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AARP life insurance review 2020
Last updated:
You could qualify for guaranteed coverage for life with no medical exam required.
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Get a quote if…
- You want guaranteed acceptance.
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- You want a high coverage amount.
50 to 80
Issue Age
$10,000 to $100,000
Coverage
No
Medical Exam Required
Details
| Free quote | Online, Phone |
|---|---|
| Policy options | Term, Permanent, Guaranteed Acceptance |
| Term lengths | 5 year banded terms |
| Monthly cost | As low as $11/mo |
| Claim methods | Online, Phone, Mail |
| Ratings | A.M. Best: A++, Fitch: AAA, Standard & Poor's: AA+, Moody's: Aaa |
| Available states | All 50 states |
| Customer support | Online portal, Phone (1-800-850-2658) |
| Riders | Children’s rider, Living benefits, Premium waivers |
Expert review
Review by
Rhys Subitch
rhys.subitch@findercrew.comRhys Subitch is a writer and editor at Finder who tackles topics across the site. With half a decade of experience researching, editing and writing for a Fortune 500 company, university and several independent publications, Rhys brings readers the most up-to-date and curated info on all things finance.
Expert review
AARP has several programs available through New York Life, none of which require a medical exam. It offers a few low-cost options that are ideal for budget buyers, as well as lower-coverage plans that can be used to supplement existing life insurance policies.
What types of life insurance coverage does AARP offer?
AARP offers both term life insurance and whole life policies. Its term life insurance policies are set with lower initial rates that increase over time. These policies don’t offer a cash value accumulation. If you’re looking for permanent coverage, then you’d want to go with one of its whole life policies. These offer protection that lasts a lifetime with higher initial rates that usually don’t increase. These plans build cash value during the life of the policy.
All AARP life insurance plans aside from Young Start have a living benefit, which gives you access to half of your benefit in the event that you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness. To qualify for this benefit you must have a life expectancy of 12 months or less in most states, 24 months if you’re a resident of Illinois and Texas. Massachusetts and Washington residents don’t qualify for this coverage.
Here’s what you can expect from each of AARP’s four life insurance plans:
| Plan | Coverage | Medical exam | Waiting period | Rate increase | Coverage length | Monthly cost | Special disclaimers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level Benefit Term | $10,000–$100,000 | None | None | Yes, based on fixed 5-year age bands | Age 80 | $11–$306 | Guaranteed ability to exchange for permanent life insurance at age 80 |
| Permanent Whole Life | $5,000– $50,000 | None | None | No | For life | $15–$522 | Premium payments end at age 95 |
| Guaranteed Acceptance | $2,500–$25,000 | None | Two years | No | For life | $11–$227 | Premium payments end at age 95 |
| Child Policy | $10,000– $20,000 | None | Two years | Rates may increase | For life | $5–$10 | Child becomes the owner of the policy at age 21 |
Does AARP offer burial insurance?
Yes. AARP’s guaranteed acceptance policy is often marketed as burial insurance. Open to applicants aged 50 to 80, it doesn’t require a health questionnaire or medical exam — but you’ll need to pay AARP membership fees to access this policy. Like most final expense policies, the coverage is capped at a small amount: $25,000.
AARP’s burial insurance policy is available in all states except New Jersey and Washington.
What riders can I add to my life insurance policy?
Riders you might want to consider adding to your policy include:
- Children’s rider. You may have noticed above that there’s a Young Start plan. This is specifically for children younger than 18 who you’d like to insure and isn’t automatically included with the other AARP programs.
- Living benefits. Also known as an accelerated death benefit, this policy add-on typically offers an early release of death benefits should the policyholder be diagnosed with a terminal illness.
- Premium waivers. This add-on allows for the policyholder to temporarily waive their insurance premiums while maintaining coverage if they’re unable to make payments due to a temporary illness, injury or disability.
How much does AARP life insurance cost?
AARP does not provide its cost structure online. However, it does list a beginning monthly rate of just $11 for a woman, who hasn’t used tobacco in the last 12 months, aged 50-54 with a coverage amount of $10,000.
How do I get a low rate?
AARP’s life insurance plans through New York Life don’t have any direct tiers that are readily available. Generally there are some qualities life insurance companies look for when assessing a client’s personal and medical history. The following may lead to higher rates:
- Frequent tobacco use.
- Alcohol or controlled substance abuse.
- Certain medical conditions in your family history.
- DWIs or DUIs on your driving record.
- High-risk hobbies or occupation.
- High blood pressure or BMI.
Pros and cons of AARP life insurance
Pros
- Premiums start at just $11. The Guaranteed Acceptance program offers premiums that start at $11 per month for women who are 50 years old and select $2,500 in coverage. Level Benefit Term offers $11 premiums for women from 50 to 54 years old who select $10,000 coverage.
- Spousal coverage available. Spouses between the ages of 45 and 80 may be eligible to apply for group coverage.
- Two options have no waiting period. Both Level Benefit Term and Permanent coverage come without a waiting period. As soon as the program takes effect, you’re covered in full.
- 30-day guarantee. After receiving your Certificate of Insurance, you have 30 days to decide whether you want to stick with the insurance plan you signed up for or return it for a refund.
Cons
- Level Benefit Term includes premium increases. Premium increases are at set five-year age ranges: Ages 45 to 49 are in the first five-year band and ages 75 to 79 are the final, with coverage ending at age 80.
- Not all benefits are available in every state. Guaranteed Acceptance is not available to New Jersey and Washington state residents. Accelerated benefits are also not available to Massachusetts and Washington state residents.
- Limited benefit period with Guaranteed Acceptance. Benefits in the event of a death due to natural causes don’t kick in completely until after two-years. Death due to an accident will be covered from the first day the policy is active.
- Online applications are not available in all states. Depending on where you live, you may have to apply by mail. Due to paperwork requirements, and just by the nature of the postal service, it may take more time to fully process your application by mail.
- Only up to $100,000 in coverage is available. In some cases you may be able to purchase coverage for more than $100,000, but the Level Benefit Term plan only offers up to $100,000.
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AARP life insurance reviews and complaints
As of this writing, AARP is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, though it receives an A+ overall rating based on how the business is likely to interact with its customers. Among the many reviews online, customers seemed to be happy with AARP’s customer support team in getting questions answered about their life insurance policies, though some wished that its rates were a bit cheaper compared to other brands.However, like other brands, there are a fair share of negative comments about difficulty in getting AARP to pay out claims quickly. Customers also warn individuals looking into AARP life insurance to make sure they understand the two-year waiting period with Guaranteed Acceptance policies, which means that death from natural causes during the first two years of coverage pays just a portion of the benefit amount.
How does AARP protect my data?
AARP collects your personal information in order to personalize your experience, offer you its products and services, and to maintain your account. AARP does not share your data except with third parties who provide services on its behalf.
AARP implements administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect your data against accidental, unlawful or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure or use.
How do I sign up?
If you are an AARP member, you can get a quote and sign up for life insurance online.
- To begin, click Get A Quote.
- Then select the type of policy you’d like to apply for: term, permanent or guaranteed acceptance.
- Provide some personal info, your desired coverage amount and contact info. Then click Get instant quote and apply.
- If you are not an AARP member, you’ll need to call AARP at 866-238-6135 to get more information regarding a membership.
More about AARP
AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons, is an organization created in 1958 by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus in response to retired teachers needing health insurance. Dr. Andrus established insurance benefits programs, discount mail-order pharmacy services and created coalitions to promote the wellbeing of aging persons among countless other services.
A membership with AARP affords benefits ranging from health to entertainment, but arguably one of the most important is access to life insurance. New York Life is the administer of AARP’s Life Insurance Program, and you need only mention your AARP membership number to receive a quote. Quotes can be completed online or over the phone, and applications can be completed online or by mail.
In addition to life insurance, AARP offers many services to its members, including:
- Health and wellness benefits that include medical, dental and vision insurance plans.
- Restaurant discounts for select national chains.
- Entertainment discounts and news.
- Advocacy available at national chapters.
- Clothing, grocery, gift and technology discounts.
- Community events and volunteer opportunities.
- Travel service discounts including car rentals, airfare, cruise passes, tours and more.
- Access to an assistance directory, recipes and security systems.
- Caregiving tools and resources.
- A job board and resources for starting your own business.
- Financial products and retirement tools.
- Auto insurance, roadside assistance, car buying guides, car maintenance and safety resources and more.
New York Life also offers other programs outside its AARP life insurance plans, including:
- Term, whole, universal, variable universal and survivorship life insurance.
- Annuities
- Mutual funds
- Retirement plans
- Long-term care plans
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive policy to suit your family’s needs, it’s worth comparing life insurance providers.
How do I file a life insurance claim with AARP?
To file a claim, you’ll need to go to the New York Life AARP website. Click Claims in the upper, right-hand corner of the page. From there, follow these three steps:
Frequently asked questions
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