While its coverage limits are low and its online experience could be improved, American Amicable is a dependable provider of term and permanent life insurance policies, best known for its final expense insurance.
A.M. Best
A
Standard & Poor’s
N/A
BBB
A+
American Amicable Life Insurance
The Good
- Financial security
- Competitive final expense coverage
- Generous age limits
- Non-med coverage
The Bad
- Low face amounts
- Less competitive term and universal products
- Vauge policy information
- No online quotes
Product Availability
Policy Types
- Term
- Universal
- Final expense
Riders
- Accelerated death benefit
- Children’s term
- Disability income
- Waiver of premium
Overall
3.52
Price/Value
3.1
Financial Strength
2.5
User Experience
3.5
Product Availability
2.5
Brand/Size
1.7
Price/Value
Before you lock into a life insurance policy, you should compare the rates offered by the carrier you’re considering.
With each company evaluating risk factors uniquely and specializing in different types of coverage, one carrier could offer you far lower rates than another.
American Amicable does not allow you to compare quotes online, nor does it offer sample rates, so it may be difficult for you to anticipate the cost of coverage without contacting an agent.
Overall, American Amicable’s policies are reasonably priced, especially their term life insurance for younger applicants.
However, the highest coverage amount on most of American Amicable’s policies is only $250,000. As such, the company’s term life insurance is unlikely to meet most shoppers’ needs adequately.
American Amicable has the most value to offer to elderly shoppers looking to secure a small final expense policy with no underwriting.
Financial Strength
In addition to the cost of coverage, you need to pay close attention to a company’s financial strength before purchasing life insurance.
It’s key to work with a carrier who can pay out claims with certainty, regardless of economic changes.
To assess financial strength, it’s helpful to utilize credit ratings, which predict a company’s outlook and likelihood of meeting financial commitments.
American Amicable is rated by one of the four major credit rating agencies, A.M. Best, earning an “A” rating.
The rating above suggests American Amicable is in solid financial standing and highly capable of meeting its obligations to policyholders.
We can gain even more insight into American Amicable’s financial shape by taking a look at its parent company, Industrial Alliance.
The financial services provider, which offers both health and life insurance solutions, has over $210.5 billion in assets.
User Experience
Life insurance can get complicated, but your insurer should be committed to streamlining the process of shopping for, buying, and managing your policy.
To review American Amicable’s user experience, we turned to third-party ratings and delved into the company’s online platform and application process.
Ratings
One key source for assessing user experience is J.D. Power’s annual individual life insurance survey, which rates the nation’s premier providers based on overall customer satisfaction.
American Amicable was not featured in this year’s survey, weighing negatively on our user experience score.
The Better Business Bureau is another useful tool for analyzing life insurance providers, helping to verify a company’s legitimacy and assess consumers’ perceptions.
American Amicable is accredited by the BBB and has an “A+” rating, highlighting high customer satisfaction, company transparency, and a commitment to resolving issues with clients.
Website
American Amicable’s website is one of its weaker points. The site is dated, has limited functionality, and provides only sparse details about the company and its policies.
To learn anything about policy options, you are required to submit a form and wait to be contacted by an agent.
There is an online portal for policyholders, as well as a list of downloadable policy change and claims forms; however, it is unclear if any tasks can be carried out online.
Application
American Amicable’s application process isn’t clearly drawn out for customers online.
After submitting your contact information online, you should be contacted by an agent to initiate the application process.
American Amicable offers no exam coverage, meaning medical exams and blood tests are not required during the application process.
Instead of a medical exam, the company may access your MIB, MVR, and pharmaceutical records to verify your application responses and ascertain your condition.
American Amicable insures applicants as late in life as 85, far less stringent than other providers’ age requirements.
Product Availability
American Amicable issues three types of policies:
- Term
- Universal
- Final expense
We’ll take a closer look at each of the products the company sells below.
Term
American Amicable offers simplified term life insurance products, which can be obtained without a medical exam.
The non-medical option provides anywhere from $25,000 to $250,000 of coverage, in various term lengths.
You can also opt for a return of premium rider or convert your policy into a permanent one later on.
These policies can be obtained between the ages of 18 and 65 in 10-year renewable terms.
Universal
With American Amicable’s universal policies, you can choose between medically underwritten and simplified coverage.
The company’s no exam policy comes with the flexibility and accumulation that make universal coverage appealing, but with a few limits.
The policies max out at $250,000 and come with a 15-year no-lapse guarantee.
The medically underwritten policy comes with a no-lapse guarantee and no defined maximum amount of coverage.
Final Expense
American Amicable also offers whole life insurance policies to applicants between the ages of 0 and 85.
These smaller policies function as final expense coverage and do not require a medical exam for underwriting.
They come with guaranteed death benefits and premiums and cannot be altered if your health changes during the length of the policy.
Policyholders can borrow from the cash value of the policy as well.
In addition to these policy options, American Amicable also offers modified life insurance, which allows you to add cash accumulation to your term or whole life coverage.
Brand/Size
American Amicable, founded in Waco, Texas, is no newcomer to the life insurance industry.
The “progressive special markets insurer” has been in business since 1910 as the American Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas, working to perfect its products for over a century.
Longevity is always a good sign for insurance companies, demonstrating stability and reliability.
American Amicable has seen a more recent change in ownership, with the 2010 acquisition of the insurance sector of the American Amicable Group by Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services.
In the years following this transition, the company has remained steadfast in its dedication to providing outstanding life insurance products to its target markets.
Industrial Alliance has over 8,1000 employees and more than 4 million policyholders.
The group also sells auto, home, health, and travel insurance, as well as investment products.
Brand Recognition
American Amicable is not one of the most recognizable names in the life insurance industry.
While the company sells a range of products, one of its primary niches is final expense insurance.
As such, the company’s marketing is primarily geared towards senior citizens.
Though its parent company has a social media presence, American Amicable does not appear to have accounts on most major social media platforms.
Nor does it share any details about its community involvement online.
Consensus
American Amicable is generally considered by experts across the industry to be a dependable life insurance company with some competitive products.
With a simple yet standard application process and no medical exam requirement, American Amicable could be advantageous for applicants.
However, with low face amounts, a limited online experience, and little brand recognition, the company falls short in some respects.
American Amicable is a top-tier final expense carrier, but it isn’t among the best life insurance companies in the nation overall.
Ultimately, you should research multiple providers to land on the right one and compare quotes to see what kind of rates you can expect to pay.
American Amicable Life Insurance
- Website
- americanamicable.com
- Phone
- (800) 736-7311
- Address
- 425 Austin Avenue
Waco, TX 76701
Company Name (and subsidiaries)
- American Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas
- IA American Life Insurance Company
- Occidental Life Insurance Company of North Carolina
- Pioneer American Insurance Company
- Pioneer Security Life Insurance Company