Gerber Life Insurance Review: Is It Worth It for Final Expense?
Gerber is one of the most recognized names in life insurance -- but is their guaranteed life insurance the best option for seniors looking for burial coverage? Asurgo is an independent brokerage that shops 25+ carriers, Gerber among them, so we can give you a straight answer: for most seniors a lower-cost option is the better value, but if you cannot qualify for coverage anywhere else, Gerber's guaranteed acceptance is one of the strongest safety nets available -- and we can place it for you. We will answer the questions people actually ask: Is Gerber good? What does it cost? How does it compare? Jump to the rate comparison, the pros and cons, or the FAQ.
The Short Answer
Is Gerber Life Insurance Good?
Gerber Life is a real, financially strong company. It is not a scam, and it pays claims. For the right person -- usually a senior who has been turned down elsewhere -- Gerber's guaranteed life insurance can be a sensible choice. But for most seniors shopping for final expense insurance, there are options with lower premiums and no waiting period.
The honest version of this review is simple: Gerber does some things genuinely well, and there are clear situations where a different carrier serves you better. As an independent broker that can place Gerber as well as 25+ other carriers, we have no reason to push you toward it or away from it -- we will lay out both sides and help you land on the right fit. This Gerber guaranteed life insurance review covers the product's pricing, its NAIC complaint data, the truth about the 2-year waiting period, and a side-by-side rate comparison that most review sites never publish.
So is Gerber life insurance good for seniors? It can be, for the right person. Below we get specific about who that is -- and who would do better elsewhere -- including how the product fits seniors and adults over 50 shopping for burial coverage.
At a Glance
Gerber Life Insurance at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Company | Gerber Life Insurance Company (subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group) |
| AM Best Rating | A (Excellent) |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 0.32 (as of March 2025), below the 1.0 national median |
| BBB Rating | A+ (not BBB accredited) |
| Senior Product | Guaranteed Life Insurance (guaranteed issue whole life) |
| Coverage Amounts | $5,000 – $25,000 |
| Age Eligibility | 50 – 80 |
| Waiting Period | 2 years (graded benefit) |
| Health Questions | None (guaranteed acceptance) |
| Monthly Cost Example | $51.06/mo for $10K at age 60 female (Gerber rate card, GL-RC) |
Gerber is financially strong, backed by Western & Southern Financial Group, and carries an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best. The product seniors actually buy for burial coverage is called Guaranteed Life Insurance. As the name suggests, it is guaranteed issue whole life: there are no health questions and you cannot be turned down, but in exchange there is a 2-year waiting period before the full benefit is payable. That trade-off -- guaranteed acceptance for a waiting period -- is the single most important thing to understand about this policy.
Not sure if you need guaranteed issue?
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The Product
Gerber's Guaranteed Life Insurance for Seniors
What It Is
Gerber's senior product is a guaranteed issue whole life policy. Here is what that means in plain terms:
- Available for ages 50 to 80
- No health questions and no medical exam -- acceptance is guaranteed
- Fixed premiums that never increase for the life of the policy
- Builds cash value over time, like all whole life insurance
- Coverage from $5,000 to $25,000
One point worth clearing up: Gerber's famous low-cost advertising -- the "for about a dollar a week" message -- refers to the company's children's Grow-Up Plan, not the senior guaranteed life policy. The senior product is priced very differently. As a published example, a 60-year-old woman pays about $51 per month for $10,000 of coverage, and premiums climb steadily with age -- by age 80 that same $10,000 policy runs about $176 per month. That may or may not be enough to cover a funeral. Use our burial cost calculator to estimate how much coverage your family would actually need.
The 2-Year Waiting Period (Graded Benefit)
This is the part that surprises people, so it is worth being clear:
- If the policyholder passes away from non-accidental causes during the first 2 years, the beneficiaries receive a refund of all premiums paid plus 10% interest -- not the full death benefit.
- Accidental death is covered in full from day one, even during those first 2 years.
- After 2 years, the full death benefit is paid regardless of cause.
Here is the important context most reviews leave out: this waiting period is standard for every guaranteed issue product, not something unique to Gerber. Colonial Penn, Globe Life, and essentially every other guaranteed acceptance carrier uses a similar 2-year graded structure. The waiting period is simply the trade-off the insurer requires in exchange for skipping all health questions. If you want to avoid the wait entirely, the answer is not a different guaranteed issue carrier -- it is qualifying for a simplified issue policy, which we cover below.
Gerber's Pricing by Age
The table below shows Gerber's monthly premiums for Guaranteed Life Insurance, taken from Gerber's published rate card.
| Age | $10,000 (Female) | $10,000 (Male) | $25,000 (Female) | $25,000 (Male) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | $34.47/mo | $44.09/mo | $84.79/mo | $108.86/mo |
| 55 | $44.28/mo | $57.93/mo | $109.31/mo | $143.46/mo |
| 60 | $51.06/mo | $63.89/mo | $126.27/mo | $158.36/mo |
| 65 | $62.61/mo | $85.16/mo | $155.15/mo | $211.52/mo |
| 70 | $75.53/mo | $99.18/mo | $187.46/mo | $246.59/mo |
| 75 | $108.17/mo | $139.52/mo | $269.04/mo | $347.42/mo |
| 80 | $176.37/mo | $247.32/mo | $439.55/mo | $616.92/mo |
The Balance Sheet
Gerber Life Insurance -- Pros and Cons
No carrier is all good or all bad. Here is a fair accounting of where Gerber's guaranteed life insurance stands.
Pros
- Guaranteed acceptance. No health questions and no one is turned away within ages 50 to 80.
- Trusted brand. Gerber is a household name with an A (Excellent) AM Best rating, backed by Western & Southern Financial Group.
- Simple application. You can apply online or by phone in minutes.
- Fixed premiums. Your rate never increases for the life of the policy.
- Cash value. The whole life policy builds tax-deferred cash value over time.
- Accidental death covered from day 1, even during the 2-year graded period.
Cons
- 2-year waiting period. No full payout for non-accidental death in the first 2 years.
- Higher premiums. Guaranteed issue typically costs 20-40% more than simplified issue for the same coverage.
- Max $25,000 coverage. Adequate for most funerals, but may not cover every final expense.
- No simplified issue option for seniors. Even healthy seniors pay the guaranteed issue rate and accept the waiting period.
- Single-carrier limitation. Buying directly from Gerber means you only ever see Gerber's pricing.
The Decision That Saves Money
Guaranteed Issue vs. Simplified Issue: The Decision Most Seniors Don't Know They Have
This is the most important section on the page, because almost no one explains it clearly. There are two main ways to buy final expense coverage, and which one you qualify for makes a big difference in both price and how soon you are fully covered.
The Core Question
Can you answer a few simple yes/no health questions -- no medical exam, no doctor visit, no blood work?
- If yes -- you likely qualify for simplified issue coverage from another carrier. That usually means lower premiums, no waiting period, and the full death benefit from day one.
- If no (or you strongly prefer not to answer any health questions) -- Gerber's guaranteed issue is a reasonable option. Even then, it is worth comparing Gerber against other guaranteed issue carriers first.
If avoiding the wait is your priority, read more about your options on our burial insurance with no waiting period guide.
Who Should Consider Simplified Issue Instead of Gerber
More seniors qualify for simplified issue than realize it. You may be a good candidate if you fall into one of these groups:
- Seniors with managed conditions such as controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, or COPD on medication -- most still qualify. See life insurance for diabetics, life insurance with COPD, and life insurance with heart disease.
- Seniors who have never been declined for life insurance
- Anyone who wants coverage that pays the full benefit from day one
- Seniors simply looking for the lowest monthly premium
Who Gerber Genuinely Serves Well
Guaranteed issue exists for a real reason, and there are people Gerber serves better than a simplified issue carrier could:
- Seniors declined by two or more carriers on simplified issue applications
- Seniors with severe, active conditions -- for example active cancer treatment, dialysis, or a recent organ transplant. Our guide on life insurance with pre-existing conditions explains how this works.
- Seniors who cannot, or strongly prefer not to, answer any health questions
- Anyone who values brand familiarity and simplicity above squeezing out the lowest price
Find out which one fits you
Answer a few questions and we will compare 25+ carriers to see whether simplified issue could save you money.
The Comparison No One Publishes
Gerber vs. Alternatives: Rate Comparison
Most review sites stop at describing Gerber. The more useful question is how Gerber's guaranteed issue pricing stacks up against the simplified issue policies many seniors qualify for. Here is a side-by-side look.
$10,000 Policy -- Monthly Rate Comparison (Female Non-Smoker)
| Age | Gerber GI (2-yr wait) | Mutual of Omaha SI (Day-1) | Aetna / Accendo SI (Day-1) | Transamerica SI (Day-1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $44.28 | $24 | $27 | $33 |
| 60 | $51.06 | $33 | $41 | $41 |
| 70 | $75.53 | $53 | $58 | $65 |
| 80 | $176.37 | $98 | $101 | $134 |
What the Numbers Show
A few clear takeaways come out of this comparison:
- Simplified issue is typically 20-40% less expensive than guaranteed issue for the same $10,000 of coverage.
- Simplified issue policies pay the full benefit from day one -- there is no 2-year wait.
- Even among guaranteed issue carriers, Gerber is not automatically the cheapest, so it pays to compare.
- The trade-off is straightforward: simplified issue asks you to answer roughly 5 to 12 health questions, with no exam and no blood work.
For most seniors, answering a few questions saves hundreds of dollars per year and eliminates the waiting period entirely. That is the whole case in one sentence -- and it is why an independent broker who can shop both types of coverage is so useful.
Gerber Life Insurance Alternatives and Common Comparisons
When people search for Gerber life insurance alternatives, two comparisons come up again and again. Here is the honest version of each.
Gerber life insurance vs. Colonial Penn: these two are more alike than different. Both sell guaranteed issue whole life with a 2-year waiting period, both target the same age 50 to 80 senior market, and neither asks a single health question. The right answer is rarely "pick the better of the two" -- it is to first check whether you even need guaranteed issue at all. Our Colonial Penn review walks through that product the same way this page does for Gerber.
Gerber life insurance vs. Mutual of Omaha: this is the comparison that matters most for cost. Mutual of Omaha's simplified issue final expense plan asks a short list of health questions, and for applicants who qualify it pays the full benefit from day one at premiums well below a typical guaranteed issue rate. If you are a healthy or moderately healthy senior, this is usually the bigger savings opportunity than comparing one guaranteed issue carrier to another.
The takeaway for anyone weighing Gerber final expense insurance against the field: the most important comparison is not Gerber versus another brand name. It is guaranteed issue versus simplified issue. Get that fork right and the specific carrier becomes a detail an independent broker can sort out for you in a few minutes.
See your real numbers, not estimates
We compare 25+ carriers side by side so you can see exactly where you would save versus a guaranteed issue policy.
Complaints & Financial Strength
NAIC Complaints and Financial Strength
A fair review has to look at the numbers, not just the marketing. If you have been searching Gerber life insurance reviews and complaints, here is what the public data actually says about the company.
AM Best: A (Excellent)
Gerber holds an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, supported by the backing of Western & Southern Financial Group. This rating speaks to the company's ability to pay claims, and on that measure there is no cause for concern. You can confirm a carrier's current rating directly at AM Best.
NAIC Complaint Index
The NAIC complaint index for Gerber Life Insurance Company was 0.32 as of March 2025. The index works on a simple scale: 1.0 represents the national median. A number above 1.0 means a company received more complaints than expected for its size, and a number below 1.0 means fewer. At 0.32, Gerber sits comfortably below the median -- a notable improvement from earlier years, when its individual life complaint index ran above average (1.37 in 2018 and 1.54 in 2019). You can look up any carrier's current complaint history through the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search.
BBB and Trustpilot
Gerber's Better Business Bureau rating is currently A+, though the company is not BBB accredited. On Trustpilot, Gerber shows a 1.8 out of 5 rating. It is worth keeping that number in perspective: review platforms like Trustpilot tend to attract people with complaints across essentially every insurance company, so the score is not a balanced measure of overall customer experience. It is still worth noting, but it should not be read in isolation.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gerber Life Insurance a good investment?
Gerber Life is a legitimate, financially stable company with an A (Excellent) AM Best rating. Their guaranteed life insurance for seniors serves a specific purpose: providing coverage for those who cannot qualify elsewhere. However, most seniors can find lower premiums and day-one coverage through simplified issue alternatives. Whether Gerber is "good" depends on your health situation and whether you have explored other options.
What is the downside of Gerber Life Insurance?
The main downsides for seniors are a 2-year waiting period before the full death benefit is paid, premiums that are typically 20–40% higher than simplified issue alternatives for the same coverage, and no simplified issue option. Even healthy seniors pay the guaranteed issue rate and accept the waiting period.
Is Gerber Life Insurance worth it for adults?
For seniors looking for final expense coverage, Gerber is worth considering if you have been declined by other carriers or have severe health conditions that prevent qualifying for simplified issue. For healthy or moderately healthy seniors, there are more affordable options available with no waiting period through an independent broker.
What are the complaints about Gerber Life Insurance?
The NAIC complaint index for Gerber Life was 0.32 as of March 2025, which is below the national median of 1.0 for a company its size. That is an improvement from the above-average complaint levels it reported in 2018 and 2019. Trustpilot shows a 1.8 out of 5 rating, though insurance company reviews on that platform generally skew negative.
How much does Gerber life insurance cost per month?
Gerber's guaranteed life insurance premiums depend on age, gender, and coverage amount. For a 60-year-old woman, approximately $51 per month for $10,000 in coverage. Rates increase significantly with age. Simplified issue alternatives typically cost 20–40% less for the same coverage.
Is Colonial Penn better than Gerber Life?
Both offer guaranteed issue whole life with a 2-year waiting period and serve a similar audience. Neither is clearly "better." They have different pricing structures and state availability. The more important question is whether you need guaranteed issue at all. Most seniors qualify for simplified issue through an independent broker, which offers lower premiums and day-one coverage. Read our Colonial Penn review for a closer look.
What is better than Gerber life insurance?
For seniors who can answer basic health questions, simplified issue final expense insurance from carriers like Mutual of Omaha, Aetna, or Transamerica offers lower premiums and no waiting period. An independent broker compares 25 or more carriers to find the best fit for your specific health profile and budget.
What is the waiting period for Gerber Life Insurance?
Gerber's guaranteed life insurance has a 2-year graded benefit period. If the policyholder dies from non-accidental causes within the first 2 years, beneficiaries receive a refund of all premiums paid plus 10% interest, not the full death benefit. After 2 years, the full benefit is paid. Accidental death is covered in full from day one.
Other Carrier Reviews
How to Compare Your Options
Gerber Life Insurance is a solid option for seniors who need guaranteed acceptance with no health questions. But if you can answer a few simple yes/no questions, you may qualify for lower premiums and day-one coverage through simplified issue carriers. Asurgo is an independent brokerage licensed in all 50 states, and we shop 25+ carriers -- including Mutual of Omaha, Aflac, Transamerica, AIG, Aetna, and Gerber. We start by finding you the lowest-cost coverage you qualify for, and if you have been declined elsewhere, we can place you with a guaranteed-issue carrier like Gerber so you still walk away protected.
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Nicholas Norminton -- Licensed Insurance Specialist
Nicholas is a nationally licensed insurance specialist who has personally helped thousands of clients secure life insurance coverage. He built Asurgo into a trusted, tech-forward brokerage serving clients in all 50 states with access to 25+ carriers.
Sources
NAIC Consumer Insurance Search (complaint index data) · AM Best (financial strength rating). Gerber rate figures referenced inline are from GerberLife.com and published Gerber rate cards, accessed May 30, 2026.