Ameritas Life Insurance Review: What You Need to Know

In this article...
  • Learn more about Ameritas life insurance to find out if this is the right company for you.

When it comes to credibility, Ameritas life insurance has something to boast about: In 2019, the company reported $99 billion as the value of its life insurance policies. This underscores the extent to which the company has garnered a reputation for credibility and policy diversity. 

What Products and Services Does Ameritas Life Insurance Provide?

Ameritas offers five life insurance policies, ranging from term to whole to universal. 

Universal Life Insurance

The company offers traditional universal life insurance as well as variable and index universal life coverage. Traditional universal life insurance through Ameritas offers cash value and death benefits. Policyholders may draw from the cash value once it reaches a certain point, and performance of the policy is based on that of Ameritas' general investments. 

Index universal life insurance offers customers a cash value in addition to the death benefit component. The cash value aspect earns interest based on investments chosen by Ameritas. This helps the policy to gain value over time.

However, investments chosen for this policy are not equities so the risk is less. Variable forms of universal life insurance are similar to index, only the risk is higher because mutual funds are the primary vehicles for investment. 

Term Life Insurance

Value Plus Term is generally the most affordable of the life insurance options offered through Ameritas. It is allocated in 10, 15, 20 or 30-year terms and the premiums never fluctuate. This is an ideal option for those that need a temporary life insurance option or require a more affordable policy. 

Whole Life

This is the most permanent form of life insurance coverage offered through Ameritas. Access, Growth and Value Plus Whole Life are the three categories provided.

Access has accelerated death benefits and cash value growth, Growth offers dividends and cash value, while Value pays out dividends and has an accelerated death benefit as well. Coverage spans the consumer's lifetime. 

The Pros and Cons of Ameritas Life Insurance

Pros

 

  • Variety: Ameritas life insurance has a wide array of insurance products, both for life insurance and for other insurance types. 
  • Plenty of Riders: Riders are ideal to customize coverage, and Ameritas offers plenty of options to ensure that the life insurance plan a customer chooses is the right one for their needs. 

Cons

 

  • Medical Exams: Those looking to sign up for a policy instantly cannot do so without the requisite medical exam. 
  • Online Quotes: While the company offers online quotes for some policies, this service does not extend to all of them, which can lead to some frustration for customers trying to price coverage before buying. 

What People Are Saying About Ameritas Life Insurance

Reviews of Ameritas life insurance emphasize the diversity of coverage choices, especially since those looking for life insurance can also find coverage for dental/vision insurance as well as financial advising and business coverage. This is a point mentioned in many reviews that note the one-stop-shop benefit of choosing Ameritas for life insurance. 

Ameritas life insurance reviews are also favorable for competitive pricing and its "10 day look period." The company gets some unfavorable responses regarding the medical exam requirement, as none of its policies can be purchased without one. 

Who Would Ameritas Life Insurance Be Good For?

Ameritas life insurance has a wide enough array of product offerings ideal for just about any consumer in need of coverage. For instance, young families that have financial considerations can benefit from the company's term life coverage.

Comparatively, financially stable individuals that want comprehensive life insurance can either take a gamble with one of the universal policies or go the traditional route with whole life insurance replete with cash value benefits.