Security National Life life insurance

Overview

Security National Life Insurance Company is a Salt Lake City insurer that specializes in what it calls "end of life" coverage: preneed policies that prepay a funeral through a local funeral home, and small final expense whole life policies. It is the main insurance subsidiary of Security National Financial Corporation, a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: SNFCA) with three businesses: life insurance, cemeteries and mortuaries, and mortgage lending.

The group, which files with the NAIC as the Security National group and includes Southern Security Life Insurance Company, Inc., ranked #96 among U.S. life insurance groups by 2024 individual life direct premiums written, according to NAIC market share data, with about $120.0 million in premiums and a 0.08% market share.

According to the parent's annual report for 2025, the life insurance segment had about 629,000 policies and $3.93 billion of insurance in force, and it markets in 42 states through commissioned agents, many of whom also sell other companies' products. The report says its funeral plan policies are sold mainly to people aged 45 to 85 with low to moderate incomes, with the largest markets in Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

History

Security National Life was established in 1965. The company says it started with $543,000 of assets in a small rented house in Salt Lake City. Its founder, George R. Quist, was chairman and chief executive of the holding company from its formation in 1979 until his death in September 2012, according to the company's SEC filing announcing his death. His son, Scott M. Quist, is now chairman, president and CEO.

The company has grown mostly by buying smaller insurers and blocks of policies. Its 2025 annual report lists, among others, Capital Investors Life (1994), Civil Service Employees Life (1995), Southern Security Life (1998), Menlo Life (1999), Acadian Life (2002), Paramount Security Life (2004), Memorial Insurance Company of America (2005; sold in 2021), Capital Reserve Life (2007), Southern Security Life Insurance Company, Inc. (2008), North America Life (2011 and 2015), Trans-Western Life, Mothe Life and DLE Life (2012), American Republic Insurance (2015), First Guaranty Insurance Company (2016), Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company (2019) and FOXO Life Insurance Company (merged in 2023). Many older policies issued by these companies are now serviced by Security National.

Alongside insurance, the parent built a funeral business (mortuaries and cemeteries in Utah, New Mexico and California) and SecurityNational Mortgage Company, which the 2025 annual report says had 85 retail offices in 25 states. The company marked its 60th anniversary in 2025.

Life insurance products

Security National Life's consumer products are built around paying for a funeral:

• Prepaid funerals (preneed insurance). A preneed policy is placed with a local funeral home so that, as the company puts it, your cost is locked in at today's rates. Security National works through a network of client funeral homes across the U.S. and gives them preneed products to offer their families. See burial insurance vs final expense vs preneed for how preneed differs from other burial coverage.
• Final expense insurance. Small whole life policies meant to pay funeral costs and other end-of-life bills. They are sold through final expense agents and a separate "Loyalty" final expense agent force. The website does not publish coverage amounts, issue ages or underwriting rules; you get those from an agent.
• SNL Home Service. A home service division, run from an office in Flowood, Mississippi, with its own agents.

The parent's annual report describes the segment's wider lineup as funeral plans, interest-sensitive life insurance, other traditional and limited-payment life insurance, and some accident and limited health insurance. The company does not market term life, larger fully underwritten policies, indexed universal life or online applications to consumers.

The Loyalty Family Support Plan is a related subscription service, not life insurance. It offers round-the-clock concierge help connecting families with funeral homes in a national network, including families who are new to the U.S. funeral process or more comfortable in another language. It has its own line, 800-305-4621.

Other products

The insurance segment also sells single-premium and flexible-premium deferred annuities and immediate annuities, and a small amount of accident and health coverage, according to the 2025 annual report. Through sister companies, Security National runs mortuaries and cemeteries and originates home mortgages; these are not insurance products, but they explain why the company's results and news often focus on interest rates and the housing market.

Buying and service

You buy through an agent or a funeral home. The product pages have a contact form rather than online quotes; an agent or partner funeral home follows up. Prepaid funeral plans are arranged with the funeral home you choose.

Existing policyholders can log in to a customer portal to view policies and make payments, and download service forms from the website. Customer service is at 800-574-7117. Policies serviced by the home service office can also be reached at 800-826-6803 (P.O. Box 320609, Flowood, MS 39232). Because the company has absorbed many smaller insurers since the 1990s, a policy bought from Southern Security Life, Kilpatrick Life, Memorial Insurance or another acquired company may now be serviced here; see when your life insurance policy is sold to another company.

Claims

Security National describes a three-step death claim process:

1. Notify the claims department by phone at 800-574-7117 or by email at [email protected].
2. Send a Death Claimant's Statement signed by the beneficiary and a copy of the death certificate, plus anything else the company asks for. Documents can go by fax to 866-403-5365, by email, or by mail to Security National Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 57220, Salt Lake City, UT 84157.
3. The company pays once the claim is processed. It does not publish an average payout time.

With a preneed policy, the funeral home that holds the contract normally handles the claim as part of providing the service, often through a assigning life insurance to a funeral home. See how to file a life insurance claim for general steps.

Ratings and reputation

• Financial strength: Security National Life does not publish an AM Best, S&P, Moody's or Fitch rating on its websites. Without an independent financial strength rating, buyers rely on the parent's public financial statements and the state guaranty association system.
• Financial results: The parent reported revenue of $344.6 million for 2025, up 3%, and said 2025 was the insurance segment's best operating year ever. After-tax earnings from operations rose about 11% to $32.2 million.
• J.D. Power: Security National was not among the 23 brands ranked in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study.

Final expense and preneed policies cost more per $1,000 of coverage than fully underwritten insurance because they are small and lightly underwritten. Being part of a company that also runs funeral homes and a mortgage lender means its profits move with mortgage volumes and interest rates as well as with insurance results.

Who it suits

Security National Life suits older, moderate-income families who want to prepay a funeral through a local funeral home that works with the company, or who want a small final expense policy sold in person by an agent. It is also the company to call if you hold a policy from one of the many insurers it has acquired. It suits less well anyone who wants to compare prices online, needs income replacement or a large death benefit, or prefers an insurer with an independent financial strength rating.

• Strengths: Six decades in the funeral and final expense market; preneed plans that lock in funeral costs; a 24/7 funeral concierge service; a publicly reporting parent with record 2025 insurance results.
• Weaknesses: No published AM Best or other agency rating; no online quotes or published product details; small policies cost more per $1,000 than fully underwritten coverage; available in about 42 states.

How to contact Security National Life