Ameritas life insurance

Overview

Ameritas is a Lincoln, Nebraska insurance and financial services group whose main insurer is Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. It sells life insurance, annuities and disability income insurance, and it is also one of the better-known names in dental and vision coverage. The Ameritas group ranked #35 among U.S. life insurance groups by 2024 individual life direct premiums written, according to NAIC market share data, with $946.2 million in premiums and a 0.61% market share.

Ameritas is owned by Ameritas Mutual Holding Company, a mutual holding company, so it has no stockholders and describes itself as a "mutual-based organization." It says it serves 6 million customers. Life insurance is sold through independent financial professionals rather than a captive sales force. Ameritas also runs a separate no-load line for fee-only and fee-based advisors (Ameritas Advisor Solutions), and it issues an indexed universal life policy sold online through the insurtech Ethos. New York residents are served by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York in White Plains.

History

In 1887, five Lincoln business leaders, noting that the city had no local life insurer, formed The Old Line Bankers Life Insurance Company of Nebraska. The company grew into a national insurer and took the Ameritas name in 1988 to reflect its broader product line.

Ameritas then grew by combining with other mutual-based insurers. In 1999 its mutual holding company merged with that of Acacia Life, forming the Ameritas Acacia companies; in 2006 the group combined with Union Central Life of Cincinnati under a holding company called UNIFI. The holding company later took back the Ameritas name. Effective July 1, 2014, Acacia Life and Union Central Life merged into Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., which assumed all of their liabilities. That is why older Acacia and Union Central policies are now serviced by Ameritas (when your life insurance policy is sold to another company).

In January 2024 Ameritas and Ethos announced an indexed universal life product, issued by Ameritas Life and sold through Ethos's online platform with instant underwriting decisions.

Life insurance products

• Term life. Ameritas offers level-premium terms of 1, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. Its products include Ameritas Value Plus Term, ClearEdge Living Benefits Term (which can pay part of the death benefit if you face a serious illness) and Ameritas Instant Term, which requires no medical exam, lab work or records; the company says 80% of applicants who qualify get an instant decision. Term policies can include accidental death and waiver of premium options and can be converted to permanent coverage (no-medical-exam term life insurance: how it works).
• Whole life. Ameritas sells participating whole life with guaranteed level premiums, a guaranteed death benefit and guaranteed cash value growth. Policies can earn dividends, which are not guaranteed; Ameritas says it has paid dividends consistently (whole life dividends: how participating policies pay).
• Universal life comes in three forms: fixed universal life with a guaranteed minimum interest rate, indexed universal life linked partly to stock market indexes, and variable universal life invested in subaccounts such as mutual funds (Indexed universal life (IUL) explained, Variable universal life (VUL) insurance).

Riders include accelerated death benefits for chronic, critical or terminal illness (not on variable universal life), children's coverage, accidental death benefits, disability waiver or premium payment benefits, and on whole life the option to buy more coverage without new underwriting. Ameritas notes that its living benefit riders are not long-term care insurance (accelerated death benefit riders: how they work and how they're taxed).

Other products

Ameritas sells disability income insurance, fixed and variable annuities, retirement plans for employers, and individual and group dental, vision and hearing coverage. Its affiliates include a broker-dealer and investment advisers (Ameritas Investment Company, Ameritas Advisory Services and Ameritas Investment Partners).

Buying and service

Ameritas sells life insurance through financial professionals, and its website includes a find-a-professional tool and a term quote. Fee-based advisors use the no-load products. Underwriting typically includes a health and lifestyle application, and an exam and medical records if needed, except for Instant Term.

Policy owners, payors and beneficiaries can call 800-745-1112 for bills, claims, beneficiary changes and service forms on life, annuity and disability policies, or send secure messages through Ameritas Accounts. Mail goes to Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., 5900 O Street, P.O. Box 81889, Lincoln, NE 68501. Dental and vision customers use separate numbers.

Claims

Beneficiaries can start a life insurance death claim online with the insured's full name, date of birth, date of death and Social Security number. Ameritas then mails instructions for creating an online account where documents are uploaded and the claim status can be tracked. You can also report a death claim, or a Care4Life accelerated death benefit claim, by calling 800-745-1112. Annuity death claims can also be started online or by phone, after which Ameritas sends a claim packet (how to file a life insurance claim).

Ratings and reputation

According to Ameritas's financial strength page, S&P Global Ratings rates Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and its New York company A+ (Strong), the fifth-highest of S&P's 21 ratings, with its latest analysis dated April 8, 2026. AM Best rates them A (Excellent), the third-highest of its 13 ratings, with an analysis dated June 25, 2026; Ameritas says it has kept that rating for 50 years. Those are solid ratings, but a notch or two below the largest mutual insurers.

Ameritas was not among the brands ranked in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.

Who it suits

Ameritas suits buyers who work with an independent or fee-only advisor and want a choice of term, participating whole life, or indexed and variable universal life from a mutual-owned company, and people who want a quick no-exam term decision. It is a weaker fit for someone who wants the highest-rated carrier or to buy and manage a policy without an advisor.

• Strengths: Mutual holding company ownership with no stockholders; a broad product range including participating whole life, variable universal life and no-exam Instant Term; no-load products for fee-only advisors; one service number for life, annuity and disability policies.
• Weaknesses: AM Best A (Excellent) and S&P A+ ratings are below the top mutual insurers; life insurance is sold mainly through financial professionals rather than directly.

How to contact Ameritas