The Standard

What The Standard does

The Standard (Standard Insurance Company) is a privately held U.S. provider of workplace benefits, retirement services, and individual financial products, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and operating under parent StanCorp Financial Group, Inc. Founded in 1906, the company holds an A.M. Best 'A' financial strength rating and is licensed nationally via three insurance subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company (all states except New York), The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, and American Heritage Life Insurance Company. Its core offerings span employer-sponsored group benefits (life and AD&D, short- and long-term disability, paid family and medical leave, dental, vision, accident, critical illness, cancer, hospital indemnity, voluntary life) and retirement solutions (401(k) and Pooled Employer Plans, stable value funds, fixed indexed annuities), supplemented by individual disability and annuity products and a Workplace Possibilities disability management program with interactive centers in Portland and Dallas.

The Standard's business model is built on recurring insurance premiums and retirement plan administration fees, distributed through direct employer sales, broker and advisor channels, an Allstate agent distribution partnership (tied to the ~$2 billion acquisition of Allstate's Employer Voluntary Benefits business announced August 2024), the OneDigital Secure Future PEP platform (with over $600 million in retirement plan assets), and Ignite Partners for the Thrive Plus Fixed Indexed Annuity. Customer segments are horizontal — individuals and families, businesses and organizations of all sizes, and brokers/advisors — each served through dedicated website portals. The company is actively reshaping its portfolio: divesting individual annuities to Pacific Guardian Life (closing 2027) and Canadian voluntary benefits to Blue Cross Life (closing 2026), while expanding into India via a Global Capability Centre in Bengaluru and Pune focused on AI engineering, cloud platforms, data and analytics, and digital transformation. AI deployment includes the internal AskStan chatbot, Microsoft Copilot rolled out to approximately 3,000 employees with 85%+ daily usage, and AI-driven automation in claims, underwriting, and customer service.

Name

The Standard

Legal name

Standard Insurance Company

Website

https://standard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Standard (Standard Insurance Company) is a 1906-founded, A-rated U.S. provider of employer-sponsored group benefits (life, disability, dental, vision) and retirement plan services, serving individuals, employers of all sizes, and brokers through direct sales, the Allstate agent channel, and partnership platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Benefits Insurance & Retirement Services

NAICS

Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411), Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers (524114), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Disability Income Insurance (Employer-Sponsored) (FSAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Benefits Administration (BPACAPAC), Disability & Leave Administration (STD/LTD/FMLA/Paid Leave) (HLAEALAM), Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support (BPAAAIAB), Basic Group Term Life (Employer-Paid) (FSAIADAA), Own-Occupation Specialty Disability Insurance (Professional Occupations) (FSAIAIAI)

Keywords

• Workplace benefits insurance
• Group disability insurance
• Retirement plan services
• Fixed indexed annuities
• Employee benefits administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums: Collection of premiums for workplace benefits including life, disability, dental, vision, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and voluntary life insurance products.
2. Retirement Plan Administration: Fees from managing retirement plans including pooled employer plans (PEP), recordkeeping services acquired from Securian Financial, and stable value funds.
3. Annuity Products: Revenue from fixed indexed annuities like Thrive Plus, which offers indexed crediting strategies, optional bonuses, legacy planning features, and enhanced liquidity options with seven-year or 10-year surrender periods.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Standard is a leading provider of workplace benefits insurance and retirement services, offering employer-sponsored group products (life and AD&D, short and long-term disability, paid family and medical leave, dental, vision, accident, cancer, critical illness, hospital indemnity, voluntary life) along with retirement plans, fixed indexed annuities (Thrive Plus), stable value funds, and individual disability insurance. It also operates the Workplace Possibilities℠ program, a proactive, whole-person disability management offering with interactive centers in Portland and Dallas, and provides benefits administration support through partnerships with broker and advisor channels.

Product overview

The Standard is a workplace benefits insurance and retirement services provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and financial solutions. The core offering consists of employer-sponsored workplace benefits including life and AD&D, short and long term disability, paid family and medical leave, dental, vision, and supplemental benefits such as accident, cancer, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and voluntary life insurance. These are complemented by retirement solutions including retirement plans, annuities, and stable value funds. The company also operates the Workplace Possibilities Program, a proactive disability management approach with interactive centers in Portland and Dallas. The product portfolio spans individual and group offerings, with subsidiaries including Standard Insurance Company (Portland, Oregon), The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, and American Heritage Life Insurance Company (Jacksonville, Florida). Recent growth has been driven by acquisitions including Securian Financial's recordkeeping business (2022) and Allstate's Employer Voluntary Benefits business (2024), as well as international expansion through India Global Capability Centres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Workplace Possibilities℠: Proactive, whole-person approach to disability providing personalized support to help employees stay at work or get back to work safely.
• Thrive Plus

Products and services

• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short Term Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Family and Medical Leave
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Cancer / Specified Disease Insurance
• Critical Illness / Specified Disease Insurance
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Retirement Plans
• Workplace Possibilities℠ Program
• Small Business Solutions
• Individual Annuities
• Thrive Plus Fixed Indexed Annuity
• Stable Value Funds
• Individual Disability Insurance
• OneDigital Secure Future Pooled Employer Plan (PEP)
• Benefits Administration and Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in advisor satisfaction among employers after joining a Pooled Employer Plan

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pacific Guardian Life (Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company)coreOthers · 22 May 2026Transfer of The Standard's individual annuities business to Pacific Guardian Life, part of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company group, expected to close in early 2027. The move allows The Standard to focus on workplace benefits and retirement services while Pacific Guardian Life expands its fixed annuity operations.
• Ignite PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 April 2026Launched Thrive Plus Fixed Indexed Annuity, leveraging The Standard's A.M. Best 'A' rating and century-long financial stability alongside Ignite Partners' distribution expertise and Independent Marketing Organization consortium model. The product offers multiple indexed crediting strategies, optional bonuses, legacy planning features, and enhanced liquidity options.
• University of Texas at DallasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Scholarship program supporting students pursuing actuarial science, including a renewable award and paid internship to address barriers like cost and awareness. Aligns with The Standard's focus on risk assessment and financial safety, supporting a program recognized by the Society of Actuaries.
• Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of CanadaminorOthers · 19 March 2026Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of Canada announced agreement to acquire The Standard's Canadian voluntary benefits business from StanCorp Financial Group, expected to close later in 2026. The acquisition enhances Blue Cross Life's market presence in Canada's voluntary benefits sector.
• OneDigitalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 March 2026Nationwide expansion of OneDigital's Secure Future Pooled Employer Plan (PEP), originally launched regionally in 2021. The program has surpassed $600 million in total assets and simplifies retirement plan administration, strengthens fiduciary oversight, and reduces operational burden for employers.
• AllstatecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 August 2024Distribution partnership where The Standard will acquire Allstate's Employer Voluntary Benefits business for approximately $2 billion, with Allstate's agents and employees distributing broader benefits coverage. The deal expands The Standard's market position in U.S. employee benefits and was expected to close in first half of 2025.
• Securian FinancialcoreOthers · 19 October 2022The Standard acquired Securian Financial's retirement plan recordkeeping business to expand retirement offerings and market presence in the U.S. The transaction involved employees, management, and distribution networks from Securian Financial, with pension risk transfer and institutional retirement units not included in the sale.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Unum Group: Largest pure-play U.S. group disability and group life carrier with overlapping product portfolio (STD, LTD, group life, voluntary benefits, leave management). Direct competitor in employer-sponsored benefits and group disability underwriting, with similar broker distribution model.
• Lincoln Financial Group: Major U.S. provider of group disability, group life, dental, vision, retirement plans, and annuities. Direct competitor in employer-sponsored workplace benefits and in retirement plan administration where The Standard competes via Pooled Employer Plans.
• The Hartford: Strong group benefits carrier with deep presence in group disability, group life, and leave management, alongside small commercial and worksite products. Closely comparable product set and distribution through brokers and employer direct sales.
• Guardian Life Insurance Company of America: Mutual insurer with significant group disability, group life, dental, and vision products distributed through employers and brokers. Closely aligned mid-sized mutual carrier competing in the same workplace benefits segments.
• Principal Financial Group: Strong retirement and group benefits carrier, particularly in small/mid-market 401(k) and group disability/life. Direct competitor in retirement plan administration and Pooled Employer Plans, with similar broker and employer distribution.

Broad incumbents

• MetLife: Global insurance and employee benefits incumbent offering group disability, group life, dental, vision, retirement, and annuities. Larger and more diversified than The Standard but competes head-to-head in U.S. group benefits and retirement plan administration.
• Prudential Financial: Large diversified insurer with material group life, group disability, and retirement plan businesses. Competes with The Standard in retirement plan administration and group insurance, particularly for large/mid-market employers.
• Sun Life Financial: Major group benefits carrier (especially in U.S. and Canadian group disability and group life following its DentaQuest and other expansions). Competes directly with The Standard in U.S. group benefits and is the acquirer of The Standard's Canadian voluntary benefits business.
• Cigna Group: Large health services and global benefits company offering group disability, life, dental, and vision products through Evernorth. Competes in employer-sponsored benefits with broader health capabilities and global footprint.
• New York Life Insurance Company: Large mutual insurer offering group life, disability, retirement, and individual annuities. Competes with The Standard across multiple group and individual product lines, particularly in retirement and group benefits for mid-sized employers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/The_Standard

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Standard