Gerber Life Insurance

Gerber Life Insurance: Quick Verdict

Gerber Life Insurance is a legitimate, financially strong insurer (AM Best A+, 55+ years in business) best known for the Grow-Up Plan for children and Guaranteed Life coverage for seniors aged 50–80. It is an excellent choice for parents wanting to lock in low rates for a child’s whole life policy, and for seniors who cannot qualify for standard insurance due to health conditions. Premiums run higher than competitors across most products, and the Grow-Up Plan is currently subject to a federal class action lawsuit over alleged deceptive marketing as a college savings vehicle — a claim Gerber denies.

About Gerber Life Insurance

Gerber Life Insurance Company was founded in 1967 as a subsidiary of the Gerber Products Company. In 2018, Nestlé (which had owned Gerber Products) sold Gerber Life to The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, making it part of the Western & Southern Financial Group — a Fortune 500 company with $80.9 billion in consolidated GAAP assets as of year-end 2024. Gerber Life is headquartered in White Plains, New York, and is licensed in all 50 states.

Gerber Life holds an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best — its highest-ever rating, upgraded in 2024 — and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. It has maintained an A (Excellent) or better AM Best rating for 23 consecutive years, reflecting long-term financial stability and reliable claims-paying ability.

Gerber Life Products Overview

Gerber Life offers five main products across life stages:

• Grow-Up Plan: Children’s whole life insurance. Ages 14 days–14 years. Coverage $5,000–$50,000. Coverage doubles automatically at age 18.
• Youthful Term: Term life bridge policy for teens who age out of the Grow-Up Plan.
• Term Life (Family Plan): Adult term coverage. 10, 20, or 30-year terms. Coverage $100,000–$2,000,000. No medical exam for coverage up to $1 million.
• Whole Life (Family Plan): Permanent adult coverage. $50,000–$1,000,000. Fixed premiums that never increase.
• Guaranteed Life: Final expense coverage for seniors aged 50–80. $5,000–$25,000. No medical exam or health questions.
• College Plan: An endowment life insurance policy that pays a guaranteed sum at a future date. Note: this is life insurance, not a traditional college savings vehicle like a 529 plan.

Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan: Deep Dive

The Grow-Up Plan is Gerber Life’s most popular and most-searched product. It is a whole life insurance policy that parents, grandparents, or legal guardians can purchase for a child between 14 days and 14 years old. Coverage ranges from $5,000 to $50,000, and premiums are locked in at the child’s current age — the younger you buy, the lower the rate for life.

Coverage Doubles at Age 18 — At No Extra Cost

When the covered child turns 18, the policy’s coverage amount automatically doubles with no increase in premiums. A $25,000 policy becomes $50,000 at 18, and a $10,000 policy becomes $20,000. This built-in doubling is unique to Gerber Life and not offered by most competing children’s whole life products.

Guaranteed Insurability for the Child’s Future

The Grow-Up Plan guarantees the child the right to purchase additional life insurance as an adult — regardless of future health conditions or occupation. Policy ownership transfers from parent to child at age 21. The child can then continue coverage or surrender for accumulated cash value.

Can You Cash Out the Grow-Up Plan?

Yes. As a whole life policy, the Grow-Up Plan builds cash value over time that can be borrowed against or withdrawn. The cash value growth is slow — this is insurance protection, not an investment. A federal class action lawsuit (Loguidice v. Gerber Life) alleges the plan was deceptively marketed as a college savings tool; Gerber denies these claims. See the legitimacy section below.

Gerber Life Term Life Insurance for Adults

Gerber Life’s adult term life insurance (Family Plan) offers coverage from $100,000 to $2,000,000 for 10-, 20-, or 30-year terms. Premiums are fixed and never increase during the term. Adults can qualify for up to $1 million in coverage without a medical exam — significantly more than most competitors’ no-exam limits.

Gerber’s term life suits working adults who want straightforward income replacement coverage without an exam. That said, healthy adults willing to do full underwriting (Banner Life, Everyday Life) can often save 20–40% on premiums.

Gerber Life Guaranteed Life Insurance (Ages 50–80)

The Guaranteed Life plan is Gerber’s final expense insurance for seniors. Available to anyone aged 50–80 (up to 75 in New York), it requires no medical exam and asks zero health questions — you cannot be turned down. Coverage ranges from $5,000 to $25,000 ($15,000 max in South Dakota). Premiums are fixed for life.

Critical limitation: the 2-year graded death benefit means if the insured dies from a non-accidental cause within the first 24 months, beneficiaries receive only a refund of premiums paid plus 10% interest — not the full death benefit. After year 2, the full face value is paid. Accidental deaths are covered in full from day one.

This product is designed for seniors with serious health conditions (COPD, recent cancer, congestive heart failure) who have been declined elsewhere. Healthy seniors should compare simplified-issue policies (e.g., Mutual of Omaha Living Promise) — lower premiums, often no waiting period.

How Much Does Gerber Life Insurance Cost?

Rates vary by product, age, state, and gender. Sample monthly premiums based on 2026 data:

Grow-Up Plan Sample Rates

• $5,000 coverage, child under 1 year: approximately $3.70/month (with auto-pay discount)
• $10,000 coverage, child under 1 year: approximately $6.35/month
• Rates are locked at the child’s age at purchase and never increase
• Up to 10% discount with automatic payment enrollment

Guaranteed Life Sample Rates

• 65-year-old male, $10,000 coverage: approximately $70–$80/month
• [MANUAL: add sample rates for 55F, 65F, 70M at $10k and $20k from gerberlife.com quote tool]

Is Gerber Life Insurance Legitimate?

Yes. Gerber Life is a fully licensed insurer with 55+ years in business, an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating (upgraded 2024), A+ BBB rating, and backing from the Western & Southern Financial Group ($80.9B in assets).

What Is the Lawsuit Against Gerber Life?

In September 2024, a federal court certified a nationwide class action (Loguidice v. Gerber Life Insurance Company) covering 2 million+ customers who purchased the Grow-Up Plan or College Plan between April 2014 and September 2024. The lawsuit alleges Gerber deceptively marketed these products as savings/college funding vehicles when they are life insurance policies with slow cash value growth. Plaintiffs claim $700M+ in damages. Gerber denies all allegations; no final ruling has been issued. Affected policyholders’ opt-out deadline is May 26, 2026.

Separately, the North Carolina DOI fined Gerber Life $1.1 million in 2020 for claims-handling violations on accidental death policies. Bottom line: Gerber Life will pay its death benefits — the litigation concerns marketing practices, not financial strength.

Gerber Life Insurance Customer Reviews

Independent satisfaction data shows broadly positive sentiment: 83% of customers recommend Gerber Life, 89% describe it as trustworthy, and 94% renew their policies. The NAIC complaint index came in below average in 2024, improved from above-average in prior years. Common complaints focus on phone hold times; online application and account tools are generally praised.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• A+ AM Best financial strength: Highest-ever rating, upgraded 2024; backed by $80.9B Western & Southern Financial Group.
• Coverage doubles at 18 (Grow-Up Plan): Unique benefit — doubles face value automatically at no extra cost.
• Guaranteed acceptance for seniors 50–80: No medical exam, no health questions, cannot be denied.
• No-exam term life up to $1M: One of the highest no-exam coverage limits available.
• Fast online application: Most products applied for and bound online in under 10 minutes.

Cons

• Premiums run higher than competitors: Grow-Up Plan costs roughly 2× Mutual of Omaha for equivalent children’s coverage.
• 2-year waiting period (Guaranteed Life): Non-accidental deaths in first 24 months receive only premium refund + 10% interest.
• Class action lawsuit pending: Grow-Up Plan and College Plan face active federal litigation over alleged deceptive marketing.
• Phone customer service: Long wait times are a recurring complaint.

Gerber Life vs. Competitors

Gerber Life vs. Colonial Penn (Guaranteed Life)

Both offer guaranteed acceptance final expense insurance with no medical exam and a 2-year waiting period. Gerber provides straightforward $5k–$25k coverage with transparent online quotes. Colonial Penn structures coverage in “units” by age, making dollar-for-dollar comparison harder. Run side-by-side quotes — which is cheaper depends on your specific age.

Gerber Life vs. Ladder Life / Bestow (Adult Term)

Healthy adults can usually get lower premiums from fully underwritten carriers like Ladder or Bestow — typically 20–40% less than Gerber’s no-exam rate. Ladder allows coverage adjustments over time; Bestow offers instant decisions online.

Gerber Life vs. Mutual of Omaha (Children’s Coverage)

Mutual of Omaha offers comparable children’s whole life at roughly half Gerber’s price but does not double coverage at age 18. If the doubling feature and guaranteed insurability matter to you, Gerber is worth the premium. If you only want basic lifelong coverage at the lowest cost, Mutual of Omaha or Globe Life are more economical. For a full comparison, see our life insurance reviews.

Who Gerber Life Insurance Is Best For

• Parents of young children: The Grow-Up Plan’s coverage doubling at 18 and guaranteed future insurability are uniquely valuable.
• Seniors who can’t qualify elsewhere: Anyone aged 50–80 with serious health conditions declined by other insurers.
• Adults who prefer no medical exam: No-exam term life up to $1M is one of the highest limits available.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Budget-conscious parents: Mutual of Omaha and Globe Life offer comparable children’s coverage at roughly half the cost.
• Healthy seniors: Simplified-issue whole life (e.g., Mutual of Omaha Living Promise) offers lower premiums, often no waiting period.
• College savers: Neither the Grow-Up Plan nor the College Plan is an efficient college savings vehicle. Use a 529 plan instead.

How to Apply for Gerber Life Insurance

All Gerber Life products can be applied for online at gerberlife.com in under 10 minutes with no agent required. Grow-Up Plan: child’s date of birth + two basic health questions. Guaranteed Life (50–80): instant approval, no health questions. Term Life up to $1M: no exam; over $1M requires exam + underwriting. Payment via bank draft or credit card.