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  Numerous insurance companies provide 401(k) and life insurance services. These companies typically also offer investments, and 401(k) services are a way to steer funds into the investments they manage. The largest life insurance companies providing 401(k) services today are John Hancock Life Insurance Company, New York Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Group, The Hartford Insurance Company and Mass Mutual Insurance Company.
  
  

John Hancock

• John Hancock is based in Boston, Massachusetts and provides both life insurance and 401(k) services nationally. John Hancock manages more than $120 billion in assets. The company distributes its product through a large network of insurance agents, which is a key factor in its success. Its technology is well-regarded and would be acceptable to any type of 401(k) plan.
  
  

New York Life

• New York Life is based in New York, New York and provides both life insurance and 401(k) services nationally. New York Life manages more than $261 billion in assets. New York Life focuses on both defined benefit pension plan management and 401(k) administration. The company has a strong East Coast presence, but has branched out in the past several years.
  
  

Principal Financial

• Principal Financial is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and provides both life insurance and 401(k) services nationally. Principal Financial manages more than $284 billion in assets. Principal has a strong asset management business and full suite of insurance products, retirement solutions and other financial services.
  
  

The Hartford

• The Hartford is based in Hartford, Connecticut and provides both life insurance and 401(k) services nationally. The Hartford manages more than $96 billion in assets. The company focuses primarily on insurance and secondarily on asset management. The company's asset management business has grown, as has its retirement administration capabilities and distribution. The Hartford manages a range of plan sizes, from the micro market (less than 25 plan participants) to some plans in the jumbo market (several thousand participants). The majority of the business' plans are in the small and middle markets.
  
  

Mass Mutual

• Mass Mutual is based in Boston, Massachusetts and provides both life insurance and 401(k) services nationally. Mass Mutual manages more than $400 billion in assets. It is the largest provider in the insurance space and has a proportionally large exposure to the jumbo plan market. The company was one of the first to introduce a single platform to manage multiple retirement plan types.