Ameritas Life Insurance Review and Ratings

Over this amount of time, companies have a good chance to build up a rapport with customers and, as a result, Ameritas’ overall rating is extremely favorable. Thanks to feedback, they have been able to hone their skills and really personalize the service that’s being offered. However, to achieve a true reflection of a service like this, we also have to dig a little deeper-so let’s take a look.

A.M. Best gives Ameritas a rating of "A" (Excellent). With the most recent rating being cast in March 2019, they were also given a financial category of XIV ($1.5-2 billion). With this in mind, they were given a fantastic rating which allows them to be placed in conversations with the very best services available throughout the United States.

Furthermore, Ameritas also has a long-term credit rating of "A+" from A.M. Best, which means that they are currently in excellent shape and that they have the strength to push into the ‘Superior’ or maybe even the ‘Exceptional’ categories looking ahead. Additionally, an outlook of ‘Stable’ was given which means that they have no immediate concerns in the coming years.

Since 1948, the Better Business Bureau has been assessing Ameritas and they currently have a rating of ‘A+’ which is the top rating on a scale that goes right down to ‘F’.2 According to the most recent BBB review, Ameritas meets all the accreditation standards including the fact that they are committed to resolving any customer complaints that come their way. Within the last three years, Ameritas has seen just a handful of complaints and they work hard to resolve any issues as soon as possible.

With the highest rating on offer, this suggests that the BBB is completely happy with how the business reacts to complaints and how the whole company interacts with its many customers. In an ever-competitive market, this is great news not only for the company but for the customers who can be safe in the knowledge that any complaints will not only be resolved, but will be treated with care at the same time.

The company is coming off another strong year. Ameritas has $32.6 billion in assets under management. Total revenue for 2018 came in at $2.4 billion. And there are currently over 4.2 million customers in the Ameritas family, with over $93.7 billion of life insurance in force.¹

Thanks to years of experience and specially-trained staff, Ameritas is able to offer a wide array of services.

First, they cover life insurance, disability insurance and annuities. Although life insurance and long term disability insurance are not legally required, we know how important these types of coverage can be so Ameritas helps people get protected whether they are applying for a mortgage or simply protecting the main wage earner of the household.

• Indexed Universal Life
• Variable Universal Life
• Universal Life Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance
• Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance provides a level death benefit for the duration of the term. Once the policy expires you can renew annually.

Alternatively, you can also convert your term life to permanent coverage, such as universal life or whole life.

The benefits of universal life insurance are the flexibility it provides. This flexibility is seen primarily in two places. First, the premiums can be raised or lowered based on your policy's current cash value. Second, the death benefit can also be raised or lowered, which is great if your circumstances change and you either need more or less coverage.

Universal life comes in three primary products, Guaranteed Universal Life, Indexed Universal Life and Variable Universal Life.

Ameritas's Indexed Universal Life, Excel Plus Index UL offers a death benefit and the opportunity to build high cash value. There is a guarantee floor of 2% for the fixed account and 0% floor for the indexed accounts.

Four Index Options are available:

• S&P 500 Index Capped
• Russell 2000 Index Capped
• S&P 500 Index Uncapped
• MSCI EAFE Index Capped

The IUL policy offers 3 death benefit options:

1. Option 1: Level death benefit
2. Option 2: Increasing death benefit plus cash value
3. Option 3: Level death benefit plus return of premiums paid minus any partial withdrawal

The benefits of IUL are the opportunities the policy provides for early cash value growth. Another benefit is you can participate in an indexed account that tracks the upward performance of the stock market, but you do not participate in the negative moves, creating an environment that offers true compound interest.

Ameritas offers participating whole life insurance. The policy builds cash value, which can be supercharged by using the right policy design for maximizing cash value accumulation. The policy offers a guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed cash value growth and guaranteed level premium. Further, participating policyholders can also receive annual life insurance dividends.

Dividends are valuable and can be used for:

• Cash out
• Keep with the company and earn interest
• Pay premium payments
• Pay off existing loans
• Purchase additional paid up insurance

Although not exhaustive, the following are Ameritas's life insurance riders.

• Care4Life Acceleration Rider: It has similar mechanics to the accelerated death benefit in that this life insurance rider provides an advance of your policy’s death benefit if you suffer from a critical, chronic or terminal illness.
• Guaranteed Insurability: life insurance for children and young adults that allows the addition of more coverage at set birthdays, or alternatively, one special occasions.
• Flexible paid up rider: paid up additions allow the purchase of additional life insurance with no proof of insurability
• Children's insurance: child term life rider attached to your policy that covers the life of your kids ages 15 days to 18 years.
• Waiver of monthly deductions: waiver of premium if you become disabled.

Ameritas is one of the top individual long term disability insurance companies available in the U.S. If you have not taken a moment to consider the benefits of disability insurance you may want to read our guide to disability income insurance to get acquainted with this important, but often neglected insurance product.

When it comes to DI insurance, there are two main types available, short term disability insurance and long term disability insurance.

Short term disability insurance provides income after a relatively short elimination period for a short period of time. The benefit period typically lasts at most a year. Short term disability is beneficial if you don't want to use (or don't have) an emergency fund while you wait for your long term benefit to kick in.

Long term disability insurance (LTD) generally has a elimination period of 6 months to a year, followed by a benefit period that pays a monthly income benefit to you, lasting 2 years, 5, 10, to age 65 or to age 67, with some companies offering up to age 75 conditionally.

Ameritas offers LTD insurance under its DInamic Foundation product. The policy can be designed to fit various needs, with selections regarding the benefits, elimination periods and definition of total disability. Some of the main features include the following.

• Noncancelable and Guaranteed Renewable policy options
• Issue ages 18-64
• Available for most occupational classes
• Benefit periods 2, 5 and 10 years, and to age 65, to age 67 and to age 70
• Elimination periods 90, 180, 365, 730 days
• Three definitions of total disability, including:
  • true own occupation for benefit period
  • own occupation and not working for benefit period
  • five year own occupation and then not working for remaining benefit period
• Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Rider 3% simple or 6% compound interest.

For more information on Ameritas disability insurance or on any of the other companies we represent, please give us a call and speak to an experienced disability insurance agent today.

Second, the next service is dental, hearing and vision which covers all three of these areas should anything of wrong. Of course, both hearing and vision are vital senses and what would we do with unhealthy teeth? Thankfully, this never has to be a problem so long as you contact Ameritas for help.

Additionally, they also offer help with retirement plans so you have something to enjoy after your last day in a busy and stressful career. Whether you are just a couple of years away or even decades away from the retirement age, it is never too early or late to get help in order to live that little bit more comfortably at retirement and Ameritas can provide advice and support.

Finally, although this is linked in with retirement a little, they will also help with investments and give you general financial advice. Whether you’re an individual looking to build your estate or a business looking to secure your future, you will find an endless supply of fantastic knowledge with a simple email or phone call.

As mentioned previously, Ameritas has always been attentive towards their customer base and this shows in the many positive ratings that can be found. Although these are largely unofficial, many consumer websites have them at eight and above when looking on a scale of ten. Of course, customer service is pivotal in providing a good service today and it seems as though Ameritas has realized this important fact too.

In terms of contacting the company, the process is incredibly easy as they have a dedicated ‘contact us’ page on their website. After clicking, customers can then go into their desired topic whether it is retirement plans, annuities, dental, investments, human resources, or anything else. As well as various different email addresses and contact forms, Ameritas also has different phone numbers for different departments meaning that customers don’t have to spend ten minutes just trying to get through to the right department.

Although sufficient cover can normally be found across the board with Ameritas, there have been some complaints regarding the dental cover. When going in for some treatment, some people have found that they aren't covered for nearly as much as they would have liked but this is something that you should be wary of with all insurance policies and all insurance companies. Before you sign up to anything, you need to read the small print and everything stated in the contract so you know exactly how well you are covered and for how much should anything go wrong.

If you need advice with any of the above, you should look into calling Ameritas as soon as possible. In the industry, there are a few big names that spring to mind immediately when you think of financial help and insurance but Ameritas is up there with the elite and the very best.

When first looking to contact them, you will find it easier than any other company because you will have a direct phone number or contact form. Then, the customer service you receive along the way is second to none. If you do happen to run into some trouble or simply have some questions before you go ahead and spend your hard-earned money, the website offers all customers or potential customers the chance to do this.

As you can tell from what has been said and noted so far, Ameritas is one of America’s oldest companies and has built a solid reputation with the majority of customers as a result. Awarded some of the best ratings possible by A.M. Best and Better Business Bureau, anyone who signs up for their help will be in good hands.

If you think Ameritas might be the right choice for you, give us a call and lets talk. We work with many different life insurance companies. Our goal is to align you with the right company, the right product, at the right price.  So what are you waiting for?

Give us a call today or visit our Online life Insurance Quotes page and see what we can do for you!