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Erie Family Life insurance review
Last updated:
A diverse product line with a personal touch, but without the convenience of online services.
Get a quote if…
- You’re looking for a wide option set and a community-based agency.
Choose a different provider if…
- You live in New York or any other states not covered by Erie’s network.
1 to 85
Issue Age
$10,000 to $10,000,000
Coverage
Only for policies above $90,000 and non-term policies
Medical Exam Required
Details
| Free quote | Yes |
|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $14.24 |
| Policies | Term, Whole, Universal |
| Coverage maximum | $10,000,000 |
| Term lengths | 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 years |
| Riders | Accelerated death benefit, Medicare supplement, Long-term care |
| Medical exam required | Only for policies above $90,000 and non-term policies |
| Available states | Only available in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia |
| Issue age |
What types of life insurance coverage does Erie Family Life offer?
A subdivision of Erie Insurance, Erie Family Life offers term, whole and universal life insurance policies with a variety of riders for eligible policyholders to customize coverage.
- Term life insurance
Erie’s most affordable term policies allow you to control the terms and amount of coverage. They offer 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, or 30-year terms with consistent premiums over the entirety of the term.
Two plans are available:
- Easy-to-purchase. Apply for up to $90,000 in protection by answering a few medical questions, and get your answer within 15 minutes.
- Level term insurance. At the end of your term, opt to convert your coverage to a whole life insurance policy of equal or lesser value.
- Whole life
A Whole or permanent life insurance policy covers you and your loved ones for your entire life. Erie offers policy coverage amounts that range from $10,000 to $10 million, issued from the day of birth to age 85.
It offers six payment duration options and allows you, at no extra charge, to get cash advances on your death benefit if you contract a terminal illness.
- Universal
Universal policies offer the best of both options. You get low-cost coverage like a term policy and also the savings benefits of a whole life policy, but with more flexible terms.
Universal plans can also cover specific business situations and allow the policyholder to designate charitable giving from the death benefit.
Features of Erie’s universal coverage include:
- Flexibility. Choose whether to pay the minimum amount to keep your policy active, or contribute more to increase the funds in the investment side of the policy.
- Guaranteed death benefit. As you pay your premiums and don’t touch your cash value, your benefit won’t decrease unless you choose to adjust it.
- Interest-bearing policy. Take advantage of guaranteed interest on your contributions.
- Potential tax benefits. Policy loans come with tax-free income potential, as long as you don’t withdraw the tax-deferred interest or otherwise end your policy.
What riders can I add to my life insurance policy?
- Accelerated death benefit rider. If you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness and have fewer than 12 months to live, you can access part of your death benefit.
- Critical illness benefit rider. Pays for the portion of approved expenses not covered by Medicare if you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness.
- Long-term-care rider. Offers financial support if you’re ever in need of long-term nursing care in a facility or in your home.
How much does Erie Family Life cost?
To get an idea of how much you’ll pay for an Erie Family Life policy, you have to talk to an agent.
The only pricing available on the company website is their claim that a $250,000 policy can cost as little as $14.24 a month. But that cost doesn’t include stipulations about age or medical history to determine who would qualify for that rate.
Pros and cons of Erie Family Life
Pros
- Local agents and one-on-one guidance for every policy purchase
- Financially stable company
- Coverage from the day of birth
Cons
- Available in 12 states only
- No online quotes
- Very few online services
Erie Family Life reviews and complaints
Erie Family Life earns A.M. Best’s rating of A — or Excellent. It isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it earns a B+ score from the BBB based on its internal criteria that includes years in business and how it’s handled customer complaints.
Complaints about the company online are few, which is rare for life insurance companies generally.
How do I sign up?
Unlike competitors, you aren’t able to apply or even start an application online. To sign up, you must call a local Erie agent:
- Click Service and then Contact Erie from the Erie Insurance website.
- Click Contact a Local Erie Agent to expand the topic, and then click Search for your to enter your ZIP code and narrow down agents and offices near you.
You can also call Erie Family Life’s general toll-free number at 800-458-0811 for help.
More about Erie Family Life
Erie Insurance has provided insurance policies since 1925. Company lore is that Erie was derived using letters from the word service — because “nearly perfect” customer service has always been part of the company’s founding purpose.
In addition to life insurance, Erie Insurance provides:
- Auto and leisure vehicle insurance
- Retirement plans and annuities
- Home and property insurance
- Business insurance
Bottom line
Erie provides a more traditional and personal insurance agent-to-customer relationship. If that’s not for you, compare other insurer offering online quotes and applications online.