Hero Background

Americo Life Insurance Reviews: The Best Option For Smokers

Updated on Feb 9, 2025 • 10 min read

Life insurance can get pricier as we age, but the Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company offers great rates for seniors in need of coverage. For many looking for a final expense policy, it can feel nearly impossible to find a life insurance policy, especially if you’re a smoker. But thanks to the positive Americo Life Insurance reviews and features, like their Quit Smoking Advantage and simplified underwriting, finding burial insurance has never been easier.


Learn more about it here at Final Expense Benefits—we’re dedicated to providing answers to all of your insurance-related questions so you and your loved ones can make the best choice possible.

Call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to learn more about Americo Life Insurance, or check out our online quoting tool and take a look at rates across the market.

Key takeaways

Americo offers numerous final expense product lines as well as term life and universal life coverage.

Americo can offer nonsmoking rates to smoking policyholders through their Quit Smoking Advantage feature.

Many other insurance policies offered by Americo offer additional perks such as living benefits.

Customers generally share a positive sentiment towards the company.

A Brief Look At Americo Life Insurance

The Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company was founded in 1946. Americo Life is currently one of the largest, independent, and privately held insurance companies in the United States. The company is currently headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri and is run by company President Gary L. Muller.

Aerial view of Kansas City at warm sunrise in Missouri.

Americo Life Insurance Options

Americo Life Insurance offers several options for applicants seeking coverage, including final expense, term life, universal life, and a catalogue of insurance riders for plan flexibility.

Americo Final Expense Insurance

Sometimes known as burial or funeral insurance, final expense coverage is a permanent whole life policy meant to cover end-of-life expenses such as burial plot costs, funerals, cremations, and more. These plans are often ideal for seniors thanks to their relatively low rates and ability to grow in cash value over time.

 

Americo Life Insurance offers whole life coverage through their various final expense coverage product packages: the Ultra Protector Series, the Eagle Select Series, and the Eagle Premier Series.

 

Across the product lines, there are some similarities between them. The Ultra Protector I, Ultra Protector II, and Eagle Premier policies provide 100% access to death benefits on day one of coverage activation. Meanwhile, Ultra Protector III and Eagle Guaranteed are guaranteed issue plans with three-year waiting periods.

 

In addition to similarities between final expense products, there are also differences between them:

 

  • Ultra Protector Series: $2,000 – $30,000 for coverage
  • Eagle Select I and II: $5,000 – $40,000 for coverage
  • Eagle Select III: $5,000 – $25,000 for coverage, application age limit of 75 y/o
  • Eagle Premier: $5,000 – $40,000 for coverage
  • Eagle Guaranteed: $5,000 – $15,000 for coverage


Interested in comparing Americo’s offerings with other providers on the market? Call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Get connected with one of our expert representatives and get all of your insurance questions answered today.

Americo Term Life Insurance

Term Life Insurance is a form of insurance that covers policyholders while the policy is active, usually existing in 5-year increments. Although at the end of the term, you may renew it at any time with more incremental term length increases.

 

Americo Life Insurance offers term life coverage through their Decision Term Series, which includes several products. However, there are two traditional term policies.

 

Elderly couple planning on life insurance plan

Both policies offer level term life insurance in 15, 20, 25, and 30-year terms for anyone between the ages of 20 and 75. Death benefits across both term policies range between $25,000 to $450,000.

Americo Universal Life Insurance Options

Universal life insurance is a form of permanent life insurance that allows policyholders to adjust premiums within certain limits.

 

Universal life insurance from Americo comes in several forms: the CBO 100 and CBO 50 policies offer traditional universal life policies, and the Instant Decision IUL is the provider’s indexed universal life option.

 

For the CBO 100 and CBO 50 plans, coverage is offered at 20, 25, and 30-year terms for applicants ages 20 to 75. Death benefit payouts here range between $25,000 to $450,000.

 

As for the Instant Decision IUL policy, applicants must be at least 18 and no older than 65. The application process for this plan also does not require medical exams or health questionnaires. Coverage amounts here start at around $50,000 with living benefits, such as critical illness, chronic illness, and terminal illness riders.

Americo Life Insurance Riders

Life insurance riders add benefits to a policy, offering more flexible coverage. With Americo Life Insurance, depending on what plan you get, you’ll have included riders free of charge and options to purchase additional ones. Some of those insurance riders include:

 

  • Accelerated Benefit Payment: free with and included in Eagle Select I & II policies; also known as an accelerated death benefit rider; provides access to a portion of your death benefit while you’re still alive to cover final expenses.
  • Chronic Illness/Critical Illness/Terminal Illness: free with and included in Instant Decision IUL; allows you to use your death benefit while you’re still living if you’re diagnosed with a qualifying health issue.
  • Child and Grandchild Term: available for additional purchase with any Eagle Select policy; adds a small amount of life insurance coverage for children and grandchildren under your policy until age 25.


If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about what other common insurance riders are available, read more about it here at Final Expense Benefits.

Pros & Cons of Americo Life Insurance

Pros

  • The Quit Smoking Advantage benefit

    Americo Life Insurance policies have a product feature which offers non-smoking premium rates to smokers for three years. If policyholders can prove they’ve stopped smoking while insured for those three years, their rates won’t increase.

  • Affordable option for seniors who smoke or have pre-existing conditions
    Americo Life Insurance has special offerings like living benefits, which include insurance riders for critical illness, chronic illness, and terminal illness.
  • Online applications available
    For anyone interested in applying for any of Americo’s life insurance products, you can do so through their Customer Portal online.
  • Same-day decision
    Aside from virtual access to an agent, you can get same-day approval with Americo.

Cons

  • Low coverage amounts
    Compared to other companies on the market, Americo’s policies max out at $50,000. Thankfully, this can cover the average cost of a funeral, which is around $10,000.
  • Longer waiting period
    Where most insurance guaranteed issue policies have a two to three-year waiting period, Americo has a four-year waiting period before you can access full death benefits.

Americo Life Insurance Reviews: Third-Party Rating Services

AM Best

1

AM Best is a rating service known for protecting consumers through their annual findings, by evaluating companies’ financial strength and ability to conduct business in good faith.


As of January 2026, the Americo Financial Life & Annuity Insurance Company has received a Financial Strength rating of “A” and a Long-Term Issuer Credit rating of “a”.

BBB

2

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) helps customers by tracking company complaints, resolving disputes, and identifying trustworthy businesses through regular evaluations.


Americo Life Insurance is not a BBB-accredited company. However, the company still holds an A+ rating, a metric based on factors like customer complaints, transparency, and responsiveness (customer reviews against a company will not impact the BBB rating).

NAIC

3

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is responsible for tracking companies’ customer complaints, reporting those findings annually to protect consumers.


As of 2024, Americo Life Insurance has a consumer complaint index average of 2.79, indicating that they received more than double the complaints compared to other life insurance companies.

Customer Reviews

4

Close up portrait of a senior woman in a garden.

Doris L

5/5

“Great experience with the company help staff! We had to cancel the policy during the grace period. There had been a misunderstanding when the policy was issued. The agent was more than understanding and efficiently handled the problem.”

Senior man portrait smiling outdoors in 2026.

Danniel C

5/5

“More than a month ago, I received a letter from Americo about my father’s life insurance policy after he passed a couple of months prior. Mom and I were not even aware he took one out for me. I filled out the paperwork, scanned the documents, and email them to them. They offered to either give me the money in a lump sum, or through access to an account. I chose a lump sum. Within ten days, as promised, I received the check in the mail. I was very satisfied with their work”

Front view of senior Caucasian male patient standing in corridor at retirement home.

Eric R

5/5

“My agent […] was so heart warming. She heard everything I explained to her that I needed, she did not try to sale me anything she was genuinely interested in what was best for me and my family. She thoroughly explained my policy and made sure I had all of her information to get a hold of her any time I needed something or had any questions. Truly the best experience I’ve ever had when speaking with insurance people. She was like talking to a friend! Americo has excellent customer service! Ask for […] highly recommend her and Americo!”

How Much Does Americo Life Insurance Cost?

Prices for final expense insurance are usually based on a few factors: age, health, and smoking status are normally the biggest factors in determining your rate. However, with Americo Life Insurance, their Quit Smoking Advantage benefit offers smokers the opportunity to receive Eagle Premier coverage with non-smoker rates for the first three years. If a policyholder can provide evidence that they’ve quit smoking for at least a year during the three-year period, their death benefit and premium will remain the same.

Sample Americo Rates for Smokers & Non-Smokers

Age Male,
Non-Smoker
Male,
Smoker
Female,
Non-Smoker
Female,
Smoker
50
$31
$44
$26
$38
60
$43
$71
$35
$52
70
$71
$130
$53
$90

These figures are estimates only, based on a $10,000 final expense insurance policy with Americo Life Insurance.​

Final expense insurance policies are available for all age ranges and budgets. So if you’re young and interested in planning early for your golden years or a senior in need of immediate financial coverage, there’s a provider on the market for you. Take a look at some of the insurance market’s top-rated companies and see how they compare:

Sample $10K Burial Coverage Plan Rates

Company Male
50y/o
Male
60y/o
Male
70y/o
Female
50y/o
Female
60y/o
Female
70y/o
$34
$51
$73
$27
$41
$58
$37
$50
$75
$26
$37
$55
$31
$44
$75
$24
$33
$53
$34
$45
$79
$29
$35
$59

These figures are estimates only, based on a $10,000 final expense insurance policy with no applicant pre-existing conditions.​

Final Thoughts

The Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company is an industry-leading provider with a large catalogue of burial policies for senior applicants. Especially if you’re an applicant who smokes or has a minor pre-existing condition, through their Quit Smoking Advantage benefit, Americo can offer you a cost-efficient rate. In addition to the various options, policyholders have found Americo to have great customer service alongside their generous insurance offerings.

 

Close up photo of awestruck seniors looking up.

Want to take a look at what other options are available? Don’t forget to call us at  (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to learn more or get personalized quotes today with our free online quoting tool here at Final Expense Benefits.

FAQ

What is final expense insurance?

Also known as “burial insurance” or “funeral insurance”, final expense insurance is a form of whole life coverage designed to cover costs for burials, cremations, and leftover debts following someone’s passing.

Is Americo Life Insurance a legit company?

Yes, Americo Life Insurance is a legitimate, licensed insurance provider that sells whole life insurance plans.

Are the Americo Life Insurance reviews good?

Yes—along with having a consistent record for meeting financial obligations and conducting business in good faith, Americo customers have reported great customer service from the provider’s representatives.

What is the most trustworthy life insurance company?

Many insurance providers are noted for both quality customer service and insurance offerings. Companies such as Mutual of Omaha and Aetna Accendo are often regarded as examples of overall trustworthiness across the market.

Febo Assist

Hi there! 👋 I'm your Final Expense Assistant. I can help answer your questions or connect you with a licensed agent. What would you like to do?

Get a quick quote Talk to a licensed agent

Are you sure you want to end this conversation?