Kansas City Life Insurance Reviews: Pros, Cons, and Is It Right For You?

Kansas City Life Insurance Company has been providing life insurance products since 1895. But how do their policies, financial strength, and customer service stack up? This comprehensive review examines Kansas City Life insurance to help you decide if their policies are a good fit.

Overview of Kansas City Life Insurance

Kansas City Life is a mutual company, meaning it is owned by policyholders rather than shareholders. Their headquarters remains in Kansas City, Missouri where the company was founded.

Today, Kansas City Life sells a variety of permanent and term life insurance policies as well as annuities. They operate in 49 states plus Washington D.C. with a network of over 2,500 independent agents.

Kansas City Life Financial Strength and Ratings

Financial strength ratings provide an objective third-party assessment of an insurer’s ability to pay out claims. Kansas City Life insurance gets the following ratings:

• A.M. Best: A- (Excellent)
• Standard & Poor’s: A+ (Strong)

The A.M. Best rating of A- is adequate but falls short of top insurers that hold A or A+ marks. It indicates Kansas City Life has an excellent ability to meet ongoing obligations to policyholders. However, A.M. Best recently downgraded the rating from A citing declining financial metrics.

Still, both an A- and A+ rating signify Kansas City Life has strong financial footing overall.

Kansas City Life Policy Options

One area where Kansas City Life shines is the variety of permanent and term policies offered:

Term Life Insurance

• Provides temporary coverage for 10-30 years
• Affordable pure protection
• Option to convert to permanent coverage

Whole Life Insurance

• Lifelong coverage
• Fixed premiums
• Guaranteed cash value

Universal Life Insurance

• Adjustable premiums
• Cash value earns interest
• More flexibility but less guarantees

Indexed Universal Life

• Cash value earns returns tied to a stock index
• Upside potential without downside risk

Variable Universal Life

• Invest cash value in the stock market
• Potential for higher returns but also losses

For each policy, Kansas City Life offers numerous riders like waiver of premium, accidental death benefit, and accelerated death benefits. This allows you to customize coverage.

Term lengths up to 30 years are available. Permanent policies can be purchased up to age 85.

Kansas City Life Customer Service

According to reviews, Kansas City Life’s customer service garners mixed feedback. On the plus side, the insurer has relatively few complaints filed against them.

The NAIC complaint index, which compares actual complaints to expected complaints for a company of its size, is consistently low at 0.10-0.21 for Kansas City Life.

However, unlike leading insurers, Kansas City Life does not offer 24/7 customer support or online chat. You also cannot get quotes or apply for coverage online.

Many policyholders say working with a local agent is key for good service when dealing with Kansas City Life. But overall, customer support options are limited compared to competitors.

Cost of Kansas City Life Insurance

As a smaller company, Kansas City Life may have a pricing advantage on some policies over large national insurers. However, pricing can vary significantly based on your age, health, lifestyle, and more.

Term life rates tend to start around $20 per month for $250,000 of coverage for young healthy applicants. Permanent policies have monthly premiums in the $100s for comparable coverage.

To get an accurate quote, you’ll need to speak with an agent and go through the application process. Kansas City Life does not provide online quotes.

Pros and Cons of Kansas City Life Insurance

Pros

• Wide range of policy types and riders
• Low customer complaint index
• May have competitive pricing

Cons

• Does not offer online quotes or application
• Customer service options are limited
• Financial ratings recently downgraded

Overall, Kansas City Life policies can be a suitable option for life insurance—especially if you value working with an agent. However, convenience and top-notch financial strength is lacking compared to leading insurers.

Is Kansas City Life Insurance Right for You?

Kansas City Life insurance makes the most sense for those who:

• Prefer agent-assisted insurance: Kansas City Life uses local agents only, not online sales. This can benefit those wanting personalized service.

• Value policy variety: A extensive selection of permanent and term policies with numerous riders is available.

• Have a simple situation: Applicants with complex medical histories or planning needs may prefer an insurer with specialized underwriting or support resources.

However, Kansas City Life may not be the best fit if you:

• Want 24/7 service: Customer support hours and options are limited. Those wanting around-the-clock access to support may be better served elsewhere.

• Seek top financial strength: The downgrade from A.M. Best is concerning. Competitors with higher, stable ratings exist.

• Value online convenience: Unlike competitors, quotes and application must go through an agent. Digital-focused customers will want to look at other options.

The Bottom Line

For personalized service and a breadth of policy options, Kansas City Life insurance is a solid choice—albeit one with limited online capabilities and declining financial ratings. Weighing your priorities and needs against their strengths and weaknesses can determine if Kansas City Life is a fit for you.

Comparing quotes from multiple top-rated insurers always helps identify the best value. But for those who value local agent relationships, Kansas City Life deserves consideration. Their 126 years in business and satisfied policyholders make them a reputable option.