Life Insurance Questions

The Grow-Up^® Plan is a whole life insurance policy for a child that builds cash value. You’re the policy owner until your child reaches age 21. At that time, your child becomes the policy owner and is guaranteed lifelong insurance protection, as long as premiums are paid. Plus, your child has the option to buy additional coverage as an adult, regardless of health or occupation. Option to purchase additional insurance is through the Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider included on all standard issue policies.

After the initial policy years, each time you make a monthly premium payment for your child’s Grow-Up^® Plan, Gerber Life sets aside a small amount of that money. Over time, this becomes the cash value of your policy. This money is available for you to borrow against if you ever have the need for ready cash. As an adult, your child will have the option to turn in the policy and receive the available cash value. Click here to learn more about cash value.

The cost of a Grow-Up^® Plan varies based on the amount of coverage you choose, your child’s age at the time of your application, and the state where you live. Scroll below to get a free quote instantly.

No! With the Grow-Up^® Plan, your premium is guaranteed to stay the same for your child’s lifetime so long as it is paid timely. In other words, your child will get more coverage at a better value.

Yes. You can borrow against the cash value, as long as premiums are paid, by taking a policy loan. Policy loans are subject to an interest rate up to 8% and may impact cash value and death benefit. You can also surrender the policy and receive the available cash value.

No, there is no obligation to buy additional insurance. As long as premiums are paid, your child’s existing whole life insurance coverage will continue automatically. As an adult, your child is guaranteed the option to buy additional life insurance at our standard age-based rates should they want greater protection, no matter their health or occupation. Guaranteed option to purchase additional insurance is through the Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider included on all standard issue policies.

Once coverage begins, and as long as the premiums are paid, Gerber Life cannot cancel the insurance for any reason. Only you (or your child at age 21) can cancel the Grow-Up^® Plan.

Yes. If you decide to cancel the policy, you’ll receive the accumulated cash value that has built up over time, minus any outstanding debt against the policy. The same is true after your child becomes the policy owner.

You can pay your monthly premium by mail, by phone, or online using a checking/savings account or a credit/debit card. You can save 10% on your Grow Up premium by setting up automatic payments from your checking or savings account. You can also set up automatic payments to make managing your policy even easier through our eService platform.

You can apply for a Grow-Up^® Plan policy online, by mail or by phone. Applying online is quick and easy – just provide some basic information about you and the child you want to insure, and choose your coverage amount. Your application will be reviewed by our underwriting team and you will be notified as soon as it’s approved. You may be contacted by our underwriters if any additional information is needed to approve your application.

To apply for a Grow-Up^® Plan policy for another child, please complete and submit a new application.

Yes. A child’s parent, grandparent or permanent legal guardian may apply for the Grow-Up^® Plan – a parent’s signature is needed only where required by law. The person applying is the policy owner until the child reaches age 21.

You should select the state that you live in when filling out the application.

Policies issued in 2008 or earlier double on the anniversary date after the insured reaches age 21. Policies issued in 2009 or after double on the anniversary date after the insured reaches age 18.

The Gerber Life Insurance Family Plan is a flexible life insurance plan where you can choose either Term or Whole life coverage for yourself, with the option to include coverage for your spouse and kids, all on one policy.

Term life insurance provides life insurance coverage for a specific period of time, typically 10, 20 or 30 years. It’s generally less expensive than other types of life insurance so you can get more coverage for less cost.

Whole life insurance provides permanent coverage for your entire life (as long as premiums are paid) and builds cash value over time. As a result, whole life insurance generally costs more than Term.

After the initial policy years, each time that you pay your premium, the insurance company sets aside a small amount, which builds up over time as the policy’s cash value. The longer you hold the policy, the more cash value the policy builds. If a need arises, and as long premiums are paid, you could borrow against the available cash value* for an emergency or other expenses. Or, you can surrender the policy later on and receive the available cash value.

*The policy loan interest rate is up to 8%. Loans may impact cash value and death benefit.

To apply for the Family Plan you must be a U.S. Citizen (or permanent legal resident) and between the ages of 18 – 80. You can apply for Family Plan Term up to age 70, or Family Plan Whole life up to age 80.

With the Family Plan you can include coverage for spouses who are age 50 or younger; and kids are eligible up to age 18.

Depending on your age: Whole life coverage starts at $50,000 up to $1,000,000 and Term life coverage starts at $100,000 up to $2,000,000.

When deciding how much life insurance you need, generally, 5 - 10 times your annual income is a good starting point. If you are younger and your family has greater financial needs (for example, a large mortgage, or future college tuition costs) you might consider more coverage. If you are older, with fewer expenses you may need less. You should also consider what works with your budget and get what you can afford.

Your spouse can be covered on the policy with a $50,000, 10-year level term policy; and/or you can include your children with $10,000 in coverage for each child (coverage for children goes to age 21 or for the duration of the primary policy if ends prior to child reaching 21.)

The premium (or cost) you pay for the life insurance depends on several factors: the amount of coverage you choose, the term (duration of coverage), your age, gender, and health.

No, the amount you pay when your coverage starts is the same amount that you’ll pay throughout the life of your policy. The sooner you apply, the lower your lifetime premium since premium rates are based on your age when your policy starts.

A medical exam is not necessary in most cases. Coverage is dependent on answers to health questions. A physical may be necessary for applicants who are age 55 and older and apply for more than $100,000 of coverage.

Yes, you can add a spouse to your policy up to 90 days after you apply (the premium for your spouse will depend on their age and gender).

Yes you can add children (up to age 18) to your policy at any time. The premium for the child rider covers all children (there is not a separate premium for each child).

You have 30 days to review your policy. If it’s not what you want you can cancel, and you will be refunded any premiums that you paid. You can make changes to your policy as well. You’ll need to talk to one of our licensed agents, and they can adjust your policy as needed.

Yes, you always have the option to add or change beneficiaries later.

A rider (also known as an insurance endorsement) is optional coverage that you can add to your standard policy. Riders allow you to tailor your life insurance to meet your needs. Some riders are included in your policy as an extra perk with no additional cost, others have additional costs associated with them. Click to learn more about riders and when you might want to add a rider to your policy.

We can often provide an immediate decision unlike the typical underwriting processes that can take weeks. Most people get an answer in 3 days or less.

No. Once coverage begins and as long as premiums are paid, Gerber Life cannot cancel your Family Plan insurance policy. You are the only person who could cancel the coverage.

Term life insurance is one of the most popular types of life insurance because it provides protection for a specified period of time – a "term” – and can cost less than other types of life insurance. Our Gerber Life Family Plan Term Life Policy is available for a duration of 10, 20 and 30 years, choose the duration that works best for you and your family.

To apply for a Family Plan term life policy you must be a U.S. citizen (or permanent legal resident) and between the ages of 18-70.

With the Family Plan term life policy you can get coverage starting at $100,000 up to $2,000,000 for ages 18-55 (ages 56-70 can get up to $500,000).

As a general rule of thumb, 5-10 times your annual income is a good starting point. If your family has greater financial needs (for example, a large mortgage, or future college tuition costs) you might consider more coverage. Also consider what works with your budget.

The premium (or cost) you pay for life insurance depends on a number of factors: how much coverage you get, the term (duration of coverage), your age, gender, and health, for example. Click here to get your quote.

With our Family Plan Term Life policy, the amount you agree to pay when your coverage starts stays the same throughout your policy's term as long as premiums are paid.

At the end of the term your policy coverage ends.  If you decide your family is still in need of coverage, you can renew your policy agreement at the premium rate for your age at that time – with no physical exam. This is a large benefit for those whose health may have changed during the policy term.

Term life insurance is popular because its one of the most affordable ways to help protect your family financially after the loss of a parent or family provider. Term provides coverage for just the number of years you select, so it costs less than other types of life insurance, like Whole Life. Many parents choose Term insurance because they want the most amount of coverage for the lowest cost.

In many cases a medical exam is not needed. Coverage is dependent on answers to health questions. However if applying more than $1,000,000 in coverage or if older than 55 and applying for more than $500,000 in coverage, a medical exam will be needed.

A.M. Best, the impartial reporting firm that rates insurance companies on financial stability and ability to meet financial obligations, has awarded Gerber Life an “A+” (Superior) rating, most recently in January 2024. It refers only to the overall financial status of the company and is not a recommendation of specific policy provisions, rates or practices of the company. This rating is the second highest awarded out of thirteen possible categories.

Whole life insurance provides permanent life insurance coverage for your entire life (as long as you pay your monthly premiums of course). Whole life policies also build cash value over time. By comparison, term life insurance offers protection for only a specified period of time (generally 10, 20 or 30 years) and does not build cash value, but as a result the premiums are lower.

To apply for our whole life insurance you must be a U.S. citizen (or permanent legal resident) and between ages 18-80.

One of the key benefits of whole life insurance is having life insurance coverage for your lifetime. Also whole life insurance builds cash value over time, which can help provide extra financial security if needed. You can borrow against the cash value in your policy (8% interest rate applies and outstanding loans will reduce your cash value and death benefit) or if you were to terminate your policy, you would receive the accumulated cash value.

After the initial policy years, each time that you pay your premium, the insurance company sets aside a small amount, which builds up over time as the policy’s cash value. The longer you hold the policy, the more cash value the policy builds. If a need arises, and as long as premiums are paid, you could borrow against the available cash value* to help cover lost income, rent or mortgage payments, education costs, or other expenses. Or, you can turn in the policy later on and receive the available cash value.

*policy loan interest rate is up to 8%. Loans may impact cash value and death benefit.

The Gerber Life Family Plan whole life insurance offers coverage from $50,000 to $1,000,000. Choose a coverage amount that works best for you. Find out how affordable your premium can be with a free quote.

The premium (or cost) you pay for whole life insurance depends on a number of factors: how much coverage you get, your age, gender, and health, for example. Click here to obtain your quote.

No, the amount you pay when your coverage starts is the same amount that you‘ll pay throughout the life of your Family Plan Whole Life Policy. The sooner you apply, the lower your lifetime premium rate, since premiums are based on your age when your policy starts.

As long as premiums are paid, you can borrow against the available cash value that has built up in your Family Plan Whole Life Policy.

*policy loan interest rate is 8%. Loans may impact cash value and death benefit.

That’s your choice. You could pay back the borrowed money plus accrued interest, to make your policy whole. Or, if you chose not to pay it back, then the money borrowed plus accrued interest will be deducted when the policy's death benefit is paid or the policy is cashed in.

A medical exam is not necessary in most cases. Coverage is dependent on answers to health questions. A physical may be necessary for applicants who are age 55 and older and apply for more than $100,000 of coverage.

No. Once coverage begins and for as long as premiums are paid, Gerber Life cannot cancel your Whole Life insurance policy. You are the only person who could cancel the coverage.

This individual policy, available to you and your spouse, provides cash benefits in the event of a covered death or disabling injury as the result of an accident — 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world.

You can choose your coverage amount – from $50,000 to $500,000.

Your coverage starts as soon as we receive payment for your first premium.

You can pay by credit or debit card, check or money order. Premium payments that are automatically withdrawn from a bank account will receive an additional discount.

Monthly premiums are just $26.13 for $500,000.00 of coverage. Or choose $150,000.00 of coverage for only $15.68 a month. A $50,000 policy is just $5.23 a month.

No. Once you apply for accident protection insurance, your premium is guaranteed never to go up due to age or health.

This policy is available to anyone ages 18 to 69. No medical exam is required and there are no health questions to answer. Acceptance is guaranteed regardless of health.

Guaranteed* Life Insurance from Gerber Life is whole life insurance for adults between 50 and 80 years old (50 and 75 in New York). The coverage can last a lifetime once approved, regardless of profession or health.

*Guaranteed coverage requires that applicant is a U.S citizen residing in the US or permanent legal guardian. Total limit of all combined Gerber Life Guaranteed life policies is $25,000.

Whole life insurance does not have a specified time period of coverage. You can own the policy for a few years or for the rest of your life, as long as you pay the premiums. Whole life insurance also builds "cash value." Cash value is money that is set aside by Gerber Life for your policy, which can be borrowed against if needed.* The longer you own the whole life policy, the more cash value you have in your policy.

*Policy loan interest rate is up to 8%. Loans may impact cash value and death benefit.

Gerber Life offers a wide range of Guaranteed Life coverage options from $5,000 to $25,000¹. Coverage is available in $1,000 increments. Our friendly representatives can help you determine the coverage that best suits you and your family.

¹ South Dakota residents, maximum coverage of $15,000.

If you qualify, Social Security will pay $225 toward your final expenses. That is just not enough – the average cost of a funeral can run as high as $10,000². Guaranteed Life Insurance from Gerber Life can be a smart choice to help offset these high costs.

² 2023 NFDA General Price List Study. National Funeral Directors Association.

Absolutely not. With Gerber Life, the amount you pay when your Guaranteed Life coverage starts is the same amount that you'll pay throughout the life of your policy. The only time your premiums may change is if you decide to increase your coverage or the frequency of your payments.

The Gerber Life Guaranteed Life Insurance policy comes with a graded death benefit limitation. It applies to the first two years of coverage when the policy is issued. For applicants age 50-80 (50-75 in New York) who die (for any reason other than an accident as defined in the policy) within the first two years of coverage, the death benefit will equal 110% of earned premiums. The full death benefit amount is only payable after the first two years of coverage (one year in ND).

After the two-year Graded Period, if the insured dies for any covered reason, the full face amount of the policy will be paid to the beneficiary. If the Insured dies by suicide within two years from the Issue Date of the policy, or any shorter period as may be required by applicable law in the state where the policy is delivered or issued for delivery, the only amount payable by us will be the premium paid for the policy plus 10% interest, less any debt against the policy. Please refer to your policy contract for specific details regarding exclusions, limitations, benefits and shorter time frames that may vary by state.

Under current Federal law, the benefits are not generally subject to Federal tax if paid to a named beneficiary. Please consult your tax advisor; in some cases, estate or inheritance taxes may apply. Federally tax free under current tax law. Consult your tax advisor; in some cases, estate or inheritance taxes may apply.

No medical exam is necessary for the Gerber Life Guaranteed Life Insurance policy. If you are a U.S. citizen or legal alien between 50 and 80 years old and become approved, your coverage is guaranteed regardless of profession or health.

No. Once coverage begins, and for as long as premiums are paid, Gerber Life cannot cancel your Guaranteed Life Insurance. Only you have the option to cancel the coverage.

After receiving your Guaranteed Life Policy you will have 30 days to examine and accept your Guaranteed Life Insurance whole life coverage. If you decide that you no longer want the safety and coverage that your policy offers, simply return it for a full refund of all premiums that have been paid.

The rate of return varies depending upon your specific policy, its duration, and your billing frequency. For further details about your specific policy's rate of return, please call us at 866-503-4487.

The amount you'd get back depends on when you stop paying and surrender your policy. If you are past your policy's midway point (for a 10-year policy, the midpoint is about five years), you would get back all of the money you paid in.

The Gerber Life Insurance College Plan will generate some taxable income, Gerber Life Insurance will send you a statement (Form 1099) to file with your taxes. Please consult your tax advisor, in some cases, estate or inheritance taxes may apply.

Gerber Life was founded in 1967 by the Gerber Products Company, we share a common heritage and values in caring for the millions of families who place their trust in us. Today, Gerber Life is a member of Western & Southern Financial Group Inc., one of the strongest life insurance groups in the world. With $66 Billion of life insurance in force as of December 2024, you can count on us.

Gerber Life Insurance Company was founded in 1967.

A.M. Best, the impartial reporting firm that rates insurance companies on financial stability and ability to meet financial obligations, has awarded Gerber Life an “A+” (Superior) rating, most recently in March 2025. It refers only to the overall financial status of the company and is not a recommendation of specific policy provisions, rates or practices of the company. This rating is the second highest awarded out of thirteen possible categories.

The home office of Gerber Life Insurance Company is located in White Plains, New York. The Operations Division, responsible for issuing all policies and processing benefit payments is in Fremont, Michigan.

You can read the full history of the Gerber baby logo here.

Gerber Life is a licensed insurance company in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. It is important to note, however, that some Gerber Life policies are not available in all areas. To find out more, refer to the specific policies descriptions elsewhere on the site, or email your specific question. A customer service representative will reply within 24 hours.

The answer will depend on many factors and only you can determine what is right for you or your family members. For help, click here to learn more about the available options.

You can login to your eService account, call, email, or send us a private message through our social media platforms. Contact Gerber Life Insurance Company

We would love the opportunity to go over the benefits of this policy and your options with you. Please call, email, or send us a message through our social media platforms to discuss.

Gerber Life eService allows policy owners to manage their policies wherever and whenever they choose (with an internet connection, of course).

When you enroll in eService, you can:

• Pay your premiums
• Apply for a loan
• Review your payment history
• Update your contact information (phone, address, email)
• Update your billing and payment preferences
• Change your beneficiaries

eService is available to policy owners with an active Gerber Life policy.

Policy must be active (first payment received) in order to utilize the eService functions.

Enrollment is simple and will take less time than addressing an envelope and finding a stamp! To expedite the process, please have your premium notice and banking information available.

Your User ID and password are active immediately following enrollment. We will send you a confirmation email when you've successfully enrolled in eService.

Please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-877-877-3295.

Once enrolled, you can start making payments as soon as you have a bill due.

You can pay your Gerber Life bill through eService using a checking/savings account or debit/credit card. Simplify future payments by storing your account information online!

You will continue to receive a paper bill to the address listed on the policy, unless you enroll in either Paperless Billing (eBill) or automatic payments. We will also send you email reminders if you are enrolled in eBill or automatic payments.

Automatic Payments enables you to have your premiums automatically deducted from your payment account. Setting up Automatic Payments using your checking or savings account can also save you up to 10% on your premium bills!

If enrolled in Paperless Billing (eBill), we will replace the hardcopy premium notices with email reminders when your premium is due. You can then log into your eService account to submit your payment. To ensure our email reminders reach you, we will ask that you validate your email address during the enrollment process.

Yes. Gerber Life offers you the flexibility to change the due date of your premium payments based on your individual needs. This puts you in control of your payment due date, allowing you to select a new day of the month.

Yes, you can schedule payments as well as edit a scheduled payment up to the day of your scheduled transaction.

No. You can save up to 5 payment accounts in your eService profile.

You can either add all of your policies when enrolling in eService or you can add them later within your account. To add more once enrolled, go to the "My Policies" tab and then click "Add Policies."

Any changes to your policy or payments submitted will be processed by the evening of the following business day.

To retrieve your User ID or reset your password, simply send us an email.

If you need to update your postal mailing address, email address or phone number, select "My Policies" and scroll down to the "Policyholder Details" section. This will update the contact information for ALL policies within your eService account.

To update your beneficiary, go to "My Policies" and select "Manage This Policy", followed by the "Update" button next to Beneficiary. Once the form is completed you will be prompted to download a PDF to print, sign and mail your Change of Beneficiary Form.

Go to "My Policies" and select "Manage This Policy". Scroll down to the "Loan Details" section to see if your policy is eligible for a loan. Depending on the type of policy you have and how long it has been active, you may or may not have this option.

Our eService site is available on desktop and mobile devices. We support most internet browsers.

Yes. Your information is password protected and all of your transactions are secure within eService.