New York Life delivers record 2023 results that reflect enduring financial strength.

New York Life  |  March 18, 2024

NEW YORK -  New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer¹, today announced company-record financial results for 2023 that reflect its enduring financial strength. Top-line growth was driven by new company records in insurance sales and assets under management. In addition to posting a company record of $31.9 billion in surplus and $3.1 billion in operating earnings, New York Life reported record results of $16.7 billion in policy owner benefits and dividends paid, and $1.2 trillion in individual life insurance in force in the U.S. These superior financial results demonstrate the company’s continued commitment to enabling millions of individuals, families, and businesses to protect what matters most and prosper.

“The remarkable results we achieved in 2023, including surpassing $3 billion in operating earnings for the first time in New York Life’s history, are a testament to the power of our mutuality, the strength of our differentiated business model, and the exemplary work of our team. This includes our 12,000 agents and advisors delivering holistic, protection-first advice and guidance across the country,” said Craig DeSanto, Chair, President & CEO, New York Life.

Record $2.2 billion dividend payout in 2024

New York Life declared a record dividend of $2.2 billion to eligible participating policy owners in 2024, the largest in company history. Paying a dividend² for a 170th consecutive year highlights New York Life’s ability to deliver ongoing value to policy owners.

Strong surplus and leading financial strength ratings

New York Life’s strong surplus – capital above and beyond the reserves already set aside to pay benefits to policy owners – is a key component of its leading financial strength ratings.

New York Life is one of only two life insurers with the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurance company by all four major rating agencies³.

Peace of mind and better financial futures

DeSanto noted that New York Life’s financial strength supports the company’s dedication to serving its policy owners: “Our exceptional performance positions us well for continued business growth as we leverage our competitive strengths – including our iconic brand, leading market position, and extraordinary capital strength – to deliver peace of mind and better financial futures to our clients.”

Financial performance highlights for the year ended December 31, 2023, include: 

•       $31.9 billion surplus (including the asset valuation reserve)⁴

•       $16.7 billion in total dividends and benefits paid to policy owners⁵

•       $2.2 billion total dividend payout declared for 2024²

•       $3.1 billion in operating earnings⁶

•       $1.2 trillion of individual life insurance in force in the U.S.⁷

•       $771 billion in assets under management⁸

•       $1.9 billion in insurance sales⁹

•       $18.9 billion in insurance premiums¹⁰

•       $19.3 billion in annuity sales¹¹

ABOUT NEW YORK LIFE

New York Life Insurance Company (www.newyorklife.com), a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest¹ mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, disability income insurance, retirement income, investments, and long-term care insurance. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies³.

“New York Life” or “the company” as used throughout the Report, can refer either separately to the parent company, New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC), or one of its subsidiaries, or collectively to all New York Life companies, which include NYLIC and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation (NYLIAC), NYLIFE Insurance Company of Arizona (NYLAZ), Life Insurance Company of North America (LINA), and New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (NYLGICNY). NYLAZ and LINA are not authorized in New York, and do not conduct insurance business in New York. LINA and NYLGICNY are referred to as the New York Life Group Benefit Solutions business. Any discussion of ratings and safety throughout the Report applies only to the financial strength of New York Life, and not to the performance of any investment products issued by the company. Such products’ performances will fluctuate with market conditions.

1 Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/5/2023. For methodology, please see http://fortune.com/fortune500/.

2 Dividends are not guaranteed. New York Life Insurance Company is a mutual company that issues participating products that are eligible for dividends, but is also the parent of subsidiaries which issue non-participating products. The participating products are invested in separate and distinct portfolios and have their own dividend scales.

3 Individual independent rating agency commentary: Standard & Poor’s (AA+), affirmed 8/10/23; Fitch Ratings (AAA), affirmed 10/6/23; A.M. Best (A++), affirmed 10/19/23; Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), affirmed 11/17/23.

4 Total surplus, which includes the asset valuation reserve (AVR), is one of the key indicators of the company’s long-term financial strength and stability and is presented on a consolidated basis of the company. NYLIC’s statutory surplus was $25.29 billion and $23.89 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Included in NYLIC’s statutory surplus is NYLIAC’s statutory surplus totaling $8.93 billion and $8.54 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and LINA’s statutory surplus of $1.86 billion and $1.65 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. AVR for NYLIC was $4.51 billion and $4.23 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. AVR for NYLIAC was $1.94 billion and $1.89 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. AVR for LINA was $0.12 billion and $0.09 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Policy owners can view audited statutory financial statements by visiting our website, www.newyorklife.com, beginning in mid-March.

5 Policy owner benefits primarily include death claims paid to beneficiaries and annuity payments. Dividends are payments made to eligible policy owners from divisible surplus. Divisible surplus is the portion of the company’s total surplus that is available, following each year’s operations, for distribution in the form of dividends. Dividends are not guaranteed. Each year the board of directors’ votes on the amount and allocation of the divisible surplus. Policy owner benefits and dividends reflect the consolidated results of NYLIC and its domestic insurance subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. NYLIC’s policy owner benefits and dividends were $8.73 billion and $8.70 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. NYLIAC’s policy owner benefits were $5.94 billion and $5.78 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. LINA’s policy owner benefits were $1.91 and $1.87 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

6 Operating earnings is the measure used for management purposes to track the company’s results from ongoing operations and the underlying profitability of the business. This figure is based on Statutory Accounting principles on insurance operations with certain adjustments we believe are more appropriate as a measurement approach. The New York State Department of Financial Services recognizes only unadjusted statutory accounting practices for determining and reporting the financial condition and results of operations of an insurance company, for determining its solvency under the New York Insurance Law, and for determining whether its financial condition warrants the payment of a dividend to its policy owners.

Policy owners can view a detailed reconciliation of our management performance measure by visiting our website, www.newyorklife.com, beginning in mid-March. 

7 Individual life insurance in force is the total face amount of individual life insurance contracts (term, whole and universal life) outstanding for NYLIC and its domestic insurance subsidiaries at a given time. The company’s individual life insurance in force totaled $1,200.95 billion at December 31, 2023 (including $182.34 billion for NYLIAC).

8 Assets under management consist of cash and invested assets and separate account assets of the company’s domestic and international insurance operations, and assets the company manages for third-party investors, including mutual funds, separately managed accounts, retirement plans and assets under administration. The company’s general account investment portfolio totaled $329.46 billion at December 31, 2023 (including $125.60 billion invested assets for NYLIAC and $8.52 billion invested assets for LINA). At December 31, 2023, total assets equaled $408.90 billion (including $194.31 billion total assets for NYLIAC and $9.39 billion total assets for LINA). Total liabilities, excluding the Asset Valuation Reserve (AVR), equaled $377.03 billion (including $183.45 billion total liabilities for NYLIAC and $7.41 billion total liabilities for LINA). See Note 4 for total surplus.

9 Insurance sales represent annualized first-year premiums on participating issued whole life insurance, term life insurance, universal life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance and other health insurance products. A sale is generally counted when the initial premium is paid and the policy is issued. Adjustments are made to normalize nonrecurring premiums to align with our annualized recurring premium methodology for insurance sales. Some examples are: single premium products sold through our agents and Third Party Retail Life and Corporate-Owned Life Insurance distribution channel, our network of independent agents and brokers, which are counted in this metric at 10 percent of their premium. Sales are generated from both domestic and Mexican operations.

10 Insurance premiums include direct and assumed premiums, net of ceded premiums on life and accident and health policies, as reported in the Statutory Annual Statement (“Exhibit 1 Part 1 – Premiums and Annuity Considerations for Life and Accident and Health Contracts”). Recurring premiums include both renewal and first year (other than single) net premiums. NYLIC’s insurance premiums were $12.45 billion and $12.05 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. NYLIAC’s insurance premiums were $3.23 billion and $2.63 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. LINA’s insurance premiums were $2.85 billion and $2.74 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. 2023 premiums have been adjusted to exclude the initial premiums ceded on our inforce term business associated with a strategic reinsurance transaction.

11 Total annuity sales represent premiums on our deferred annuities (both fixed and variable) and on our guaranteed income annuities. Sales are generally recognized when premiums are received. Annuities are primarily issued by NYLIAC.