Guarantee Trust Life Review (2024)

Life insurance is complicated and necessary (which makes it a little scary). However, at certain stages of life, you need a simple life insurance policy that covers the basics.

Guarantee Trust Life offers two simple life insurance products, Heritage Whole Life Insurance and Turbo Term Life Insurance, that can reduce your anxiety and provide you with peace of mind. 

What makes Guarantee Trust Life policies simple? Simplified issuance and no medical exams.

It’s simple yet has valuable features, like a death benefit for when you’re gone, a living benefit if your health declines later in life, and riders to customize your policy. If your loved ones need help planning a funeral or finding support, Guarantee Trust Life has you covered there, too. 

Guarantee Trust Life – Heritage Whole Life Plan

When you buy a whole life policy, your loved ones can count on a guaranteed death benefit. Since whole life insurance policies also build cash value, they can count on a little extra there. 

The average cost of a funeral today is $7,848. That figure doesn’t account for some extra niceties those left behind may want to purchase to make the event memorable. Flowers, pastoral services, a nice headstone, and a reception all come at a cost. 

A Heritage Whole Life policy covers basic funeral or cremation expenses and may provide the extra funds to make someone’s passing truly memorable. 

States & Age Eligibility

Heritage Whole Life is available to residents of all states (and the District of Columbia), except New York, between the ages of 40 and 90. 

You’ll know the premium upfront, and you won’t have to worry about it going up for the rest of your life. 

Even better, it’s a simplified issue policy, which means there’s no medical exam. You’re eligible for the policy after answering a few basic medical questions on the application. 

Coverage Amounts 

How much coverage can you get? It depends on age, but most people can purchase up to $20,000 of whole life insurance. 

Here’s the breakdown:

Ages	Amount of Coverage
40-85	$2,500-$20,000
86-90	$2,500-$10,000

Ages40-85

Amount of Coverage$2,500-$20,000

Ages86-90

Amount of Coverage$2,500-$10,000

Death Benefit

What makes life insurance not so simple? All the industry jargon and legalese. Don’t blame the insurance company or the agent, though. 

After all, insurance policies are contracts that someone could challenge in court. Your policy’s terms and definitions help clarify what is and isn’t covered. Standard terms and their definitions are usually found in the first few pages of your policy. 

To understand your life insurance policy, you must understand a death benefit. It’s the amount of money the insurance company gives to whoever you choose to help them pay for expenses they have to pay after you die. 

While paying for your funeral expenses may not be particularly bothersome to you right now, it will rank pretty high when the bills come in. As a rule, it’s best to purchase as much death benefit as you can afford. 

Graded Benefit Life Insurance

The Heritage Whole Life policy is a graded benefit whole life insurance plan.

A graded benefit period (or a “waiting period”) gives your beneficiaries part of the death benefit in the policy’s early years.

Simply put, the payouts look like this:

Year in Force	Amount of Payout
Year 1	Premiums paid plus 5%
Year 2	50% of the face amount
Year 3	100% of the face amount

Year in ForceYear 1

Amount of PayoutPremiums paid plus 5%

Year in ForceYear 2

Amount of Payout50% of the face amount

Year in ForceYear 3

Amount of Payout100% of the face amount

The graded plan will pay out according to the chart, with one exception. If you die due to an accident within the first two years after buying the policy, your beneficiaries will receive 100% of the face amount. 

Cash Value  

Cash value is another industry buzzword… But as always, it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Whole life policies have two parts. The death benefit (also known as the face amount) and the cash value account, which acts as a savings account within your policy. 

Unlike the death benefit, which doesn’t change, cash value earns interest and grows. 

Cash value is free money you can use in any way you choose. For example, you can borrow money from the cash value and pay it back. Think of it as a way of borrowing from yourself. There’s no need to apply for credit or wait for approval. You decide how much to take and when to pay it back. 

Other Benefits

Heritage Whole Life policies also come with a bonus feature.

With Heritage Whole Life, your loved ones can access funeral concierge services. A representative will help them through the funeral process. 

Check Out: Evaluating Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance

Check out: Americo Life Insurance Reviews

Guarantee Trust Life Turbo Term Life Insurance  

Other term policies offer a lot of bang for your buck. Turbo Term is different because it provides high coverage amounts, a good choice of riders, and a simplified issue process. 

The value is tough to beat.

State & Age Eligibility

Residents of the District of Columbia and every state except New York can apply for Turbo Term. You must be at least 20 and no older than 70 to apply for this policy. 

Coverage Amounts

Turbo Term offers significantly higher face amounts than Heritage Whole Life. 

The following chart shows the maximum face amounts available by age:

Age	Term Lengths Available	Maximum Face Amount
20-50	Any Term	$1 million
51-55	10, 15, 20, 25	$1 million
56-60	10, 15, 20	$750,000
61-65	10,15	$750,000
66-70	10	$500,000

Age20-50

Term Lengths AvailableAny Term

Maximum Face Amount$1 million

Age51-55

Term Lengths Available10, 15, 20, 25

Maximum Face Amount$1 million

Age56-60

Term Lengths Available10, 15, 20

Maximum Face Amount$750,000

Age61-65

Term Lengths Available10,15

Maximum Face Amount$750,000

Age66-70

Term Lengths Available10

Maximum Face Amount$500,000

You can skip the medical exam and count on fast approval. The policy automatically renews annually until the end of the term. 

Riders Included With Turbo Term

Turbo Term can help if you become terminally ill, and the optional riders provide even more coverage.

Terminal Illness Accelerated Death Rider 

Turbo Term includes a Terminal Illness Rider that pays up to 90% of the death benefit if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than 12 months. 

Optional Riders

The optional riders cost a bit more and can be handy under the right circumstances. 

Accidental Death Rider

A sudden accident can cause turmoil in the entire family. By adding GTL’s Accidental Death Rider, your beneficiaries will receive double the death benefit up to a maximum of $250,000. 

Waiver of Premium Rider

Medical bills can escalate quickly and the Waiver of Premium rider eases the financial strain. If you become disabled, you won’t have to pay your premiums.  

Child Rider

It’s hard enough to think about your death, and a child’s death can be devastating. With Turbo Term, you can purchase $5,000 or $10,000 of coverage to help pay funeral expenses if one of your children dies. 

The following chart will help you choose the best riders for your situation:

Name of Rider	Included/Optional	What it Adds
Terminal Illness Accelerated Death	Included	Pays up to 90% of the death benefit if you are terminally ill
Accidental Death	Optional	Increases death benefit if you die due to an accident
Waiver of Premium	Optional	Waives premiums if you become disabled
Child Rider	Optional	Adds $5k or $10k death benefit for children

Name of RiderTerminal Illness Accelerated Death

Included/Optional Included

What it AddsPays up to 90% of the death benefit if you are terminally ill

Name of RiderAccidental Death

Included/Optional Optional

What it AddsIncreases death benefit if you die due to an accident

Name of RiderWaiver of Premium

Included/Optional Optional

What it AddsWaives premiums if you become disabled

Name of RiderChild Rider

Included/Optional Optional

What it AddsAdds $5k or $10k death benefit for children

Check Out: Is Gerber Life Insurance Worth It?

Check Out: Lumico Life Insurance Products Overview

Guarantee Trust Life Application Process

Guarantee Trust Life takes the struggle out of applying. All you have to do is fill out some basic information about yourself and where you live. Answer just a few short yes or no medical questions, and your application is on its way to being approved.  

How Guarantee Trust Life Will Decide on Your Approval

Guarantee Trust Life will review your application and determine whether to approve you based on your answers and a quick check of your prescription drug history, driving record, and other documents. 

There’s no medical exam.

Paying Your Premiums

With Guarantee Trust Life, you decide how often to pay and which day of the month works best.  

You can also coordinate your monthly premium withdrawals with the timing of a pension or Social Security income payment.

Guarantee Trust Life Pros and Cons

To choose between Heritage Whole Life and Turbo Term, consider the following pros and cons in light of your circumstances. 

GTL Heritage Whole Life Pros

• Lasts for your entire life
• Built-in savings account (cash value) 
• Can take loans against cash value with no credit check
• Fast approvals (typically same-day or next-day) 
• Simplified underwriting, quick approvals with no medical exam
• Choose when and how often to pay
• Flat rates for life
• Help with funeral planning and discounted services

GTL Heritage Whole Life Cons

• Low face amounts
• Provides much less coverage per dollar than term life insurance
• No riders

GTL Turbo Term Pros

• No waiting period
• No medical exam
• Face amounts up to $1 million
• A variety of term lengths are available
• Premiums never increase
• Living benefits – early payout if you have a terminal  illness
• Waiver of premium if you are disabled
• Simplified application and fast approvals

GTL Turbo Term Cons

• Higher rate for smokers
• Not convertible to whole life
• Maximum of $500,000 at age 66

Guarantee Trust Life & Customer Reviews

If you’re like many people, you don’t spend much time thinking about a life insurance company’s financial strength or reputation. 

Before you sign, you’ll want to know that your life insurance company will be there when needed. Industry ratings and customer reviews can highlight a company’s track record and help you understand if you’ve made the right decision.

What Does the BBB Say About Guarantee Trust Life?

The BBB gives Guarantee Trust Life an A+, its highest possible rating. The customer star rating is low, although there have only been 16 complaints in the last four years, and nearly all of them have been closed. 

Financial Strength Ratings

Financial strength is a primary consideration when researching the best life insurance company. Here’s what the insurance and financial industry says about Guarantee Trust Life:

• AM Best: A- (Excellent)
• S&P: Long-term Issuer Credit Rating A- (Excellent)

FAQs About Guarantee Trust Life Insurance

[faq_accordion]

Heritage Whole Life or Turbo Term?

Guarantee Trust Life is a financially strong life insurance company with decades of experience in the insurance field. 

Heritage Whole Life is your best bet if you’re looking for a whole life insurance policy designed to cover final expenses. 

And if you need a particular length and amount of coverage to cover temporary expenses, Turbo Term might be a better fit. 

Either way, you can count on a simplified application experience, no medical exam, and quick approval.