Dear Policyholders,

As I write this, Guardian’s many accomplishments of 2019 seem so far away. Like you, our focus for much of early 2020 has been on the spread of the coronavirus through our communities. Guardian colleagues moved quickly and decisively to make sure we were safe, secure, and able to continue to serve our 29 million customers without interruption. As the situation unfolded, most of our people shifted to working remotely, using technology and processes we had put in place over the last few years to maintain business continuity and high levels of service. We like to say we are built for challenging times, and I am proud to say our organization came together and rose to this occasion.

  • But this crisis tested more than our technology and organizational flexibility. It showed that what we believe in is the real strength of our company:  

    We believe in our values. We do the right thing. People count. We hold ourselves to very high standards. These values have guided the way we work with you and with each other for generations, and they have been critical in helping us navigate these uncertain times.

    We believe in keeping the promises we make to you. Your financial confidence is always top priority for us. We put our risk management experience to work for you every day. We are rated among the top one percent of all insurers for financial strength.1 Our long-term planning always takes market and economic volatility into account and is focused on fulfilling our promises to policyholders for decades to come. As a mutual company, we are guided by your needs, not the short-term demands of the stock market.

    We believe in making it easier for you to connect with us. We have continued to expand our digital product catalog and accident insurance to better meet your needs. Our priority is to create newer, faster, and increasingly digital ways for you to connect with us so that we can continue to serve you during times of uncertainty.

    We believe in supporting the communities we serve. Through financial support, tens of thousands of hours of employee volunteerism, and programs in financial education, talent development, and dental health for underserved populations, our commitment to making a difference continues to grow.  

    We believe in the continuity of strong leadership. Late last year, we named Andrew McMahon as President of Guardian. Andrew’s dynamic leadership will help guide us going forward.

    Finally, we believe that the measure of a great company isn’t simply its ability to survive challenging times — it’s about learning, adapting, and evolving. For nearly 160 years, we have faced challenges, and each Guardian generation has risen to the occasion. We believe that’s a track record worth counting on. Thank you for believing in us.

    Deanna Signature

     

Our customer service teams are here for you during these uncertain times.

We’re committed to providing a high-quality experience and uninterrupted service for our customers, and we’re honored to have been noted once again for our efforts:

  • J.D. Power recognized us for providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for Phone support at our Individual Life Contact Center.2
  • DALBAR awarded us with their 2019 Service Awards for our Individual Markets (IM) Life, Disability, and Retirement Contact Center teams and the Park Avenue Securities Service Desk team.

"Guardian is a strong, reputable company with good phone personnel. Whenever I call, they always make me feel comfortable. Thank you for being there for me." – Alice C., life insurance customer

Here to help our customers

Financial highlights and ratings

(on a consolidated basis)
2019 Financial Highlights
(on a consolidated basis)

Premiums

$9.6 billion

Operating Income (Before Taxes & Dividends To Policyholders)

$1.7 billion

Capital

$9.3 billion

Assets Under Management

$79.3 billion

Policyholder Dividend Declared

$984 million

Benefits Paid To Policyholders

$7.0 billion

Life Insurance In Force

$699 billion

 

Ratings
Moody's Investors Service

Aa2
Excellent
A.M.Best Company

A++
Superior
Standard & Poor's

AA+
Very Strong
Fitch

AA+
Very Strong
COMDEX**

99
out of 100

View our complete financial report

"Very simply, Guardian’s reputation is stellar, and never once have I gotten off of the phone with unanswered questions or without being 100% satisfied with my experience." – Thomas D., Life Insurance Customer

Helping communities thrive

Our corporate social responsibility programs help create equity and access to needed services for people in underserved communities.

"I have been with Guardian for more than 30 years and have always received outstanding service. I would highly recommend Guardian to anyone." - John C., Wealth Management Customer

Our leadership team

Disclaimer

1

The ratings of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian) quoted in this report are as of December 31, 2019, and are subject to change. The ratings earned by Guardian do not apply to the investments issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC) or offered through Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Rankings refer to Guardian’s standing within the range of possible ratings offered by each agency. Comdex is not a rating but a composite of all ratings that a company has received from the four major ratings agencies (A.M. Best, Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s). Comdex represents a company’s percentile standing, on a scale of 1 to 100 (with 100 being the best), in relation to other companies that have been rated by the major agencies.

2

J.D. Power 2019 Certified Customer Service Program recognition is based on successful completion of an audit and exceeding a customer satisfaction benchmark through a survey of recent servicing interactions. For more information, visit jdpower.com/business/solutions/certified-contact-center-program.

3

Optional riders are available for an additional premium. Some policy benefits and features are not available to all occupations.

4

Iron Mountain, Report on Environmental Benefits, December 2019

Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2019, on a statutory basis: Admitted Assets = $62.2 Billion; Liabilities = $54.6 Billion (including $46.5 Billion of Reserves); and Surplus = $7.6 Billion.

Financial information concerning GIAC as of December 31, 2019, on a statutory basis: Admitted Assets = $14.1

Billion; Liabilities = $13.6 Billion (including $4.0 Billion of Reserves); and Capital and Surplus = $0.5 Billion.

Financial information for Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America as of December 31, 2019, on a statutory basis: Admitted Assets = $4.2 Billion; Liabilities = $4.0 Billion (including $0.9 Billion in Reserves); and Capital and Surplus = $0.2 Billion.

These are the personal views of a select group of clients and may not represent the experience of other clients. These opinions are not indicative of future performance or results. This material contains the current opinions of the client but not necessarily those of Guardian or its subsidiaries and such opinions are subject to change without notice. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation.

Individual disability income products underwritten and issued by Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (BLICOA), Pittsfield, MA. BLICOA is a wholly owned stock subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. Product provisions and availability may vary by state. An individual’s eligibility for benefits is determined on a case-by- case basis, taking into consideration the factual circumstances presented as well as the terms and conditions of his/her policy(ies).

Guardian® is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America®.

©Copyright 2020, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY.

2020-95285