Royal Neighbors Life Insurance Review (2026)
Royal Neighbors of America is a legitimate, financially rated fraternal life insurer whose Ensured Legacy simplified-issue whole life is a strong final-expense option for seniors with diabetes, a high BMI, or other conditions that get declined elsewhere. The company also offers JET, a term life product for larger, temporary coverage needs. Rates can run higher at younger senior ages, so comparing against other carriers is important.
The Verdict
Is Royal Neighbors Life Insurance Legit and Good?
Yes. Royal Neighbors of America is a legitimate, long-established, state-licensed fraternal benefit society, and its final-expense whole life is a genuinely good fit for hard-to-insure seniors. The company has been in business since 1895 and carries an A- (Excellent) financial-strength rating from AM Best, which reflects its ability to meet ongoing obligations to policyholders.
That said, "legit and good for the right buyer" is not the same as "cheapest for everyone." Royal Neighbors' rates can run higher than the lowest-price carriers at ages 50 to 60, and its customer-service reviews on the Better Business Bureau are mixed. It should be compared against other carriers before buying, not purchased on brand alone.
Asurgo is an appointed Royal Neighbors agent, so this review draws on direct experience placing its policies. Asurgo can also quote 25+ other carriers head-to-head, so you only buy Royal Neighbors if it is genuinely your best option.
A strong choice for hard-to-insure seniors who need day-one final-expense coverage. The lenient underwriting is a genuine standout, with three benefit tiers (Level, Graded, and Guaranteed Issue) and coverage up to $40,000. Rates are competitive for applicants with health conditions but can be higher at younger ages. Mixed customer-service reviews keep it from a perfect score.
The Product
What Is Royal Neighbors Ensured Legacy?
Ensured Legacy is Royal Neighbors' simplified-issue whole life insurance built for final expense and burial coverage. There is no medical exam. Instead, applicants answer a short health questionnaire, and Royal Neighbors checks prescription history and the MIB database.
Because it is whole life, premiums are level (they never increase), the death benefit never decreases, and the policy builds a small cash value over time. Coverage does not expire at a certain age. This is the core difference between a true final-expense whole life plan and a step-rate term product that can terminate at 80 or 90.
| Ensured Legacy Details | |
|---|---|
| Product type | Simplified-issue whole life |
| Issue ages | 50 to 85 (Guaranteed Issue: 50 to 80) |
| Coverage range | $5,000 to $40,000 (Level); $5,000 to $20,000 (Graded); $3,000 to $10,000 (GI) |
| Medical exam | No (health questionnaire + Rx/MIB check) |
| Premiums | Level, locked for life (plus $4.35/mo certificate fee) |
| Cash value | Yes (whole life) |
| Benefit tiers | Level (day-one), Graded (2-3 year phase-in), and Guaranteed Issue |
| Company type | Fraternal benefit society (est. 1895) |
| AM Best rating | A- (Excellent) |
Ensured Legacy is the product Asurgo most commonly places through Royal Neighbors. It fills a specific gap in the market: applicants whose health profile gets them declined or graded at stricter carriers can often get a level, day-one benefit here.
Term Life
Royal Neighbors JET Term Life: What You Get
Royal Neighbors JET is the company's term life product. It offers coverage from $50,000 to $5,000,000 for people who need protection for a set number of years. It sits alongside Ensured Legacy but serves a different purpose: temporary coverage rather than permanent final expense.
JET offers 15, 20, and 30-year terms for issue ages 18 to 65. Maximum issue ages vary by term length: 30-year caps at age 50, 20-year at 60, and 15-year at 65. JET has five risk classes: three for non-tobacco users and two for tobacco users. More classes means healthy applicants can qualify for lower rates than a two-class product would offer.
For qualifying applicants ages 18 to 60, JET uses accelerated underwriting. There's no paramedical exam. Decisions are based on health questions and electronic record checks. Applicants over 60 or applying for higher face amounts go through traditional underwriting, which may include a medical exam. JET is not available in AL, AK, HI, LA, MA, NH, or NY.
JET includes living benefit riders for terminal, chronic, and critical illness. Optional riders include accidental death benefit and disability waiver of premium. Asurgo writes JET directly.
JET Term vs. Ensured Legacy: Which Fits?
Ensured Legacy is permanent whole life built for final expenses. Coverage ranges from $5,000 to $40,000, premiums never increase, and the policy lasts for life. It's designed for burial costs, outstanding bills, and small legacies.
JET is term life built for temporary needs. Coverage goes up to $5,000,000 but expires at the end of the term. It's designed for a mortgage balance, income replacement while a spouse still works, or covering dependents until retirement.
The honest line: term is cheaper per dollar of coverage but it expires. Whole life costs more but never does. Neither is "better." They solve different problems, and some households need one of each.
Who JET Fits
JET fits someone with a genuinely temporary need: a mortgage that'll be paid off in 15 years, a working spouse who needs income protection until retirement, or dependents who'll be financially independent within a defined window. If your real need is final-expense coverage that must still be there at 85, whole life is the right product, not term.
Asurgo writes Royal Neighbors JET directly
If a term policy fits your situation, get a quote and we'll also show you how JET compares across our other term carriers.
The Standout
Royal Neighbors Underwriting: Why It Approves Diabetics and High-BMI Applicants
Royal Neighbors' standout strength is lenient simplified-issue underwriting that is notably friendly to applicants with diabetes or a high BMI. Seniors who are often declined or graded by stricter carriers can frequently qualify for level, day-one coverage here.
In practical terms, "lenient underwriting" means fewer knockout conditions on the health questionnaire, a more generous build chart (height and weight limits), and more tolerance for managed chronic conditions. Where a carrier like Mutual of Omaha might grade or decline an applicant with certain diabetes-related factors, Royal Neighbors may still offer the Level benefit with full coverage from day one.
This is exactly the kind of placement an independent broker makes. When Asurgo receives an application from a senior with diabetes or a higher BMI, Royal Neighbors is one of the first carriers we check. The goal is always the best available benefit tier at the best price for that specific person's health profile.
For applicants who still do not qualify, even under Royal Neighbors' lenient underwriting, guaranteed-acceptance final expense plans are the fallback. These plans ask no health questions at all but come with a two-to-three-year graded benefit period and higher premiums.
Declined or graded elsewhere? We can check Royal Neighbors.
Asurgo is an appointed Royal Neighbors agent. Apply in minutes, and we will compare it against 25+ carriers on our roster so you only buy if it is genuinely your best option.
Pricing
Royal Neighbors Rates and Cost in 2026
Royal Neighbors' Ensured Legacy premiums are competitive for hard-to-insure applicants but can run higher than the cheapest carriers at ages 50 to 60, so the value depends heavily on your age and health profile.
The trade-off is straightforward: the carriers with the absolute lowest premiums (like Mutual of Omaha or Aetna at standard rates) tend to have stricter underwriting. If you qualify with those carriers, you may pay less. But if your health conditions cause them to grade your benefit or decline you outright, Royal Neighbors' slightly higher rate at a level (day-one) benefit is the better deal by a wide margin. A graded benefit from a cheaper carrier is not actually cheaper when it takes two to three years to pay the full death benefit.
As a general pattern, Royal Neighbors becomes more price-competitive at older ages (65 to 85) and for applicants with health conditions. At younger ages (50 to 60) with clean health, other carriers on Asurgo's roster may offer more coverage per dollar.
Member Benefits
Royal Neighbors as a Fraternal Benefit Society
Royal Neighbors is a fraternal benefit society, which means policyholders are members and may qualify for member benefits beyond the policy itself. This is a genuine differentiator from a standard stock insurer.
A fraternal benefit society is a nonprofit membership organization that provides insurance products to its members. Unlike a stock company, it is owned by its members rather than shareholders. This structure has been part of Royal Neighbors' identity since its founding in 1895.
Member benefits can include scholarships for members and their families, volunteer and community programs, and other member perks. These benefits vary and may change over time, so check with Royal Neighbors directly for the current list. The fraternal structure is worth noting, but it should not be the primary reason to choose a policy. Buy on product fit, underwriting, and price first. The member benefits are a bonus.
The Balance Sheet
Royal Neighbors Pros and Cons
Royal Neighbors earns a solid recommendation for the right buyer, but it is not the best fit for everyone. Here is the honest breakdown.
Pros
- Lenient, forgiving underwriting that is notably friendly to diabetes and high-BMI applicants
- No medical exam required (simplified-issue health questionnaire)
- Whole life with level premiums that never increase and a death benefit that never decreases
- Builds cash value over time
- Fraternal member benefits beyond the policy (scholarships, community programs)
- Long operating history (established 1895)
- AM Best A- (Excellent) financial-strength rating
Cons
- Rates can run higher than the cheapest carriers at ages 50 to 60 for healthy applicants
- Mixed customer-service reviews on the BBB
- Coverage caps at $40,000 for the Level tier (not suitable for large face amounts)
- Product availability and details vary by state
- Complaint index should be verified at the NAIC Consumer Information Source for the most current data
Best Fit
Who Royal Neighbors Is Best For, and Who Should Compare Alternatives
Royal Neighbors is best for seniors with diabetes, a high BMI, or other conditions that get declined elsewhere who want day-one final-expense coverage. Healthier seniors focused purely on the lowest price should compare it against other carriers first.
Best for
- Applicants with managed diabetes (Type 2 especially) who have been declined or graded by stricter carriers
- Seniors with a higher BMI who need a more generous build chart
- Anyone who has been turned down for final expense coverage and wants a level (day-one) benefit instead of guaranteed issue
- Buyers who value the fraternal/member structure and community benefits
- Seniors ages 65 to 85 seeking $5,000 to $25,000 of permanent burial coverage
Should compare alternatives
- Healthy non-smokers ages 50 to 60 who qualify for the lowest-rate carriers (Mutual of Omaha, Aetna, Transamerica)
- Buyers needing more than $40,000 of coverage
- Applicants who prioritize customer-service reputation as a top factor
Asurgo sells Royal Neighbors AND 25+ other carriers. If Royal Neighbors is your best fit, we place you there. If another carrier offers more coverage for the same premium, we show you that instead. The comparison is the point. For a full comparison of carriers and rates in the 70-to-85 age band, see our seniors-over-70 coverage guide.
Apply for Royal Neighbors in minutes
Asurgo is an appointed Royal Neighbors agent. We will compare it against 25+ carriers so you only buy if it is your best option. Most applicants have coverage in force within 24 hours.
References
Sources
- AM Best Financial Strength Ratings - AM Best Company (verify Royal Neighbors' current rating)
- NAIC Consumer Information Source - National Association of Insurance Commissioners (complaint index lookup)
- Better Business Bureau - BBB (company profile and complaint history)
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum coverage for Royal Neighbors final expense?
Royal Neighbors Ensured Legacy final expense coverage maxes out at $40,000 on the Level (standard) tier, $20,000 on the Graded tier, and $10,000 on the Guaranteed Issue tier. The minimum is $5,000 for Level and Graded, and $3,000 for Guaranteed Issue. For most final-expense buyers, $10,000 to $25,000 covers burial, cremation, and outstanding bills. Use a burial cost calculator to estimate what you actually need.
Does Royal Neighbors require a medical exam?
No. Royal Neighbors Ensured Legacy is a simplified-issue product with no medical exam. Applicants answer a short health questionnaire instead. Royal Neighbors also checks prescription history and the MIB database. This process is standard for simplified-issue final expense plans and keeps the application quick.
Is Royal Neighbors life insurance legit and good?
Yes. Royal Neighbors of America is a legitimate, state-licensed fraternal benefit society that has been in business since 1895. It carries an A- (Excellent) financial-strength rating from AM Best. Its final-expense product is a genuinely good fit for hard-to-insure seniors, though healthier applicants focused purely on the lowest price should compare multiple carriers.
What is Royal Neighbors Ensured Legacy?
Ensured Legacy is Royal Neighbors' simplified-issue whole life insurance designed for final expense and burial coverage. It features no medical exam, level premiums that never increase, a death benefit that never decreases, and lenient underwriting that is notably friendly to applicants with diabetes or a high BMI. Coverage is available for applicants ages 50 to 85, with three benefit tiers: Level (day-one), Graded, and Guaranteed Issue.
Is there a waiting period with Royal Neighbors?
It depends on your health answers. Applicants who qualify for the Level plan receive full day-one coverage with no waiting period. Applicants who do not qualify for the Level plan may be offered a Graded plan, where the full death benefit phases in over the first two to three years. The graded benefit structure is standard across the final-expense industry.
Does Royal Neighbors cover diabetics?
Yes. Royal Neighbors is known for lenient underwriting that is notably friendly to applicants with diabetes. Many Type 2 diabetics who are declined or graded by stricter carriers qualify for a Level (day-one) benefit with Royal Neighbors. This is one of its standout strengths in the final-expense market and a key reason independent brokers recommend it.
Does Royal Neighbors offer term life insurance?
Yes. Royal Neighbors offers JET, a term life product with accelerated underwriting for qualifying applicants, alongside its Ensured Legacy whole life plan. Term coverage suits temporary needs like a mortgage or income replacement, while whole life is built for final expenses. Asurgo writes both and can quote either one.
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Nicholas Norminton, Licensed Insurance Specialist
Specialties: final expense, carrier comparison, independent broker placement, simplified-issue underwriting.
Nicholas is a nationally licensed insurance specialist with extensive experience across the industry. He has personally helped thousands of clients secure life insurance coverage and built Asurgo into a trusted, tech-forward brokerage serving clients in all 50 states.