Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Though it isn’t one of the top overall life insurance companies, Americo is an outstanding choice if you’re looking for a no exam policy or final expense coverage.

Product Availability

Review Breakdown

Price/Value

Life insurance rates vary from company to company, so it’s important to compare multiple carriers before selecting one.

The cost of coverage is based on risk factors, such as your health, sex, age, family history, and in some cases, your career and hobbies.

To assess Americo’s price, we compared rates across several demographics and considered the value of the products being offered.

Overall, Americo’s rates are average. Their policies aren’t outrageously priced, but you may be able to find more competitive rates elsewhere.

However, Americo shines in the final expense arena, offering some of the most affordably priced and most valuable coverage in the market.

They’re also one of the top tiered life insurance companies for no exam policies in terms of affordability, though you may be able to get higher face amounts elsewhere.

Financial Strength

When you buy life insurance, you need to take a close look at a company’s financial strength.

The company you choose should have a promising financial outlook, with the ability to pay out your policy.

One of the best ways for investors and life insurance shoppers to assess financial strength is to turn to credit ratings.

Americo is only rated by one of the four major agencies, A.M. Best, which detracted from our financial strength score.

A.M. Best gives Americo an “A” rating, suggesting it is in excellent financial shape.

User Experience

Buying life insurance shouldn’t be overly complicated. Neither should managing your policy or filing a claim.

The best life insurance companies focus on providing insurance shoppers and policyholders with a pleasant and straightforward experience.

To assess the user experience offered by Americo, we’ve weighed factors like consumer-based ratings, the company’s website, and the process of applying for coverage.

Overall, Americo is known for creating a positive customer experience through their resources and interactions with clients.

Ratings

Two of the best rating sources for evaluating user experience are the J.D. Power Life Insurance Study and the Better Business Bureau.

J.D. Power scores the top life insurance companies based on how policyholders rank the customer experience offered by their provider.

Americo was not included in the most recent survey; however, it has been highly rated by the Better Business Bureau.

While Americo’s average customer rating on the BBB website is low, the Bureau has awarded the company an “A” based on how it interacts with clients.

Website

Americo’s website is simple and straightforward, but it provides very little information overall.

The site offers a very brief history of the company and mentions its credit rating.

However, there is no further information on the company’s financial performance, history, or community involvement.

To compare term and universal policies, you’ll need to submit the contact form found on the site, call Americo, or contact an agent, as there is only a basic description of each policy type.

Final expense shoppers are redirected to the Americo Senior Life website, where they can get a quote and start the application process.

Policyholders can download forms on the website, but most changes have to be completed by email, fax, or mail rather than through the site.

Application

Americo’s application process can vary depending on the type of policy you choose.

If you’re looking for a final expense policy from Americo, you can get quotes and apply directly online with just a few health-related questions.

To apply for a term or universal policy, you’ll need to work with an agent to complete the application.

If you’re applying for a no exam policy, your rates will be determined by your application responses and records.

With a medically underwritten policy, you’ll also be required to schedule a medical exam.

The underwriting process for a traditional medically underwritten policy typically ranges from 4-6 weeks, while approval for a no exam policy could be instant.

Product Availability

Americo offers a range of life insurance options, including term and permanent policies.

Term

Americo is a popular provider of simplified issue term life insurance.

Term options include 15, 20, 25, and 30 years.

Americo offers up to $400,000 death benefits, lower than some of its no exam competitors.

Americo’s term policies come with several optional riders, including a return of premium if you outlive your policy.

You can also purchase a convertible term policy, which can be extended into permanent coverage at a later date.

Americo also sells a less common form of term life insurance, mortgage protection.

Universal

If you have more permanent needs, Americo also offers universal life insurance.

Like Americo’s term policy, you can secure between $25,000 and $400,000 of coverage.

Universal life insurance offers a death benefit, along with an interest-bearing cash value account.

It also provides flexibility, allowing you to shift your death benefit and premium amounts as your needs change.

Americo’s universal policies can be customized even further with riders, including a cashback option.

Whole

For permanent coverage with a guaranteed premium and face amount, Americo offers whole life insurance.

Whole life allows you to lock in lifelong coverage, along with an accessible cash value account.

Because these policies come with so many guarantees and you aren’t at risk of outliving your policy, they are significantly more costly than other types of life insurance.

If you choose to purchase a whole life policy from Americo, you can adapt your coverage to meet your needs with a list of riders.

Final Expense

Perhaps Americo’s most advantageous product is its final expense insurance.

While this policy isn’t ideal for the majority of younger insurance shoppers, it is a simple cost-effective way for seniors to buy a life insurance policy with a smaller death benefit to pay for funeral costs.

Because of their limited underwriting, these policies come with a graded payout, meaning beneficiaries may not receive the full death benefit if you die in the first few years of coverage.

Likewise, these policies have a higher cost per thousand dollars of coverage than other types of coverage.

However, if you only need to cover basic end-of-life costs and health is a concern, this option may be worth exploring.

Brand/Size

Started more than a century ago, Americo is actually a group of life insurance companies joined by acquisition, including:

• Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company
• Great Southern Life Insurance Company
• Investors Life Insurance Company of North America
• National Farmers Union Life Insurance Company
• United Fidelity Life Insurance Company

The carrier, based out of Kansas, Missouri, caters to independent agents who offer their products nationwide.

Today, the company has more than 659,000 policies in force with over $6 billion in assets.

While much of its growth has come through acquisitions, Americo continues to expand by offering products in several markets.

In addition to life insurance, Americo sells annuities, Medicare supplements, and vision insurance.

Brand Recognition

Though its roots extend to 1909, Americo is not as recognizable a name as some of its competitors.

The company shares very little information about its history, community partnerships, or philanthropic efforts.

Aside from a Youtube channel with a few videos, Americo does not appear to use social media to share updates, market products, or interact with clients.

Consensus

When you’re evaluating a life insurance company, it’s a good idea to factor in more than one opinion.

In addition to grading Americo in the areas above, we’ve scoured other rankings and reviews from across the industry to generate a consensus score for the company.

Americo doesn’t often rank among the best overall life insurance companies.

The company’s lack of credit ratings by three of the four major agencies, policy limits, and absence of brand recognition are likely to blame.

While Americo may not be the best fit for insurance shoppers looking for large amounts of traditionally underwritten coverage at the lowest rates, it performs well in the no exam market.

If you’re looking to skip the medical exam for a term policy or secure a guaranteed final expense policy, Americo is worth a look.