Low Salary, Bad Leadership, No Growth - Underwriter New York Life Employee Review

1.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

One positive: the training program is excellent and a great way to learn the group insurance industry. Honestly, I'd recommend getting your first couple of years of experience at NYL and then moving immediately on to another group insurance carrier such as Principal, Aflac, or Reliance Standard, where the compensation, benefits, and work-life balance are SIGNIFICANTLY better. Don't waste your career at New York Life Group Benefit Solutions.

Cons

Obvious favoritism and very little room for growth. If you're comfortable earning a low salary for the next 8 years, this might be the place for you. Annual compensation is laughable. You'll work incredibly hard all year only to receive a mediocre, borderline insulting, bonus & your manager will give you the usual BS about why there wasn't enough money to go around, mentioning how operations in Tijuana, Mexico were down, and for that your compensation suffers. All while watching management reward their favorites class pets. The Phoenix office feels sterile and outdated, with virtually no amenities for employees. If you're a fan of Severance, you might like the decor. There's no pension for Group Benefit Solutions employees, and there likely never will be, despite other NYL employees having access to one. Meanwhile, plenty of competing insurance companies still offer pensions and do a much better job of rewarding and retaining hardworking employees. Overall, if you're looking to gain some industry experience, it can serve as a steppingstone but that's it. If you're looking for long-term career growth, competitive pay, and employees who feel valued, I'd strongly recommend looking elsewhere. Stay away.

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New York Life Response
2d
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We take your concerns seriously and would like further information. We believe in providing competitive rewards for our employees both in our industry, and in markets in which we operate. Our compensation program is designed to provide competitive salaries for comparable jobs in the marketplace, with opportunities to earn additional compensation, in a given year and over time, based on company performance and individual contribution. We also offer competitive healthcare and retirement benefits to our employees, along with access to industry leading training and professional development programs. The company regularly reviews our rewards policies and programs against market trends to ensure we maintain our competitive positioning. It also must be stressed that we are an equal opportunity employer. As such, the company makes all compensation and other employment decisions based on merit and quality of work without regard to factors such as age, race, religion or other impermissible categories. We encourage you to email us at helpusimprove@newyorklife.com if you would like to share specific details about your experience.

Explore other reviews about New York Life

5.0
May 11, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
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Pros

Great culture and leadership team.

Cons

None as yet so far

5.0
Oct 9, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Right out of college, I had an opportunity with the New York Life. Being young I felt that I was at a disadvantage but I worked hard, I was relentless, and ambitious. My first full year, I was able to make a six-figure income. It wasn't easy but is medical school easy? Is law school easy? The training and development at New York Life was unmatched. I knew nothing about the Insurance and Financial Services industry until I was given an opportunity at New York Life and the training was exceptional and has led me to the success I have today.

Cons

You have to work hard, be relentless, entrepreneurial, invest a lot of time and effort into the business and above all, expect a higher standard of living and strive towards that goal every single day.

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New York Life Response
9y
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback – we appreciate it. As you say, a successful career as an agent requires dedication and commitment. For many, including you, the professional rewards are worth it. But we do understand that starting out in this career is not always easy. That’s why we offer new agents continuous training and support, to give them the advantages they need to succeed.
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