Gerber Life Insurance Review 2026

Along with children’s life insurance policies, Gerber Life also sells small term and whole life insurance policies for adults. Just know if you’re considering buying life insurance on a child, your money may be better put elsewhere, such as a 529 college savings plan.

Gerber earned 4.4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.

Based on these ratings, Gerber Life made our best life insurance for children list in 2026.

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Where Gerber stands out

Gerber Life offers a wide selection of term and whole life policies, with unique options for children, teens and especially babies. The company’s website has detailed information on all its policies. Plus, you can apply for term life insurance online, and may be approved for up to $100,000 of coverage within minutes.

Where Gerber falls short

Gerber Life does draw the expected number of complaints to state regulators. And while Gerber offers whole and term life insurance policies for all ages, buying any type of life insurance for children may not be the right financial decision for most families.

Term life insurance. You can buy $100,000 to $2 million of term life insurance coverage for adults online, with terms lasting 10, 20 or 30 years. If you’re looking for more than $1 million in coverage, you’ll need to take a medical exam. The same goes for anyone over 55 applying for a policy worth more than $100,000.

Whole life insurance. Gerber offers $50,000 to $1 million in whole life coverage for adults without a medical exam, while policies are capped at $500,000 for those over age 55. If you prefer to skip the exam, Gerber’s guaranteed issue whole life policy is open to adults between 50 and 80, with coverage ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. The exceptions are South Dakota, where the maximum amount is $15,000, and New York, where the maximum age to apply is 75.

Whole life for children and teens. Gerber caters to younger groups with two whole life insurance policies.

• Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan. Parents, grandparents and legal guardians can apply for $5,000 to $50,000 in coverage when children are between 14 days and 18 years old. The coverage amount doubles at age 18, and the child becomes the policy owner at age 21.

• Life Insurance for Young Adults. Parents or grandparents can purchase this whole life policy for teens ages 15 to 17. Again, the coverage amount automatically doubles at age 18.

Endowment life insurance: The Gerber Life College Plan is pitched as a college savings plan that doubles as adult life insurance. The policy pays out a lump sum on a certain date or when the insured dies, whichever comes sooner. Typically, this type of insurance covers a parent, and the expiration date aligns with a child’s high school graduation. Coverage options range from $10,000 to $150,000.

Accidental death and dismemberment insurance: Gerber’s accident protection insurance pays out if the insured person dies or suffers a disabling injury, such as the loss of a foot, hand or eyesight, from an accident. Unlike life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance doesn't pay out if the insured dies from illness or natural causes. Coverage is available in amounts from $50,000 to $500,000, and from $25,000 to $500,000 if you’re buying for a spouse.

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Gerber Life’s Grow-Up Plan rates are based on the age, state and gender of the child you want to insure. The sample rates below reflect monthly premiums to insure a male child in Connecticut.

A strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Over three years, Gerber Life has drawn close to the expected number of complaints to state regulators for a company of its size, according to a NerdWallet analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

• What Reddit users say about Gerber

  Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like life insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.

  Many Reddit threads about Gerber insurance are discussions on whether child life insurance, Gerber’s best-known type of coverage, is worth buying. Many commenters argue that children don’t need life insurance because they don’t have dependents, and that parents would be better off putting their money into a 529, investment or savings account. Others say having a small amount of life insurance on a child can help pay for funeral or medical expenses in case the worst happens.

  There are also several Reddit posts from young adults wondering what to do with a Gerber whole life insurance plan their relatives bought for them when they were children. Instead of keeping the policy and paying the premiums, Redditors often advise them to cash out the plan and use the money for something else — especially if they don’t have dependents relying on their income.

In 2022, Gerber Life’s’s parent company, Western and Southern Financial Group, acquired Fabric, now known as Fabric by Gerber Life.

Gerber Life can be reached by:

• Phone: Call 800-704-2180 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

• Email: Fill out the form on Gerber Life’s contact page.

• Live chat: Not available.