The short answer
Yes. TruStage is a real, state licensed life insurance operation with roots going back to 1935. The brand belongs to TruStage Financial Group, Inc., and the life policies sold under it are issued by CMFG Life Insurance Company and other licensed insurers inside the same group. So if you are holding a TruStage letter, or you see CMFG Life printed on coverage you first heard about at your credit union, you are looking at one real company wearing two names.
The company was founded in 1935 in Wisconsin as CUNA Mutual Insurance Society, and the group is still organised under a mutual holding company, which means ownership sits with its policyholders rather than with stock market shareholders.
Four company names, one company
Most people meet this brand at their credit union rather than in an advertisement. The coverage is offered where you already bank, the paperwork turns up weeks later, and by then the name on it has changed. That is the heart of the question. The policy is issued by CMFG Life Insurance Company, the letters and the website say TruStage, older documents in the same folder may say CUNA Mutual, and a prearranged funeral policy inside the same group can say American Memorial Life. Four names show up, and not one of them is the credit union you actually remember talking to. The rebrand is real: CUNA Mutual Group announced in 2022 that its businesses would unify under the single TruStage name, and the brand rolled out across the group in 2023. No coverage changed when it did. The second trigger is the no cost accidental death and dismemberment benefit that many credit unions offer their members through this group. A letter inviting you to activate free coverage with no health questions reads exactly like the sort of offer people are taught to distrust, even though it is a genuine member benefit that simply has to be signed up for.
How to check it yourself in about a minute
You should never have to take our word for it, or the company's. Every one of these is free, public, and works for any insurer you ever want to look up.
- Look up the insurer, not the brand. Search your state department of insurance licence lookup for the issuing company printed on your document, usually CMFG Life Insurance Company. naic.org will point you to the right state site. Marketing brands do not always appear in these databases, but an authorised insurer does.
- Ask the credit union that offered it. This is the fastest check available to you and it is specific to this carrier. Call or visit your credit union using contact details you already have, and ask whether it partners with TruStage. Staff there can confirm the relationship in seconds.
- Match the policy number against your own records. Compare the policy number on the mail to a statement or policy packet you already hold. Letterhead is easy to copy. A policy number that lines up with your own paperwork is the real confirmation.
- Treat a pre 2023 name as the same file. If an older document says CUNA Mutual and a newer one says TruStage, that is the rebrand and not a different company. The issuing insurer named in the contract is what stayed constant.
- Reach the company through details you found yourself. If you want to call, use the contact route on your own policy documents or on the company website you navigated to directly, rather than a number printed on an unexpected letter. That is sound practice with any sender.
- Check financial strength independently. Insurer financial strength ratings are published by rating agencies and can be looked up free at ambest.com. That answers a different question from licensing, and it is worth two minutes.
What is actually going on
- The rebrand happened and it left policies alone. CUNA Mutual Group unified its businesses under the TruStage name in 2023. A rebrand changes letterhead, logos and web addresses. It does not change the death benefit, the premium or the terms of a contract already in force.
- CMFG Life is the company behind the brand. TruStage is a marketing name. The life contract itself is issued by a named licensed insurer, most often CMFG Life Insurance Company, and that named company is the one you deal with for service and for claims.
- The free accidental death benefit is a real member perk. Many credit unions offer their members a small accidental death and dismemberment benefit at no cost to the member, provided through this group. Acceptance does not require health questions, and enrollment is free but not automatic, which is why the invitation arrives by mail or email.
- Some policies arrived through an acquisition. The group bought a prearranged funeral and final expense business in 2021, which is why paperwork naming American Memorial Life Insurance Company or Union Security Insurance Company can now be serviced alongside TruStage coverage. That is a change of owner, not a change to your policy.
- Ownership sits with policyholders. Because the group is organised under a mutual holding company rather than as a public company, there are no outside shareholders. It is a normal and long established structure in United States insurance.
Common questions
Is TruStage a real insurance company?
Yes. TruStage is the brand of TruStage Financial Group, Inc., and the life policies sold under it are issued by licensed United States insurers such as CMFG Life Insurance Company. You can confirm that insurer holds a licence in your own state through your department of insurance in about a minute.
Why does my policy say CMFG Life instead of TruStage?
Because TruStage is the brand and CMFG Life Insurance Company is the insurer that actually issues the contract. Both names belong to the same group. When you are verifying anything, use the insurer name, since that is the one regulators list.
Is TruStage the same company as CUNA Mutual?
Yes. CUNA Mutual Group announced in 2022 that it would bring its businesses together under one name, and TruStage became that name in 2023. If your older documents say CUNA Mutual and your newer mail says TruStage, that is the same organisation and the same coverage.
My credit union offered free accidental death coverage. Is that a scam?
No, it is a genuine benefit. Many credit unions pay for a small amount of accidental death and dismemberment coverage for their members, provided through this group. There are no health questions and no cost to you, but enrollment is not automatic, which is why you are asked to sign up. If you want to be sure before responding, ask your credit union directly using a number you already have.
How do I find out how much TruStage coverage I actually have?
Your policy schedule states the death benefit, the premium and the effective date, and it is the document that answers this. If you cannot find it, the issuing insurer can send a copy, and your credit union can tell you what coverage was offered to members at the time you joined.
Should I keep a TruStage policy I already have?
Often yes, and that is a genuinely good outcome. Coverage issued years ago was priced on the health you had then, and if your health has changed since, replacing it can cost more or may not be available on the same terms. Understand what you hold before you change anything.
Why did I get mail from American Memorial Life about a TruStage policy?
That company came into the group when a prearranged funeral and final expense business was acquired in 2021. If you or a family member bought a funeral related policy years ago, servicing may now sit inside the TruStage group. The owner of the business changed, the terms of the coverage did not.
How can I check that an insurance company is licensed in my state?
Every state runs a free public lookup through its department of insurance, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners keeps a consumer portal at naic.org that points you to the right one. Search the insurer by name and you will see whether it is authorised to write business in your state. It takes about a minute and it works for any company, not just this one.
I got mail about a policy I do not remember buying. What should I do?
Do not ignore it, and do not act on the letter alone. Match the policy number on the letter against your own records first. If it matches something you hold, the mail is almost certainly a servicing notice or a rebrand notice. If nothing matches, contact the insurer using the details on your own statement or on the company website you looked up yourself, rather than a number printed on an unexpected letter. That habit protects you generally, whoever the sender is.
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This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Licensing and company details change, so confirm anything important with your state department of insurance. 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.