MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance Company

Financial Ratings

A.M. Best A++stable

About MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance Company

MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance Company formerly Great American Life is a wholly owned subsidiary of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and founded in the early 1960s, it specializes in retirement-focused annuity products, offering fixed, fixed-indexed, registered index-linked, and immediate annuities through retail, broker‑dealer, financial institution, and RIA channels.

Operating as an independent subsidiary, while leveraging MassMutual’s investment capabilities, distribution channels, and financial strength, Ascend remains focused on customer needs and superior service.

Financial Ratings

Live from CANNEX

Rating Agency

A.M. Best

Rating

A++

Description

A++

Rating Analysis

MassMutual Ascend is a highly rated annuities division of MassMutual, operating independently while benefiting from strong financial backing. As of February 20, 2025, Standard & Poor’s upgraded its long-term rating to AA, reflecting its “highly strategic” status within the MassMutual group and a stable outlook supported by integrated risk management arlier, on September 20, 2024, A.M. Best affirmed Ascend’s A++ (Superior) rating—the highest grade possible—citing its very strong balance sheet, operating performance, and ERM . More recently, Weiss Ratings in March 2025 assigned a mid-tier B, noting strong capitalization, profitability, and liquidity, while flagging moderate investment-related risk.