What is the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?

At Policygenius, our life insurance reviews include financial health and consumer satisfaction ratings by a number of third-party organizations, including A.M. Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit organization founded in 1912 focused on helping consumers find businesses they can trust. The BBB provides information about a company’s reputation to help you make informed buying decisions and helps to resolve official complaints against companies. The organization rates companies A+ to F based on the service consumers are likely to receive.

When researching life insurance companies, it’s important to look for a company that’s financially stable so it can pay your death benefit, and one with a strong BBB rating to ensure your loved ones receive consistent and expedient customer care in the event of your passing.

Why Better Business Bureau ratings matter for life insurance shoppers

When you’re comparing life insurance policies, it can be hard to decide which provider is the best one for you. You’ll want to choose a company with affordable premiums and reliable financials, but remember that your beneficiaries will be working with your life insurance provider while grieving your passing. Choosing a company with a strong record of handling claims and complaints quickly and fairly can provide your loved ones with peace of mind.

BBB ratings don’t just measure customer service interactions, but how much you can trust a business to serve you overall. The ratings reflect data including complaints a company has received, how quickly and successfully they resolve those complaints, the company’s transparency, and any government actions against the company. This information is good to know for any business, but it’s especially useful if you’re considering a smaller or newer life insurance company that has fewer customer reviews to rely upon.

How the Better Business Bureau determines its ratings

The Better Business Bureau assigns every business a number of points from 0-100 based on their reliability and trustworthiness, which translates into a letter grade from F (0-59.99) to A+ (97-100). The higher the points and better the grade, the more dependable the BBB considers a company.

The BBB compiles information provided by businesses, from consumer complaints, and from other public data sources to evaluate companies using seven main criteria:

1. BBB complaint history — including number of complaints, whether complaints are resolved, how quickly complaints are resolved, and whether there are patterns in customer complaints

2. Type of business — businesses that may violate the law or frequently cause issues to consumers and the marketplace will lose points

3. Time in business — businesses that have been operating longer receive a higher score

4. Transparent business practices — businesses that don’t offer clear information about their products and services or basic information like business addresses will score lower

5. Failure to honor commitments to the BBB — businesses that fail to follow through on settlements in disputes settled by the BBB will lose points

6. Licensing and government actions — including certifications and licensing requirements for businesses and any government actions against the business that reflect poorly on its ethics and reliability

7. Advertising issues — including accuracy of claims made in consumer advertising

While some businesses are accredited by the BBB and others are not, accredited businesses are simply those that have gone through the organization’s accreditation process, which requires businesses to meet and maintain a set of BBB standards. However, a business is not necessarily untrustworthy just because it’s not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Note that the BBB strongly recommends doing additional research into any company before giving them your business. The organization’s ratings are one indicator of a company’s dependability, but a BBB rating is not a guarantee.

Better Business Bureau rating points

The table below reflects each category the BBB considers and the minimum and maximum number of points a business can earn in each category.

Better Business Bureau letter rating scale

The table below shows how point totals translate into the BBB grade for a company. Businesses without a rating (marked NR by the BBB) have not provided enough information for the organization to assign a score.

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How Policygenius uses Better Business Bureau ratings

Policygenius uses an extensive rubric and comprehensive data sources, including BBB ratings, to determine its life insurance company reviews. We are not paid for our reviews and strive to provide accurate, unbiased information to help you find the best life insurance company for you.

The Better Business Bureau rating factors into our Customer Ratings category, which tracks satisfaction from consumer sentiment institutions and complaints to state insurance boards. Policygenius evaluates data from the BBB, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and J.D. Power, among others, to assign a score out of 10 in this category.

Consumer satisfaction is just one important factor in choosing an insurance company. Learn more about Policygenius’ ratings methodology and consult with an independent insurance broker to find the right provider for you.