Neither one wins outright, because they are pointed at different buyers. Globe Life sells small, simple coverage that an adult buys on themselves, reaching people through direct mail, television and online applications rather than an agent appointment. Gerber Life is best known for the Grow-Up Plan, a whole life policy bought on a child that doubles the coverage amount during age 18 and later becomes the child's own policy, and it also writes adult whole life and term in much larger amounts. If you want the shortest possible application on yourself, look at Globe Life first; if you are covering a child or want a larger adult amount, start with Gerber Life.
At a glance
| Globe Life | Gerber Life | |
|---|---|---|
| Who stands behind it | Globe Life Inc., a publicly traded holding company (NYSE: GL) | Western and Southern Financial Group, a mutual company |
| Best known for | Small whole life and term bought straight from the mailer | The Grow-Up Plan, whole life bought on a child |
| Who the policy usually covers | Adults buying on themselves, with juvenile coverage offered by mail | Children first, with adult plans sold alongside |
| How you buy it | Online quote, a mailed information packet, or a licensed agent | Online or by phone, typically without an agent visit |
| Medical exam | Not required on its direct to consumer plans | Usually not, though larger adult amounts can call for one |
| Coverage sizes offered | Up to $100,000 direct, and up to $30,000 on a child by mail | $5,000 to $50,000 on a child, and adult whole life to $1,000,000 |
| What the child gets later | A juvenile whole life policy that builds cash value as it ages | Ownership passes to the child, plus a purchase option rider |
| Senior option | Final expense whole life sold direct, alongside term and accidental death | Guaranteed Life Insurance for ages 50 to 80, graded for two years |
| Roots | Publicly traded holding company based in McKinney, Texas | Formed in 1967, based in White Plains, New York |
One is built for the buyer, the other is built to be handed over
Both companies come to you the same way, through a mailer, a commercial or a web form, so the shopping experience feels similar. The products point in opposite directions. Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company is the direct to consumer arm of Globe Life Inc., a publicly traded insurer, and its shelf is built for an adult buying on themselves: term, whole life, final expense and accidental death, all with a short application and no medical exam, plus children's whole life up to $30,000 offered by mail. Gerber Life Insurance Company is a member of Western and Southern Financial Group, a mutual company, and its signature product runs the other way. The Grow-Up Plan is bought on a child, doubles the coverage amount during age 18 on policies issued in 2009 or later with no increase in premium, and later passes to that child as the owner. It carries a Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider on standard issue policies, so the young adult can add coverage later regardless of health or occupation. That rider is why these are not the same decision. One covers a household now. The other reserves a young person's insurability for later.
Who each one actually suits
Globe Life
Direct to consumer life insurance sold by mail, television and online
- You are insuring yourself, you want a short application, and you would rather not sit through an appointment.
- A health history has made coverage awkward to shop, and a plan with no medical exam is worth a look.
- You want a modest amount for final expenses rather than a larger family benefit.
- You like being able to request a paper packet, read the rates at your own pace, and mail the application back.
- You want juvenile whole life on a child or grandchild as part of the same relationship, and $30,000 covers the job.
Gerber Life
Direct to consumer insurer best known for coverage bought on a child
- You are buying on a child or grandchild and you want the policy to end up in their hands as an adult.
- The Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider matters to you, because it protects the child's ability to buy more coverage later.
- You want a larger adult amount, since Gerber Life writes whole life from $50,000 up to $1,000,000 for applicants under age 56.
- You are 50 to 80, you have been turned down before, and Guaranteed Life Insurance with its two year graded period fits.
- You would rather finish the whole thing online in one sitting than schedule anything.
If you already hold one of them
If a Grow-Up Plan is already sitting in a drawer, the first thing to do is find out whose name is on it now, because ownership passes to the insured child once they reach adulthood and plenty of families never notice. Check whether the coverage amount has already doubled, since policies issued in 2009 or later double during age 18 and older ones double later, and check whether the purchase option has been used. If you hold a Globe Life policy on yourself, confirm the beneficiary is current and the amount still matches what your family would need, then leave a working policy alone. Coverage was priced on the health you had the day it was issued, and that is worth more than it looks on paper.
Common questions
Is Globe Life or Gerber Life better for a policy on a child?
Both write coverage on children, so it comes down to what you want the policy to become. Globe Life offers children's whole life up to $30,000, requested by mail, and it builds cash value as the child ages. Gerber Life's Grow-Up Plan runs $5,000 to $50,000, doubles the coverage amount during age 18 on policies issued in 2009 or later with no increase in premium, and hands ownership to the child once they are an adult. If the point is to give the child something they will one day control, the Grow-Up Plan is designed for that. If the point is simply to have coverage in place, either one does that job.
Does the Grow-Up Plan really become the child's own policy?
Yes. A parent, grandparent or legal guardian owns it while the child is young, and the insured child becomes the owner as an adult. The exact age is written into the contract, so read the policy or ask Gerber Life to confirm it. From that point the young adult decides whether to keep paying, borrow against the cash value, or surrender it for the available cash value. Gerber Life also includes a Guaranteed Purchase Option Rider on standard issue policies, which lets that adult buy more coverage regardless of health or occupation at the time.
Do either of these require a medical exam?
Globe Life advertises no medical exam across its direct to consumer life plans, and the application is short by design. Gerber Life usually skips the exam too, though it does ask health questions, and its whole life page notes a physical may be necessary for applicants age 56 and older who apply for more than $100,000 of coverage. Its Guaranteed Life Insurance plan for ages 50 to 80 asks no health questions at all. Rules vary by state, so confirm what applies where you live.
Which one is the better fit for final expense coverage?
Both have something here. Globe Life sells final expense whole life direct, in the same small face amounts it is known for, with a simple application. Gerber Life offers Guaranteed Life Insurance for ages 50 to 80 in amounts from $5,000 to $25,000, with acceptance regardless of health and a two year period during which a death from natural causes pays 110 percent of the premiums paid rather than the full benefit, while accidental death is covered in full from the start. Which one fits depends on your health and how much coverage you want. Pricing on either depends on your age, health and state, so the only real answer comes from quoting both.
How much coverage can I actually buy from each company?
Globe Life is built around smaller amounts, with direct plans advertised up to $100,000 and children's whole life up to $30,000 by mail. Gerber Life reaches higher on the adult side: whole life from $50,000 up to $1,000,000 for applicants under age 56, with a $500,000 ceiling at 56 and older, and term life from $100,000 to $5,000,000 for ages 21 through 70. If your goal is a benefit sized to a mortgage or income replacement, that is the difference worth weighing. If your goal is a burial and a few final bills, the smaller amounts are the right tool and the extra headroom does not help you.
Who owns each company, and how do I check its financial strength?
Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Globe Life Inc., a holding company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and headquartered in McKinney, Texas. Gerber Life Insurance Company was formed in 1967, is based in White Plains, New York, and is now a member of Western and Southern Financial Group, a mutual company based in Cincinnati. Independent ratings for both are published at ambest.com, and every United States life insurer is also backed by a state guaranty association up to set limits.
Can I buy either one without talking to an agent?
Yes, and that is the point of both. Globe Life takes applications online, through a mailed information packet, or with a licensed agent if you want one. Gerber Life runs its applications online or by phone. The tradeoff is the same either way: a direct application only shows you what that one company sells, so nobody sets its number next to another carrier's for you. That side by side is what an independent review adds, and it is free.
If I already have one of these, should I switch to the other?
Not automatically, and often not at all. Coverage you already own was priced on the health you had when it was issued, so if your health has changed since, replacing it can cost more or may not be available on the same terms. Any honest comparison starts by valuing what you already hold, and a review that ends in keep what you have is a perfectly good result.
Can I hold policies from both companies at once?
Yes. There is no rule against owning coverage from more than one insurer, and plenty of households do, often because policies were bought at different life stages for different reasons. What matters is that the total coverage matches what your family would actually need, and that you are not paying twice for the same job.
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The right answer depends on you, not on the brochure.
Rates for Globe Life and Gerber Life both depend on your age and health, which means the better buy for your neighbour may be the worse buy for you. A licensed professional will price both against what you already have and tell you which is genuinely better, including when the honest answer is to keep what you have.
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This comparison is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Product availability, pricing and underwriting differ by state, age and health, and change over time. Policy Review Center is a free comparison and referral service, not an insurance agency, insurer, or producer, and it connects you with independent licensed agents. Carrier names are used for reference only and do not imply any endorsement or affiliation.