HomeCarrier ratings
Carrier ratings
Most sites score insurers out of five stars. A star rating is somebody’s opinion presented as a measurement, so we do not publish one. What follows is the published financial strength rating for each carrier, the date we last read it from source, and the product facts you can check yourself.
What actually matters when you buy this
A burial insurance policy is a promise to pay a claim decades from now, so financial strength matters more than any review score. AM Best is the rating agency the industry itself uses. The second thing that matters is whether the carrier will offer you a level benefit policy that pays in full from day one, and that depends on your health rather than on the company’s reputation. How we compile this.
Carriers we can place business with
We hold appointments with these 9 carriers, which is the reason a decline at one is not the end of the conversation.
| Carrier | AM Best | Issue ages | Day one | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mutual of Omaha | A+Superior | 45 to 85 | Yes | Applicants in good health who want the best price from the strongest balance sheet |
 Transamerica | AExcellent | 0 to 85 | Yes | Health histories that other carriers turn down |
 Americo | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Fast decisions without a medical exam |
 Foresters Financial | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who want member benefits alongside the policy |
 Ameritas | AExcellent | 20 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who want a fully online application |
 Royal Neighbors of America | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Female applicants and some conditions other carriers decline |
 Fidelity Life Association | A-Excellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who want a quick online decision |
 Ethos | AExcellent | 20 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who would rather not speak to anyone |
 Baltimore Life | B++Good | 50 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who do not qualify at the carriers above |
- Mutual of Omaha. Strict on health questions. Excellent when you qualify, and quick to decline when you do not.
- Americo. Rating re-affirmed by AM Best on 16 January 2026, after the reading this site previously carried.
- Foresters Financial. A fraternal benefit society, so membership benefits come with the policy.
- Royal Neighbors of America. A fraternal society. Historically founded by women, and still competitive for them.
- Fidelity Life Association. Outlook revised to positive in October 2025 after its parent was acquired.
- Ethos. Ethos is a technology platform rather than an insurer. Policies here are issued on Ameritas paper, which is why the rating shown is the Ameritas rating.
- Baltimore Life. The only carrier on this list below the Excellent tier. A smaller surplus cushion than the others, which is worth knowing even though it is a long established company.
Carriers people ask about
We write about these. We do not represent them, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy from them.
| Carrier | AM Best | Issue ages | Day one | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gerber Life | A+Superior | 50 to 80 | No | Applicants who genuinely cannot answer health questions favourably |
 Globe Life | AExcellent | 18 to 80 | Some | Very small face amounts bought direct |
 Aetna | AExcellent | 45 to 89 | Some | Applicants who want a recognised name and can pass the health questions |
 AARP | A++Superior | 50 to 80 | No | Members who value the brand over the price |
 Colonial Penn | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | No | Applicants who genuinely cannot answer health questions |
 State Farm | A+Superior | 50 to 80 | Yes | Existing State Farm customers bundling with an agent they already use |
 TruStage | AExcellent | 18 to 69 | Some | Credit union members offered it at the counter |
 Aflac | A+Superior | 18 to 70 | Yes | Workplace enrolment alongside supplemental health cover |
 Physicians Mutual | A+Superior | 45 to 85 | Some | Applicants who want a direct, no agent purchase |
 AAA Life | AExcellent | 18 to 80 | Some | AAA members who want it bundled with the membership |
 AIG | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Applicants who recognise the name from the parent group |
 USAA | A++Superior | 18 to 70 | Yes | Military members and their families, who are the only ones eligible |
 Lincoln Heritage | AExcellent | 0 to 85 | Some | Applicants who want the Funeral Advantage service alongside the policy |
 Corebridge Financial | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Health histories that need a more lenient underwriter |
 American Amicable | AExcellent | 50 to 85 | Yes | Applicants other carriers decline, and tobacco users |
- Gerber Life. Heavily advertised guaranteed acceptance, which always carries a two year waiting period on natural death.
- Globe Life. Known for a low advertised starting premium that rises with age band.
- Aetna. Final expense is written through Accendo, an Aetna company, so the policy paper and the brand on the advert are not always the same thing.
- AARP. AARP does not underwrite anything. The policies are New York Life paper, which is why the rating shown is the New York Life rating, and membership is required.
- Colonial Penn. The heavily advertised "unit" pricing buys a benefit that varies with age, so the $9.95 is a price, not an amount of cover. Guaranteed acceptance carries a two year wait.
- State Farm. Captive, so a State Farm agent can only ever show you State Farm.
- TruStage. Issued by CMFG Life. Marketed through credit unions, and the guaranteed acceptance version carries a waiting period.
- Aflac. Best known for supplemental health rather than final expense, and much of the life business is sold at work rather than direct.
- Physicians Mutual. Heavily direct marketed. The advertised plans are often guaranteed acceptance, which means a waiting period.
- AAA Life. AAA Life Insurance Company is a separate entity from the motoring clubs that market it.
- AIG. Carries the AM Best u modifier, meaning the rating is under review with a developing outlook rather than affirmed, read on 2 September 2026. The US life business was spun out as Corebridge, so an AIG-branded life policy is written on American General Life paper. See the Corebridge entry, which is the same underwriter.
- USAA. Membership is restricted to the military community, so most readers cannot buy here at all.
- Lincoln Heritage. One of the most advertised final expense brands and among the most expensive per dollar of cover. Sits below the Excellent tier.
- Corebridge Financial. Carries the AM Best u modifier, meaning the rating is under review with a developing outlook rather than affirmed, read on 2 September 2026. The former AIG US life business, writing on American General Life paper.
- American Amicable. Often approves conditions that stop an application elsewhere.
Reading an AM Best rating
| Grade | AM Best calls it | What it means for a claim |
|---|---|---|
| A++, A+ | Superior | The strongest assessment AM Best gives. |
| A, A- | Excellent | A strong ability to meet obligations to policyholders. |
| B++, B+ | Good | A good ability to meet obligations, with a thinner cushion. |
| B, B- | Fair | Vulnerable to changes in economic conditions. |
| C++ and below | Marginal to weak | We would not place a policy here. |
Which one fits depends on your health, not the table
Carriers disagree about the same medical history, which is why the cheapest company for a healthy applicant is often the one that declines everyone else. Working out which will write you takes a conversation, not a comparison chart.
(786) 818-0383Talk to one of our licensed agentsCommon questions
What is an AM Best rating?
AM Best is a credit rating agency that specialises in insurance. Its financial strength rating is an opinion on whether a company can meet its obligations to policyholders. The scale runs from A++ at the top down through B++ and lower. It is the rating the industry itself uses, and it is free to look up.
Does a higher AM Best rating mean a cheaper policy?
No. They measure different things. A company with a superior rating can be the most expensive option for someone with health conditions, because a strong balance sheet often goes with strict underwriting. The best price for you depends on which carrier is comfortable with your health history.
Is a B++ rated company safe?
AM Best calls B++ Good, which is an assessment that the company can meet its obligations. It sits below the Excellent tier and reflects a thinner surplus cushion. For a small burial policy at a company that has been writing business for well over a century, that is a reasonable trade when a stronger carrier will not offer you a level benefit policy.
Why do you not give star ratings?
Because a star rating is an opinion presented as a measurement, and on a licensed insurance site that is not defensible. Everything in our tables is either a published third party rating or a product fact you can verify, and every rating carries the date we last read it from source.
How often do these ratings change?
AM Best reviews ratings at least annually and can revise them at any time. Each row here carries the month we last confirmed it. Always check the current rating before you buy, either at ambest.com or on the carrier website.
Does it matter which carrier my policy is with?
It matters for two reasons. The carrier decides whether you get a level benefit policy that pays from day one or a graded one that does not, and the carrier is who pays the claim decades later. Both are worth more attention than brand advertising.