Is Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation a Good Company to Buy From?
Short Answer: Yes—Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation is a financially strong, longstanding insurer that is generally a safe choice for long-term life insurance and annuity contracts. However, strong financial ratings do not guarantee that every product they sell is competitive, so you must still compare policies before buying.
Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. has been in business since 1887, offering over 135 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry. As a mutual organization, Ameritas is owned by its policyholders—not shareholders—which means its financial decisions prioritize long-term value for customers rather than quarterly profits. However, longevity alone doesn’t guarantee it’s the right fit. Here’s what you need to know before choosing Ameritas for life insurance, annuities, or disability protection.
Financial Ratings & Company Strength
Ameritas has well over 50 years of operating history and strong ratings from multiple agencies, making it suitable for long-term commitments such as annuities and permanent life insurance.
Our Professional Opinion on Ameritas Annuities
Ameritas is a good annuity company. Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. has an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which meets our standard for a long-term annuity commitment.
We like that Ameritas offers different approaches to retirement income, including an option with guaranteed growth in the value used to calculate future payments. That makes it possible to build an income plan without relying entirely on the performance of an index. But a guaranteed roll-up does not automatically mean you are getting the best income. Compare the actual guaranteed payment with offers from other financially strong insurance companies before you buy.
We also think some of the features deserve a closer look before you get excited. The optional care benefit can increase income if you qualify, but the extra amount stops when the account value reaches zero. Some enhanced death benefits take years to become available, and certain optional features come with additional charges. Those details can make a big difference in whether the annuity does what you expect.
For accumulation, we would compare Ameritas with annuities that offer competitive multiyear cap locks. For income, we would compare guaranteed payments based on your age, deposit, and retirement date. You can find links to our individual Ameritas annuity reviews below to see what we like, what we don’t like, and where we would consider another product.
Our Ameritas Annuity Reviews
What Insurance and Financial Products Does Ameritas Offer?
Ameritas offers a wide range of insurance and financial products designed to protect income, grow assets, and provide security for families and businesses.
Disability Income Insurance:
Designed for professionals and business owners, Ameritas offers disability coverage that protects a portion of your income if you can’t work due to illness or injury.
Dental and Vision Insurance:
Known for competitive dental and vision coverage, Ameritas is also a major player in employer-sponsored benefit plans.
Life Insurance:
Ameritas provides term life, whole life, universal life, and indexed universal life insurance policies. Each can be customized with riders like accelerated death benefits, child riders, or waiver of premium.
- Term Life Insurance: Offers coverage for a specific period at a lower cost. Good for income replacement, mortgage protection, or business needs.
- Whole Life Insurance: Provides lifelong coverage with guaranteed cash value accumulation.
- Universal Life and Indexed Universal Life (IUL): Flexible premium options with growth tied to interest rates or index performance, depending on the product.
Compare Ameritas Life Insurance With 25+ Companies
Annuities:
Ameritas offers fixed annuities, variable annuities, and indexed annuities for asset growth and guaranteed income.
- Fixed Annuities: Offer guaranteed interest rates for a specified term.
- Indexed Annuities: Grow based on stock market index performance with principal protection.
- Variable Annuities: Provide market participation with investment subaccounts and optional living benefit riders.
You can fund these annuities using IRAs, Roth IRAs, 401(k) rollovers, or non-qualified brokerage and savings accounts.
Compare Ameritas Annuity Income With 25+ Companies
Pros and Cons of Choosing Ameritas
Pros:
- Over 135 years of financial stability as a mutual insurer.
- Competitive life and annuity products with flexible customization options.
- Strong product portfolio, including individual disability insurance and employee benefits.
- Offers guaranteed income riders (GLWBs) on select annuities for retirement income that lasts as long as you do.
Cons:
- Limited digital tools for managing policies or filing claims online.
- Mixed reviews regarding customer service and response times.
- Annuities and life insurance must be purchased through an agent, which can slow down the process for DIY consumers.
Why You Must Compare Premium Rates, Interest Rates, and Income Payouts
Insurance and annuity products vary drastically in price and performance—even for the same type of coverage. For example:
- Premium Rates: Two-term life policies may look identical, but they differ in cost by hundreds of dollars per year.
- Interest Rates: Fixed annuity rates can differ widely between companies and affect long-term growth.
- Income Payouts: A GLWB rider on an indexed annuity might produce significantly higher lifetime income depending on deferral time and contract features.
Failing to compare these numbers means you could overpay for coverage, earn less interest, or receive thousands less in lifetime retirement income.
Who Should Consider Ameritas?
Ideal For:
- Individuals seeking customizable life insurance with long-term cash value growth.
- Retirees or pre-retirees interested in fixed or indexed annuities with guaranteed lifetime income.
- Professionals and small business owners need reliable disability income protection.
- Employers are looking for dental and vision benefits for their workforce.
Not Ideal For:
- People who want fully online quotes, applications, and account access.
- Shoppers focused only on the highest-rated carriers in terms of financial strength or digital services.
- Consumers who don’t want to compare rates and features from multiple insurers before committing.
Other Insurance That Complements Ameritas Products
- Long-Term Care Annuities: Pair with life or annuity products to protect assets while preserving retirement income.
- Term Life Insurance with Return of Premium: Helps protect income during peak earning years and returns unused premiums if no claim is filed.
- Final Expense Insurance: Complements disability and annuity strategies to cover burial and medical costs.
How to Evaluate Ameritas Before Buying
- Compare prices with other A-rated companies.
- Review cash-value projections if buying permanent insurance.
- Look at surrender periods, fees, and rider costs.
- Ensure the product matches your timeline, health, and budget.
- Work with an independent broker who can compare multiple companies.
How Ameritas Compares to Competitors
- Strengths: Strong financials, long history, broad product portfolio, mutual structure
- Trade-offs: Some competitors may offer better pricing, higher cash-value accumulation, or more flexible annuity options
Final Thoughts
Ameritas has stood the test of time with over a century of policyholder-focused service. They offer solid life insurance, annuity, and disability income options. But the only way to know if Ameritas is right for your needs is to compare their premiums, interest crediting strategies, and income payout options against competitors.
Want to See How Ameritas Compares to Other Providers? Contact The Annuity Expert for free quotes and unbiased recommendations. Let us help you compare premium rates, annuity income payouts, and retirement planning options tailored to your goals.
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