Over 140 years ago, with the use of debit agents, | | | | represented a majority of the companies business |
| National Union Life and Limb Insurance Company | | | | provided by independent brokers. |
| were started, then renamed National Travelers | | | | My review of the MetLife and Metropolitan websites |
| Insurance Co. Shortly later in 1868 it was reorganized | | | | would get an A to A+ rating, something I rarely give. |
| as Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Before the | | | | The reasoning behind this was the extremely |
| 1960's started, there was intense competition with | | | | professional design layout of the website with |
| Prudential Life Insurance Co to compete for life | | | | extreme ease for finding information. Many large |
| insurance agents and brag not only about the size of | | | | insurers compete with their own agents to sell |
| the agency force, but also the amount of assets | | | | insurance direct to the client. The MetLife website |
| belonging to the two jumbo life insurance writers. | | | | allowed inquiries about life, disability, long-term-care, |
| Picking up General Motors as a client and pushing | | | | auto, home, boat, and excess liability coverage |
| group benefits kept Metropolitan Life Insurance | | | | whereby a representative would contact the internet |
| Company in a top position. | | | | searcher. The separate sections for brokers and |
| Reviewing agent stability shows that the 1970's | | | | agents were also nicely laid out. |
| reflected horrible retention due to agent selection, | | | | The only downside of my review would be regarding |
| larger policies pushed, overly restrictive underwriting, | | | | financial ratings and stock prices. It is estimated that |
| and an abundance of managers. The 1980's showed | | | | nearly a billion dollars of financial exposure is to AIG, |
| significant company growth that was handcuffed | | | | Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman, and Washington |
| temporarily in the early 1990's due to a widespread | | | | Mutual alone. Although stock prices at MetLife |
| review of deceptive sales practices. Already owning | | | | showed sliding stock price fluctuations, there are still |
| Texas Life Insurance Company and merging with | | | | strong financial assets and decent operating |
| New England Mutual Life, it then bought out Charter | | | | revenues. |
| Security Life Insurance Companies and sold off some | | | | Personally, I do not right now see a repeat of the |
| unprofitable units. | | | | AIG fiasco, MetLife has the management and backing |
| By the mid 1990's many of the top insurance financial | | | | to look like they can pull through with some share |
| ratings, companies considered MetLife to be an | | | | selling. However, my company review currently |
| extremely sound financial carrier. MetLife is actually a | | | | recommends keeping the traffic light on caution. |
| separated insurance company from Metropolitan Life | | | | |