Knights of Columbus Review

Knowledge is key when it comes to selecting the best life insurance provider.

And you can gain that knowledge by researching the best life insurance companies by reading trusted reviews of them here.

Our review of Knights of Columbus looks at what makes the company a worthwhile investment, including its policies and features, pros and cons, and customer service.

The goal is to provide you with the details you need to decide whether this life insurance provider is your best bet, or if you should continue exploring your options.

Here is our comprehensive Knights of Columbus review.

Knights of Columbus Life Insurance Company Review

The most important things you need to know about Knights of Columbus are:

• Sterling reputation in life insurance industry
• Policy options for people of all backgrounds
• Affordable premiums

Out of all of these details, the top notch reputation of Knights of Columbus is perhaps the most important note.

The company was founded back in 1882 and has been putting forward solid products and services ever since. There’s yet to be a time in the company’s history where they’ve slacked on what they offer.

The company has over $100 billion life insurance in-force (meaning outstanding death benefit amounts from all its customers), with greater than $22 billion in total assets. This dwarfs many other life insurance companies, and helps define a stable and diversified carrier.

They also are one of few carriers to offer dividends on their whole life insurance policies, though they are never guaranteed.

But this doesn’t mean they are the best life insurance company, just because they are big.

The financial strength of Knights of Columbus is one of their most important attributes as a life insurance provider.

According to A.M. Best, Knights of Columbus has received an A+ rating for their overall financial strength. They’ve held a Superior rating from this agency for more than 40 years in a row.

What this means for you, the policyholder, is this life insurance provider has proven to be financially sound. This is important because it shows they’ll likely be able to pay out your policy, even if it’s not required for decades into the future.

Knights of Columbus is all about continuing to provide the stellar service and the foundational products they’re known for: permanent insurance products.

Ever since their birth in 1882, the company has exceeded customer expectations in all departments, including policies, service, and financial strength.

Another highlight of Knights of Columbus is not only the variety of policies and features they offer, but how affordable these are as well.

A commitment to customers of all backgrounds, including income levels, puts Knights of Columbus well ahead much of the competition.

What Makes Knights of Columbus Unique?

Part of what makes Knights of Columbus so unique is their company history.

For starters, they’re one of the oldest life insurance companies in the United States, getting their start all the way back in 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yet, even the way they were established is unique.

The company started in the basement of St. Mary’s Church. Ever since their very beginning, Knights of Columbus has been dedicated to helping people from all walks of life find the best life insurance for them.

Indeed, the original mission of Knights of Columbus was to provide life insurance for new immigrants to the United States.

Despite the many changes the company has gone through since its early days, they’re still committed to the same ideals to this day.

Knights of Columbus is still committed to providing the best life insurance options to everyone, including those who don’t normally have the means to purchase it.

In addition to a variety of life insurance plans and features, Knights of Columbus also provides:

• long-term care insurance
• disability income insurance
• retirement annuities

Unlike some life insurance companies who add other forms of insurance to their offerings, Knights of Columbus focuses on just these three.

This has allowed them to fine-tune these products into some of the best on the market.

It also enables them to offer some of the more affordable rates available.

Finally, the focus Knights of Columbus on life insurance means their customer service is second to none.

Their Application Process

Knights of Columbus uses a standard, traditional application process to make applying for life insurance as simple and straightforward as possible.

While we see this as a drawback, given the ability to apply elsewhere and buy life insurance completely online, it’s still a somewhat standard practice in the marketplace.

You simply fill out the application before turning it in; doing this takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes.

Depending on the specific coverage you’re applying for, you might also be required to get a current medical exam.

The combination of application and medical exam is used by the company’s underwriters to assess your overall level of risk.

Assessing your risk enables the company to decide which policies you’re eligible for and at what rates.

Make sure that you’re completely honest on your application, of course.

There’s no reason to hide medical issues. The underwriters will discover them eventually.

Being dishonest has no benefits.

You can expect to wait between 4 and 6 weeks after your application is turned in before hearing back from Knights of Columbus.

What We Like About Knights of Columbus

Knights of Columbus has a lot going for it. Their numerous benefits make them a good option for many people.

These top benefits include:

• Stellar reputation
• Strong financial rating
• Solid products
• Affordable premiums
• Excellent customer service

Each of these benefits is great in and of itself. Yet it’s when you combine them together that they truly shine.

Most other life insurance companies aren’t able to master all of these areas in the same way that Knights of Columbus has done.

They’ve managed to sell stellar products at great rates without sacrificing customer service in any way, shape, or form.

What We DON’T Like About Knights of Columbus

Like even the absolute best companies, Knights of Columbus has a few negatives.

At the top of the list is that their products and services are for members only. Basically, this means you must be a member of Knights of Columbus to qualify.

The requirements to become a member of Knights of Columbus are that you’re a Catholic male over the age of 18.

Those who don’t fit under these qualifications will not be eligible to receive life insurance (or another type of policy) from Knights of Columbus.

This is a major drawback to this carrier.

Other comparable companies, like New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, Mutual of Omaha, and others do not have this requirement.

Who Is KofC Best For?

Because of the restrictions set in place by the company, Knights of Columbus is only a good option for members of the organization.

This means you must be a member of the Order of the Knights of Columbus (or one of their family members) to apply. The Order of the Knights of Columbus itself is relegated to Catholic males only.

These restrictions mean Knights of Columbus life insurance isn’t the right choice for many people.

Customer Service

Excellent customer service is the name of the game at Knights of Columbus.

Their unique approach to the insurance industry allows them to provide nearly unparalleled customer support to their policyholders.

The customer service at Knights of Columbus is friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. It’s easy to receive an answer to your question or query just by calling the live support line.

Our Verdict

If you’re a Catholic male over 18 years old that’s also a member of the Order of the Knights of Columbus, you have an option in Knights of Columbus.

If you’re not, look elsewhere (this is the vast majority of you).

Knights of Columbus provides some of the best products and services around, but due to their many restrictions and requirements, their coverage is best suited for only a small percentage of the population.

We don’t really recommend them.