Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan: Everything You Need to Know
Rachael Brennan has been working in the insurance industry since 2006 when she began working as a licensed insurance representative for 21st Century Insurance, during which time she earned her Property and Casualty license in all 50 states.
After several years she expanded her insurance expertise, earning her license in Health and AD&D insurance as well. She has worked for small health in…
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Written by
Rachael Brennan
Licensed Insurance Agent
Benjamin Carr was a licensed insurance agent in Georgia and has two years’ experience in life, health, property and casualty coverage. He has worked with State Farm and other risk management firms. He is also a strategic writer and editor with a background in branding, marketing, and quality assurance. He has been in military newsrooms — literally on the frontline of journalism.
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Reviewed by
Benji Carr
Former Licensed Life Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Jan 10, 2022
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Quick Facts
The Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan is a whole life insurance plan for children between 0 and 14 with death benefits between $5,000 and $50,000
If you buy Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan life insurance, you will likely pay more than you would for other child life insurance policies
The death benefits from a Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan are likely not enough coverage for adults with dependents, but they may cover funeral expenses if your child dies unexpectedly
If you’re looking for a way to give your child a good financial head start, there may be investment options that provide higher returns than whole life insurance
Most parents want to find ways to give their children a good financial start when they first step into the adult world. The Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan is a whole life insurance policy for children that provides ways to give your child a start to their financial portfolio. However, the policy may also have some disadvantages.
Read more below to learn how the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan works, how much it costs, what other customers think of the plan, and whether it is a good investment for you.
If you want to find policies similar to the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool above to compare multiple companies at once.
What is the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan?
The Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan is a whole life insurance policy for children that provides a small death benefit and other benefits. The plan is available in all 50 states for children between the ages of 0 and 14.
Coverages range between $5,000 and $50,000. Premiums will never increase, and the policy lasts forever—the coverage amount doubles when the child turns 18 without a premium increase.
The policy also has a cash value account that grows over the policy’s life. For example, the cash value account could provide a Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan cash out to borrow money for various expenses.
The child does not have to take a medical exam to get coverage. In addition, a Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan allows the child to buy extra coverage when they are older with guaranteed approval, even if they have pre-existing health conditions.
There are only certain times when the child can purchase more coverage (ages 21, 25, 30, 35, 40, or when they get married or have a child).
Overall, the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan is similar to other child life insurance policies.
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How much does the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan cost?
Let’s take a look at some sample Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan life insurance rates for a $20,000 policy and a $40,000 policy:
Fortunately, the premiums for a Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan stay the same throughout the policy’s life. In addition, the rates are the same for boys and girls. However, Gerber may have higher rates than other child life insurance policies.
Below are some average rates for child life insurance:
When you compare the tables above, Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan rates seem to be higher than the average rates for child life insurance.
How are Gerber Life Grow-Up Plans rated?
Gerber is a long-standing company that has been operating since 1927. It currently has a 0.40 NAIC complaint index. Compared to the national average of 1.00, Gerber gets fewer customer complaints than a company of a similar size.
However, Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan reviews show a pattern of slow customer service, lack of proper communication, lapsed policies, and expensive rates. The reviews for other policies don’t seem to have as many complaints as those for the Grow-Up Plan.
A.M. Best has given Gerber Life Insurance Company an A rating, meaning it has an excellent ability to meet its financial obligations.
What are the pros and cons of the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan?
While Gerber advertises the Grow-Up Plan as an excellent way to get your child’s finances off to a good start, the plans don’t offer enough coverage. In addition, your children are likely to grow up and start a family of their own, so the maximum death benefit of $50,000 is doubtful to be enough financial protection for their family if they pass away.
Even with the extra coverage that adult children are allowed to buy, they may not be able to buy the amount of coverage they need to protect their beneficiaries.
The cash value portion of the policy may give a small amount of financial protection in addition to the death benefit. Still, there are likely other investment options that will provide a higher return in the long term than whole life insurance.
With that being said, the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan life insurance company is a reputable company that provides various life insurance products. While the coverage limits may not be what adults need, their coverage when they are 18 is likely more than what most 18-year-olds have.
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Should I buy the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan?
Overall, the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan is probably not the best investment for your child. Other investment options could provide higher returns and more financial opportunities.
However, Gerber life insurance for children may provide enough coverage to pay for funeral expenses if your child or grandchild were to pass away suddenly. On the other hand, plenty of different life insurance companies sell more affordable child life insurance.
If you’re unable to find affordable Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan life insurance quotes, you may want to compare multiple companies by entering your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool below.
