Trustage Life Insurance Reviews 2022

TruStage offers life insurance without a medical exam for all applicants. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, TruStage is a subsidiary of CMFG Life Insurance Company, who also underwrites TruStage’s life policies.

TruStage partners with over 3,500 credit unions nationwide, offering life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance. Although you may get exclusive rates if you are a partnered credit union member, nonmembers are also eligible to apply.

These TruStage life insurance reviews can help you understand the type of coverage available, who it's the best fit for, and if it’s right for you.

TruStage Life Insurance Offerings

TruStage offers three types of life insurance: term, whole life, and guaranteed acceptance final expense insurance. These policies don’t come with rider options, so you won’t be able to customize your policy with add-on benefits with TruStage.

TruStage Term Life Insurance 

Policy highlights:

• Available ages 18 to 69
• Coverage: $5,000 to $300,000
• Policy cost increases every five years
• Policy automatically ends at age 80
• No medical exam
• No waiting period
• Not available in New York

The TruStage term life insurance policy is a five-year increasing term policy. This means that every five years, your policy premium increases, with rates based on your current age at the time of renewal.

Although you don’t have to take a medical exam, you do have to answer health questions to get approved. Adults aged 18 to 69 can apply, but the policy will terminate at age 80.

So, if you buy a TruStage term life insurance policy at age 69, you’ll only be able to keep it for 11 years before it expires. If you don’t have any other life insurance coverage, you’ll then have to buy a policy at 80, which will probably be really expensive.

This policy is available nationwide, except in New York. Coverage ranges from $5,000 to $300,000. The policy is eligible for conversion to a whole life policy.

TruStage Whole Life Insurance 

Policy highlights:

• Available ages 18 to 85
• Coverage based on age: 
  • $5,000 to $100,000 for issue ages 18 to 70
  • $5,000 to $50,000 for issue ages 71 to 75
  • $5,000 to $25,000 for issue ages 76 to 85
• Premiums never increase
• Coverage never decreases
• Builds cash value
• No medical exam
• No waiting period
• Not available in Montana or New York

The TruStage whole life insurance policy is available to adults aged 18 to 85. Seniors up to age 70 can apply for up to $100,000 in whole life insurance. Seniors between the ages of 71 and 75 can apply for up to $50,000, and $25,000 for seniors up to 85-years-old.

This policy application includes health questions to qualify, but there is no medical exam. Since it’s a whole life policy, it builds cash value you can access while still alive.

Unlike the term life policy, TruStage’s whole life policy locks in your rate, so you’ll never pay more than the initial premium. Coverage will also never decrease, and the policy doesn’t expire.

TruStage Guaranteed Acceptance Final Expense Life Insurance 

Policy highlights:

• Available ages 45 to 80
• Coverage from $2,000 to $20,000
• Premiums never increase
• Coverage never decreases
• Builds cash value
• No medical exam or health questions
• 2-year waiting period
• Not available in New York or Washington

The TruStage guaranteed acceptance final expense insurance policy is for seniors aged 45 to 80. You can buy up to $20,000 in coverage without a medical exam or health questions. 

Acceptance is guaranteed, regardless of health status. Rates will never increase and coverage will never decrease. As a whole life insurance policy, the guaranteed acceptance plan builds cash value.

However, this whole life policy comes with a 2-year waiting period. If you die a non accidental death in the first two years of the policy, your beneficiary won’t receive the full death benefit. Instead, they’ll get the premiums returned, plus 10% interest.

TruStage AD&D Insurance

If you’re a credit union member, you can apply for TruStage’s AD&D insurance. This policy only pays out if you die an accidental death or get dismembered in an accident. With limited payout options, the policy is usually cheap compared to life insurance coverage.

AD&D insurance should not be a substitute for life insurance. However, it can be a supplement to life insurance, providing a larger payout to your beneficiary if you die an accidental death. Keep in mind, less than 5% of annual deaths are ruled accidental deaths, with figures decreasing as you age.

Coverage amounts and benefits vary by credit union. To learn more about TruStage accidental death and dismemberment coverage, contact your credit union or check out the TruStage website and enter your credit union information.

TruStage Whole Life Burial Insurance Costs

The cost of TruStage whole life burial insurance varies by age, gender, coverage amount, and policy type. You’ll pay more for guaranteed acceptance coverage, since the company cannot use health question answers to assess your life expectancy risk.

Below are sample rates for TruStage whole life and guaranteed acceptance whole life. Comparison rates are provided for competitors offering the same coverage and policy type. Rates are based on $10,000 in whole life insurance coverage. 

As you can see, TruStage whole life and guaranteed acceptance funeral insurance are more expensive, especially for older seniors. You also lose out on benefits that other carriers offer.

For instance, Liberty Bankers Life offers a child and grandchild rider, so you can cover the whole family on one policy. It also offers an immediate death benefit for some health conditions that TruStage would offer a 2-year waiting period for, such as diabetes, stroke, and certain heart diseases.

Mutual of Omaha has even lower rates, and may be best for someone with recent cancer history or congestive heart failure. You can also apply for up to $40,000 in coverage, while Liberty Bankers Life offers up to $150,000 in coverage.

Although it’s nice to get up to $100,000 in whole life coverage if you’re 70 or younger, you can get lower rates elsewhere, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions.

AIG offers much cheaper rates for guaranteed acceptance senior life insurance coverage compared to TruStage. It has the same 2-year waiting period, with coverage up to $25,000.

Pros and Cons of TruStage Insurance

Pros

• No medical exam
• Guaranteed acceptance coverage available for seniors in poor health
• Coverage starts at $2,000 for whole life
• Available up to age 80
• Premiums never increase for whole life
• Whole life builds cash value

Cons

• Whole life is expensive compared to competitors
• No riders available
• Term renews at a higher rate every 5 years
• 2-year waiting period on guaranteed acceptance policy
• Guaranteed acceptance coverage capped at $20,000
• Only $300,000 max coverage on term life

TruStage Life Insurance Reviews

Before giving a life insurance company any of your money, you should check its customer and third-party reviews. TruStage life insurance reviews can give you an idea of how the company operates, its claims process, and how it treats customers and beneficiaries.

TruStage Life Insurance Reviews - BBB

TruStage has a B rating with the Better Business Bureau, and has been accredited for 10 years. Twenty customer complaints have been closed in the last 3 years, with 16 closed in the last year. 

The BBB has 3 customer reviews available, with a star rating of 2.33 out of 5 stars. One reviewer gives TruStage a 5-star review, stating an easy process and personalized experience. The other two reviews are negative, complaining about the long claims process and taking payments without supplying policy information.

TruStage Life Insurance Reviews - Trustpilot

After 5,889 reviews on Trustpilot, TruStage has an excellent rating, earning 4.7 out of 5 stars. Eighty percent of reviewers give TruStage an excellent rating, while just 4% give it an average or worse rating.

Unhappy customers complain about high pricing, a large volume of calls, emails, or mailers, and billing issues after their policy was canceled. A few reviewers claim the company canceled their policy without their knowledge, while still taking their payments out of their account.

Although most reviewers are happy with TruStage, keep in mind the bad reviews. You want to make sure a company will only charge you for an in-force policy, not take money when a policy has been canceled, and doesn’t take months to pay a death claim, especially if your family needs the money to pay for your funeral.

TruStage Life Insurance Reviews - AM Best

TruStage does not have its own AM Best Rating, which shows a company’s financial ability to pay out claims. Parent company CUNA Mutual Holding Company and CMFG Life Insurance Company do. An A rating with AM Best shows an excellent track record in meeting its financial obligations.

TruStage Life Insurance Reviews - NAIC Complaint Index

A company’s NAIC complaint index shows how many complaints it gets compared to competitors in the industry. CMFG Life Insurance Company has a 0.51 complaint index, showing it receives about half the complaints of competitors in the market. The lower the complaint index, the fewer complaints a company receives.

Should You Buy TruStage Funeral Insurance?

TruStage funeral insurance rates are not competitive, so while it may offer the coverage you need, you can likely find better rates elsewhere. You also can’t get riders with TruStage, which could be a deal breaker, especially if you want living benefits as a senior. 

For those seniors in poor health, guaranteed acceptance coverage may be the best option, but it comes with a 2-year waiting period. Like whole life, you can probably get a better rate with a different company, and may get more benefits and features.

To get the best rate available for your age and health, call Final Expense Direct. We partner with many final expense life insurance companies, offering a wide range of coverages and benefits, to meet senior needs. 

Conclusion

Although TruStage has favorable reviews, its prices aren’t competitive. You can buy up to $100,000 in whole life up to age 70, but only $20,000 if you need guaranteed acceptance coverage. Shopping with a broker like Final Expense Direct can help you get the best coverage at the cheapest rate. We do all the work and you leave with peace of mind and a policy that fits your needs and budget.

FAQ TruStage Life Insurance Reviews

Is TruStage a Reputable Company?

Yes, TruStage is a reputable company. 

Is TruStage a Real Company?

Yes, TruStage is a real company. It is part of the CUNA Mutual Group, with CMFG Life Insurance Company underwriting its life insurance products. The carrier also offers accidental death & dismemberment coverage through credit unions, plus auto and home coverage in select states.

Is There a Waiting Period With TruStage Life Insurance?

There is not a waiting period with TruStage life insurance if you buy term or whole life, but there is a 2-year waiting period for guaranteed acceptance life insurance. If the insured dies a non accidental death in the first two years, TruStage will only pay the beneficiary 110% of the premiums paid to date.

What Kind of Insurance is TruStage?

TruStage offers life, auto, and home insurance. Auto and home coverage is through partners, like Esurance and Liberty Mutual. Life insurance products include term, whole life, and guaranteed acceptance funeral insurance. If you are a credit union member, you can also get accidental death and dismemberment, or AD&D, coverage, too. 

Does TruStage Have Cash Value?

While term life insurance from TruStage does not have cash value, whole life insurance does. Once the policy has built up enough cash value, you can borrow against the cash value, using the money for personal reasons or to pay premiums. If you decide you want to cancel your cash value whole life insurance, you’ll receive the cash value, less any outstanding loan balance and surrender fees.

Does TruStage Have Living Benefits?

No, TruStage does not have living benefits on its life insurance policies. If you become critically or terminally ill, TruStage will not offer any of the death benefit to you while you’re still alive to use however you want, like many other final expense life insurers do.