You may recognize Gerber from baby food or television commercials for children’s insurance plans, but Gerber life insurance is for adults and seniors too. Gerber children’s life insurance is heavily advertised to parents and grandparents, but did you know that Gerber also offers final expense insurance and term life options?
Gerber has a small selection of whole life and term life insurance options. Read below to learn more about Gerber Life Insurance.
This article aims to provide impartial information about Gerber Life Insurance and their options. Final Expense Benefits is not affiliated or partnered with Gerber and cannot provide quotes or application information for their policies.
Interested in exploring the market for whole life insurance? Call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and get familiar with what you need to know about final expense coverage today.
Key takeaways
- Gerber Life Insurance offers a modest selection of options, and learning more about each can help applicants find the right policy.
- Gerber’s guaranteed-acceptance final expense policy can offer customers proper burial insurance.
- Gerber’s term life policy has slightly above average policy standards and doesn’t require medical examinations.
- Even with third-party accreditation, online customer reviews and ratings reflect negative views towards Gerber Life Insurance.
What is Gerber Life Insurance?
The Gerber Life Insurance Company was founded in Fremont, Michigan in 1967 and is currently a subsidiary of the Western & Southern Financial Group which licenses the familiar Gerber name and logo for life insurance. Currently, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York.
Gerber Life Insurance offers several coverage options including final expense insurance, their Gerber Grow-Up plan—a guaranteed whole life policy for children and teens, and term life
insurance under the Fabric term insurance brand. Contrary to popular belief, Gerber Life Insurance is completely separate from the Gerber Products Company (most well known as the familiar baby food manufacturer).
Gerber Final Expense Life Insurance
Gerber Life Insurance offers one whole life insurance option for seniors: their guaranteed-acceptance final expense policy.
Available for seniors between 50 and 80 years old, the policy is generally standard with slightly lower rates when compared to other guaranteed-issue plans, but higher than non-guaranteed options.
Gerber Life Insurance’s Guaranteed-Acceptance Final Expense Explained
Gerber’s final expense plan also has a mandatory two-year waiting period regardless of health and requires no medical exam or questionnaire. Should a policyholder die before the waiting period, beneficiaries will not receive 100% of the death benefit. It should also be noted that Gerber follows the modified life insurance practice of paying 110% of paid premiums within the policy’s first two years to beneficiaries, then the full benefit following the two-year period is over.
As with all whole life plans, Gerber’s final expense insurance grows in cash value over time. Policyholders can take out money from a policy’s accumulated cash value without penalty.
However, instead of allowing policyholders to access their accumulated cash pool, Gerber requires them to borrow directly from the company, with a borrowable cash maximum of the policy’s cash value. Gerber then applies an 8% interest rate applied to any borrowed cash which is abnormal for a whole life insurance plan.
Alternatives to Gerber Final Expense Life Insurance
As with all insurance policies, you can find more cost-accessible options among non-guaranteed policies. Depending on which provider you come across, you can apply for plans with relaxed health requirements, with some providers having no waiting period even if you have a major pre-existing health condition.
Here are some of those burial insurance companies:
| Company |
Male 50y/o |
Male 60y/o |
Male 70y/o |
Female 50y/o |
Female 60y/o |
Female 70y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$34 |
$50 |
$70 |
$27 |
$40 |
$56 |
|
|
$32 |
$59 |
$105 |
$27 |
$46 |
$79 |
|
|
$31 |
$44 |
$75 |
$24 |
$33 |
$53 |
|
|
$34 |
$45 |
$79 |
$29 |
$35 |
$59 |
|
|
$34 |
$45 |
$79 |
$29 |
$35 |
$59 |
For $10K policies with non-smoking applicants and no-pre-existing conditions.
Gerber life insurance still remains as a solid choice if you or a loved one absolutely need guaranteed coverage, but not among non-guaranteed options.
To learn more about final expense insurance, call us at (866) 786-0725, and be sure to check our free online quoting tool for personalized pricing estimates.
The Gerber Grow-Up Plan: Guaranteed Whole Life for Children
Possibly one of their most advertised policies, the Gerber Grow-Up plan is a whole life policy designed to provide lifetime coverage to children. Children 14 days old to 14 years old can be enrolled in the policy, and coverage automatically doubles at age 18 at no extra cost. The purchaser of the coverage plan is the policyholder until the child becomes 21 years old in which the child then becomes the policyholder.
Additionally, there is also the Gerber Life Young Adult Plan for teens between the ages of 15 and 17 which aims to provide similar coverage as the Grow-Up plan. Much like the Grow-Up plan, coverage automatically doubles at age 18. The applicant under this plan remains the policyholder until the insured turns 21.
How Does Gerber Grow-Up Insurance Work?
Premiums are very low when the child is young, but in whole life policies, cash value is generated from a percentage of the paid premiums. With such low premiums, little cash is set aside, even across a near-20-year period. And like their final expense policy, Gerber requires the policyholder to instead borrow from a policy loan with an interest rate as high as 8% if they wish to borrow cash from their account.
Gerber also restricts when the Grow-Up policy benefit can be raised. Once the child becomes the policyholder, they cannot raise the benefit amount when they wish, which is a typical whole life practice. Instead, the policyholder can only change the policy near its yearly anniversary or upon reaching certain ages and life accomplishments.
Setting aside money at the birth of a child or grandchild is a great idea. However, other policies in the children’s life insurance market can be less expensive and restrictive than the Gerber Grow-Up plan. For example, Mutual of Omaha offers a similar plan for nearly half the monthly premium rate.
Other Gerber Life Insurance Benefits
Gerber Life Insurance’s policy options don’t have many extra benefits beyond a few policy riders, some of which are optional while others are included with the policies themselves.
- Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider
Included with the Gerber Grow-Up Plan, this allows an insured child turning 21 to purchase additional coverage at standard adult rates without a medical exam. Additional coverage can be bought (up to four more times) with a coverage limit of 10 times the original coverage total.
- Payment Protection Option Rider
An optional rider for the Grow-Up Plan, this rider temporarily waives premium payments if the policyholder dies or is disabled before the covered child becomes 21. To keep the policy, the child, who becomes the principal policyholder at 21, must resume payments.
- Accelerated Death Benefit Rider
This insurance rider is included with Gerber’s final expense and term life policies at no extra cost. With this, if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 12 months or less, you’ll be able to request up to half of your death benefit to cover medical expenses and other outstanding costs. - Disability Waiver of Premium Rider
An optional insurance rider similar to the payment protection option, this add-on is available with extra cost for Gerber whole life policies for applicants ages 18 to 59. With this the policyholder is allowed to waive premium costs after six months of total disability.
Gerber Life Insurance Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy application process.
Most of Gerber’s life insurance plans can be applied for online. - Guaranteed final expense acceptance.
Gerber’s final expense policy guarantees acceptance, providing those with severe illness a viable whole life insurance option. - Included policy riders.
All Gerber policies include at least one insurance rider at no extra cost.
Cons
- Mandatory two-year waiting period.
While a waiting period is standard for guaranteed acceptance plans, it is disappointing that Gerber does not offer a final expense policy without a waiting period. - Higher rates than competitors.
Nearly all of Gerber Life Insurance’s options have similar policies from competitors at lower rates. - No options past age 80.
Gerber Life Insurance currently does not have whole life insurance options for seniors over 80 seeking final expense coverage.
- Irregular policy restrictions.
On top of Gerber’s 8% interest rate on whole life cash value borrowing, their Grow-Up plan places a low limit on coverage maximums and can only be increased four times. - Mostly negative customer service feedback.
Despite having a good track record when it comes to third-party ratings, many online customer reviews have cited generally poor customer service and troubles regarding their policies.
Gerber Life Insurance Reviews
AM Best Rating
1
AM Best is responsible for assessing life insurance companies’ overall credit and ability to meet financial obligations to better protect consumers.
Gerber Life Insurance’s AM Best rating is an A+ as of March 2025, indicating a strong capacity to meet financial commitments.
NAIC Rating
2
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) tracks customer complaints against life insurance companies and rates them on their yearly complaint index. NAIC ratings range from 0 to 10 based on the market average of complaints a company typically receives. Insurers should aim to be rated below the market average of 1.
The NAIC’s rating for Gerber Life Insurance’s overall customer complaint index is 0.53 according to their 2024 National Complaint Index Report, while their customer complaint index for individual life policies has an NAIC rating of 0.63, both indicating less than the average amount of customer complaints.
BBB Rating
3
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) helps customers find trustworthy businesses by tracking customer complaints and providing complaint resolution services for customers and businesses. Their rating scale ranges from A+ to F.
Gerber Life Insurance is not a BBB accredited business but has received an A- rating from the bureau. Customer reviews from the BBB for Gerber Life Insurance also averages at 1.04 out of 5.00, indicating an overwhelmingly negative rating for the company.
Customer Ratings
4
Sharon T.
1/5
This company just plain won’t pay out on claims. They do this by insisting over and over that you have not sent in the proper forms, no matter that you FAX them to the number they give you or mail the completed form in the pre-addressed envelope they send every time they send you the same form to complete. Been sending this form in since January, two months later and multiple times sent they insist they still haven’t gotten it.
Brian S.
1/5
Worst customer service experience I’ve received ever! Agent Lisa hung up on me because she didn’t want to give me my information during a policy review. Then lied when I called back saying I needed a verification form faxed before she could help me. I asked for a supervisor or friendlier agent then agent Rose had the same confrontational unfriendly demeanor. I was not at all happy and if I didn’t already have my policies since 2019 I would have cancelled and went somewhere else. I will not recommend friends or family to Gerber life insurance, I was treated as if my premiums didn’t pay their salary.
Sharad
1/5
I reached out for a Term policy and applied for it. The underwriter asked me a few questions offline and after I responded and accepted a higher premium, they rejected my application without even a response. I am not sure why they advertise so much when they only want 30Yr olds with the best of best health to apply. Not a genuine company and those having policies be mindful if they will even pay in case of any unfortunate event.
Final Thoughts
While the Gerber Grow-Up plan can be a draw for applicants looking to purchase coverage for their kids, other reputable life insurance providers present better options in terms of affordability and coverage quality. Their guaranteed-issue final expense policy, when compared to other providers, has below-average rates for guaranteed policies. In terms of overall affordability and cost-effectiveness, Gerber Life Insurance’s term life plan seems to be their best option thanks to their slightly above average policies standards and high-yielding benefits that don’t require medical examinations.
To learn about alternatives to Gerber Life Insurance and review your policy options, call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Check out our free online quoting tool for personalized estimates.
FAQ
What features are offered with Gerber Life Insurance?
Some features included in Gerber Life Insurance’s coverage plans include several riders such as the Guaranteed Purchase Option, Payment Protection Option, Accelerated Death Benefit, and the Disability Waiver of Premium riders.
What happens when a child turns 18 and is covered by the Gerber Grow-Up plan?
When the insured child of a Gerber Grow-Up plan turns 18 years old, the plan’s benefit value doubles, and when the child turns 21, they become the principal policyholder for the Grow-Up plan.
Is Gerber a legit life insurance company?
Yes, Gerber Life Insurance is a legitimate provider with a small selection of whole life and term life coverage options.
How does Gerber Life Insurance pay out for final expenses?
For final expense benefits under Gerber Life Insurance, payouts can be a death benefit paid to beneficiaries or a cash value payout from whole life policies. In order to receive a payout, a claim must be filed per the provider’s requirements.