Independent Review

Open Care Life Insurance Review (2026): Is It Legit?

Open Care (operated by TZ Insurance Solutions, a Tranzact subsidiary) is a marketing brand that connects seniors with final expense policies underwritten by third-party carriers like Mutual of Omaha. It is not an insurance company itself. Premiums vary by which carrier you are placed with, and comparing across 25+ carriers independently typically finds equal or better rates.

Disclosure: Asurgo is an independent life insurance brokerage licensed in all 50 states. Open Care is not among the carriers Asurgo represents. We do not sell Open Care products and earn no commission if you buy through them. This review is based on publicly available information.

At a Glance

TypeMarketing brand / brokerage (not a carrier)
Operated byTZ Insurance Solutions LLC (Tranzact subsidiary)
Underwriting carriersMutual of Omaha, Assurity, and others
AM Best ratingN/A (Open Care is not a carrier)
BBB rating (TZ Insurance)A+ (not accredited)
ProductsFinal expense whole life, term life
Coverage amounts$2,000 - $50,000
Medical examNo
Age rangeApproximately 18-85
Waiting periodGuaranteed issue: 2 years. Simplified issue: none.
Best forSeniors who want a single phone call to start
Not ideal forPrice-sensitive buyers who want to compare carriers

What It Is

What Is Open Care Life Insurance?

Open Care is not an insurance company. It is a marketing brand operated by TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, which is a subsidiary of Tranzact. When you respond to an Open Care advertisement or call their phone number, you are connecting with a sales operation that places you into a policy underwritten by a third-party insurance carrier. Open Care itself does not issue policies, does not hold insurance reserves, and does not pay claims.

The carriers behind Open Care are the companies that actually matter. Mutual of Omaha is confirmed as an underwriting partner for Open Care's final expense products. Assurity handles term life placements. There may be additional carrier partners, but Open Care does not publicly disclose its full panel. When you buy "Open Care life insurance," the policy documents will carry the name of whatever carrier you were routed to.

Open Care advertises heavily through television commercials, direct mail, and telemarketing. If you have received an unsolicited mailer or phone call about affordable life insurance "starting at $7.49 per month," there is a good chance it came from Open Care or one of its affiliated marketing channels. The advertising volume is significant, and it is one of the most visible final expense marketing brands in the country.

This distinction between a marketing brand and an insurance carrier matters for one important reason: your policy's financial strength depends entirely on the company that underwrites it, not the company that sold it to you. If Open Care routes you to Mutual of Omaha, your policy is backed by Mutual of Omaha's balance sheet and AM Best rating. If they route you to a different carrier, your policy is backed by that carrier's financials instead. You do not control which carrier you land with, and you may not know until after you apply.

Understanding this structure is the key to evaluating Open Care. The question is not whether the policies are real (they are). The question is whether this is the best way to shop for coverage when you cannot see which carriers are available or compare their rates side by side before committing.

Trust & Reputation

Is Open Care Life Insurance Legit?

The direct answer: yes, Open Care places real policies from real insurance carriers. It is not a scam. The policies you receive through Open Care are genuine whole life or term life contracts issued by state-licensed insurers. If a claim is filed, the underwriting carrier pays it.

TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, the company that operates Open Care, holds an A+ business rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, TZ Insurance is not BBB-accredited, meaning it has not applied for or maintained the BBB's accreditation standards. The BBB business rating reflects the BBB's assessment of how the business interacts with customers, while accreditation is a separate, voluntary program.

The carriers behind Open Care are financially strong. Mutual of Omaha, the confirmed underwriting partner for final expense products, carries an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best. When your policy is backed by a carrier of that caliber, there is no question about claims-paying ability.

That said, "legit" and "best value" are two different questions. The most common consumer complaints about Open Care center on a few recurring themes: the "$7.49 per month" advertising that turns out to buy only $2,000 of coverage, a lack of transparency about which carrier will ultimately issue the policy, aggressive direct mail and telemarketing outreach, and difficulty canceling once the process has started. These complaints do not mean Open Care is fraudulent. They mean that the marketing can set expectations that the actual product does not always meet.

The core limitation is not legitimacy but transparency. Open Care does not publicly list the carriers it works with, and it does not give you the ability to compare multiple carriers against each other. You call, you answer questions, and they place you with a carrier. Whether that carrier offers the best rate for your specific health profile is something you cannot verify without shopping independently.

Pricing

How Much Does Open Care Life Insurance Cost?

Open Care's most prominent advertising claims rates "starting at $7.49 per month." That number is real, but the context matters: $7.49 per month buys only $2,000 of whole life coverage for a 50-year-old female non-smoker. Most seniors looking for final expense coverage need $10,000 to $25,000 to cover funeral costs, outstanding bills, and related expenses. At those coverage amounts, the monthly premium is significantly higher.

Because Open Care is a marketing brand that places policies from third-party carriers, the rate you receive depends entirely on which carrier they route you to. A 65-year-old woman might be placed with Mutual of Omaha at one rate, while a different caller with similar health could be placed with a different carrier at a different rate. There is no published Open Care rate card, because Open Care does not set the rates. The carriers do.

This means the same carrier's product may be available at the same or lower rate through a different broker or directly from the carrier. Open Care does not add a markup to premiums (that is not how insurance distribution works), but it also does not shop multiple carriers against each other on your behalf. The rate you are offered is the rate from whichever single carrier they match you with.

The real answer to "what will I pay?" requires comparing across carriers directly. Your age, health history, gender, tobacco use, and coverage amount all affect the premium. An independent broker who quotes 25+ carriers against the same profile can show you the full range of what is available and which carrier offers the lowest rate for your situation.

Verified Rates

What Final Expense Actually Costs - Verified 2026 Rates

The tables below show what $10,000 of simplified-issue whole life coverage actually costs from five major carriers Asurgo represents. These are the same types of policies Open Care places, quoted at the same coverage level, with transparent carrier names and verified 2026 rates.

$10,000 Whole Life, Monthly, Non-Tobacco - Female

Age Mutual of Omaha Aetna/Accendo AIG Transamerica Aflac
50$24$27$26$33$27
60$33$41$36$41$35
70$53$58$58$65$56
80$98$101$108$116$134

$10,000 Whole Life, Monthly, Non-Tobacco - Male

Age Mutual of Omaha Aetna/Accendo AIG Transamerica Aflac
50$31$34$33$39$34
60$44$51$48$52$45
70$75$73$82$86$72
80$140$140$153$172$156
Rates from current Asurgo carrier illustrations, 2026. Non-tobacco, simplified-issue level benefit, $10,000 coverage. Actual premiums vary by state, health, and qualification. Nicholas Norminton, NPN #20817039.

The same person pays meaningfully different premiums depending on which carrier they land with. At age 70, a non-smoking woman could pay $53 per month with Mutual of Omaha or $65 per month with Transamerica for identical coverage. At age 80, the spread between the lowest and highest carrier in the table is $36 per month for women and $84 per month for men. Over a decade of payments, that gap adds up to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

A marketing brand cannot optimize this for you because it does not show you the full picture. An independent broker shops all of them, matches your health profile to the carrier most likely to approve you at the best rate, and shows you the results side by side before you commit.

Asurgo does not sell Open Care

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Pros & Cons

Open Care Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Easy entry point for seniors unfamiliar with insurance shopping
  • No medical exam on any product
  • Established underwriters. Policies are underwritten by established, rated carriers
  • One phone call can start the process

Cons

  • Marketing brand, not a carrier. You do not know which company will issue your policy until after you apply
  • No public carrier panel. Does not disclose its carrier partners publicly
  • "$7.49/month" advertising is for only $2,000 of coverage
  • Aggressive outreach. Direct mail and telemarketing are a common consumer complaint
  • No multi-carrier comparison. Cannot shop multiple carriers against each other on your behalf the way an independent broker can
  • BBB consumer complaints about difficulty canceling and misleading advertising

Is It Right for You?

Who Open Care Might Be For - and Who Should Compare First

Open Care might work for you if:

  • You saw the ad, want to make one phone call, and are comfortable with wherever they place you
  • You do not want to compare options yourself
  • Convenience matters more than getting the absolute lowest rate

You should compare first if:

  • You want to know which carrier is actually issuing your policy before you commit
  • You want the lowest rate for your health profile
  • You are comfortable spending a few minutes on the phone with an independent broker
  • You want to see quotes from 25+ carriers side by side

The majority of seniors shopping for final expense coverage fall into the second group. Most people want to know who is issuing their policy, what it costs relative to other options, and whether they are getting a fair rate. Open Care removes that visibility from the process. An independent broker puts it front and center.

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Alternatives

Open Care Alternatives: What an Independent Broker Does Differently

The fundamental difference between a marketing brand like Open Care and an independent broker like Asurgo is transparency. When you call Asurgo, you see every carrier by name. You compare quotes side by side. Your broker finds the best rate for your specific health profile, not the rate from whichever single carrier happens to be in the rotation.

The verified rate tables above illustrate why this matters. A 70-year-old non-smoking woman could pay anywhere from $53 to $65 per month for the same $10,000 of coverage depending on the carrier. If Open Care places you with the higher-priced carrier, you would never know a better rate was available unless you compared independently.

An independent broker also matches your health history to the carrier most likely to approve you at the best benefit level. If you have diabetes, heart disease, or COPD, some carriers are significantly more favorable than others. A broker who represents 25+ carriers can route you to the one that treats your condition most favorably, rather than placing you with whichever carrier a marketing brand happens to work with.

For more on the carriers behind final expense coverage, see our reviews of Mutual of Omaha and AIG, or read our complete final expense insurance guide. If you want to understand how much coverage you actually need, start with our best burial insurance for seniors guide.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Open Care life insurance legit?

Yes, Open Care places real policies from established carriers. It is operated by TZ Insurance Solutions LLC (a Tranzact subsidiary), and the policies are underwritten by carriers like Mutual of Omaha. It is not a scam. The main concern is not legitimacy but whether you are getting the best rate, since Open Care markets one set of options rather than shopping the full market on your behalf.

Who underwrites Open Care life insurance?

Open Care is a marketing brand, not an insurance carrier. The policies it sells are underwritten by third-party insurers. Mutual of Omaha is confirmed as a carrier partner for final expense products, and Assurity handles term life. Open Care does not publicly disclose its full carrier panel, so you may not know which company will issue your policy until after you apply.

How much does Open Care life insurance cost?

Open Care advertises rates starting at $7.49 per month, but that buys only $2,000 of whole life coverage for a 50-year-old female non-smoker. Real final expense premiums depend on your age, health, gender, tobacco use, and coverage amount. A $10,000 policy for a 70-year-old typically costs $53 to $82 per month depending on the carrier and your health profile.

Is Open Care a good deal for final expense insurance?

It depends on which carrier they place you with and what rate you qualify for. Because Open Care does not shop multiple carriers against each other for you, there is no guarantee you are getting the lowest available rate. An independent broker quoting 25+ carriers against the same health profile can show you whether Open Care's offer is competitive or not.

Does Open Care have a waiting period?

It depends on the policy type. Simplified-issue plans (for applicants who pass health questions) typically have no waiting period and pay the full benefit from day one. Guaranteed-issue plans (no health questions required) carry a 2-year graded benefit period where natural-cause death returns premiums paid plus interest rather than the full face amount. This waiting-period structure is standard across the final expense industry, not unique to Open Care.

Can I get final expense coverage cheaper than Open Care?

Often, yes. Because Open Care is a marketing brand that places policies from a limited set of carriers, it cannot guarantee the lowest rate. An independent broker like Asurgo compares 25+ A-rated carriers and matches your health profile to the carrier most likely to offer level day-one coverage at the lowest premium. The only way to know is to compare.

Related Reviews & Guides

The Bottom Line on Open Care

Open Care is a legitimate way to start looking at final expense coverage, but it is a marketing brand, not a carrier. The policy you receive depends on which third-party insurer they route you to, and there is no guarantee it is the best rate available. Asurgo is an independent brokerage licensed in all 50 states. We compare 25+ A-rated carriers to find the most coverage for your health and budget. No obligation, no pressure.

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Nicholas Norminton, Licensed Insurance Specialist

Nicholas Norminton, Licensed Insurance Specialist

NPN #20817039 · Licensed in all 50 states

Specialties: final expense, carrier comparison, independent broker placement, simplified-issue underwriting

Nicholas is a nationally licensed insurance specialist who has helped thousands of families secure final expense coverage. As an independent broker representing 25+ carriers, he reviews competitor products and marketing brands like Open Care from a no-conflict-of-interest position.

Sources

  1. TZ Insurance Solutions LLC BBB Profile - Better Business Bureau
  2. NAIC Consumer Insurance Search - National Association of Insurance Commissioners
  3. AM Best Financial Strength Ratings - AM Best Company
  4. Tranzact - What We Do - Tranzact

Disclosures

Asurgo is an independent insurance brokerage licensed in all 50 states. We do not sell or represent Open Care or TZ Insurance Solutions LLC; this review is provided from a no-conflict-of-interest position. We are compensated by participating insurance carriers via commission paid at policy issue; this compensation does not change your premium. Our carrier panel includes Mutual of Omaha, Aflac, Aetna/Accendo, Transamerica, AIG, GTL, Royal Neighbors, Baltimore Life, Trinity Life, Family Benefit Life, and CICA Life. Carrier recommendations are based on your health, state, age, and coverage needs. Not all carriers or products are available in all states. Getting a quote does not obligate you to purchase. This page is informational and not financial or legal advice.