Choice Mutual’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula considers consumer experience, policy cost, underwriting criteria, the insurer’s financial strength ratings, and complaint data.
Based on their ads, the Gerber Grow-Up Plan seems like the market’s best children’s life policy.
The truth is, they aren’t, and we’ll explain why.
We’ll explain the fine print, analyze the cost, and show you which company has the best insurance for kids.
How Does The Gerber Life Grow-Up ® Plan Work?
The Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan is a whole life insurance policy for children ages 0-14.
The premium rates never increase, coverage never decreases, and the policy lasts forever.
The death benefit coverage automatically doubles once the child turns 18 (the monthly premium will remain the same).
Because it’s a whole life policy, it also builds up a savings account called “cash value.”
Every time you make your premium payments, a portion is redirected into the cash value account.
The policyholder can withdraw the money from this account any time they want. You can spend the money on college expenses or anything you desire.
Every Grow-Up policy comes with two free riders:
- Guaranteed Insurability: The guaranteed option to buy coverage later in life that is not subject to underwriting approval. The additional coverage can be purchased at ages 21, 25, 30, 35, and 40, when they get married or have a child.
- Payment Protection: Payments will be waived until the child is 21 if the policy owner dies or becomes totally disabled.
If the child should pass away while the policy is in force, Gerber Life Insurance Company will pay out the death benefit in the form of a tax-free cash payment.
That money can be spent on anything.
When the child turns 21, they become the policy owner. They can then choose to continue the policy and take over the payments.
Alternatively, they can surrender the policy and receive the total cash value that has built up.
| Gerber Life Children's Whole Life Insurance Details | |
|---|---|
| Policy Type | Whole Life Insurance |
| Policy Duration | Lifetime |
| Fixed Premiums | Yes |
| Builds Cash Value | Yes |
| State Availability | All 50 states (plus DC) |
| New Applicant Age Range | 0-14 |
| Coverage Options | $10,000-$50,000 |
| Unisex Rates | Yes (except for CA & FL) |
| Free Built In Riders | Guaranteed Insurability & Payment Protection |
| Brochure | Gerber Grow Up Plan Policy Brochure |
| Who Can Buy This Coverage | Parents, Stepparents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Legal Guardians |
Gerber Life Grow-Up ® Plan Cost Comparison
The primary downfall of the Grow-Up life insurance plan is the cost.
It’s essentially double the price compared to companies like Mutual of Omaha and Globe Life.
In the table below, you can see the monthly cost of Gerber’s child policy compared to Mutual of Omaha.
| AGE | Gerber $20,000 | Mutual of Omaha $20,000 | Gerber $40,000 | Mutual of Omaha $40,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 | $14.78 | $8.21 | $28.42 | $15.43 |
| 1 | $15.26 | $8.21 | $29.31 | $15.43 |
| 2 | $15.79 | $8.21 | $30.35 | $15.43 |
| 3 | $16.35 | $8.21 | $31.37 | $15.43 |
| 4 | $16.93 | $8.21 | $32.52 | $15.43 |
| 5 | $17.61 | $9.86 | $33.95 | $18.73 |
| 6 | $18.31 | $9.86 | $35.18 | $18.73 |
| 7 | $19.03 | $9.86 | $36.65 | $18.73 |
| 8 | $19.81 | $9.86 | $38.05 | $18.73 |
| 9 | $20.58 | $9.86 | $39.59 | $18.73 |
| 10 | $21.37 | $11.30 | $41.07 | $21.59 |
| 11 | $22.23 | $11.30 | $42.78 | $21.59 |
| 12 | $23.08 | $11.30 | $44.37 | $21.59 |
| 13 | $23.95 | $11.30 | $46.13 | $21.59 |
| 14 | $24.86 | $11.30 | $47.82 | $21.59 |
Coverage That Doubles At 18
No Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan review would be complete if we didn’t discuss how the coverage doubles.
It’s really straightforward. The amount of coverage you buy will double once the insured children reach 18 years of age.
If you have $10,000 in child life insurance coverage to start, it will become $20,000 at 18.
While it’s good they double the coverage at 18, it’s not as good as it seems.
That’s because if you compare what Gerber charges to other carriers, it’s not worth it.
Gerber’s are nearly double what other companies charge.
They’re essentially charging you now for what the coverage will be at age 18.
For example, a $20,000 policy for a five-year-old costs $15.36 per month with Gerber. That same premium will get you nearly $50,000 in coverage with Mutual of Omaha.
How To Qualify For And Buy The Grow-Up ® Plan
Like most life insurance products, this policy has a qualification component.
First, the children don’t have to undergo a medical exam.
The application only requires that you answer two health questions.
Nearly all Gerber Life insurance products allow you to fully apply online, through the mail (paper application), or by calling them.
Parents, stepparents, legal guardians, grandparents, or great-grandparents can buy this coverage for a child.
Grandparents don’t even need permission from the child’s parents to apply.
Which Company Has The Best Life Insurance For Children?
Is the Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan good?
Yes, but they’re not the best option.
The truth is that many companies offer life insurance for children. They’re all quite similar too.
Globe life children’s insurance is superior to Gerber Life, but even they fall short in some areas.
Overall, Mutual of Omaha offers the best value.
Mutual of Omaha’s child coverage is the best permanent life insurance for kids for a few reasons.
They have super low rates, high coverage options, two free riders, excellent customer service, and the most effortless application (compared to Gerber or Globe).
You can get free quotes from Mutual of Omaha and apply online without having to speak with an insurance agent by using the Mutual of Omaha online application.
| Mutual of Omaha Children's Whole Life Insurance Details | |
|---|---|
| Policy Type | Whole Life Insurance |
| Policy Duration | Lifetime |
| Fixed Premiums | Yes |
| Builds Cash Value | Yes |
| State Availability | All states (plus DC) except NY & WA |
| New Applicant Age Range | 0-17 |
| Coverage Options | $5,000-$50,000 |
| Unisex Rates | Yes |
| Free Built In Riders | Guaranteed Insurability & Waiver of Premium Due to Death of Owner |
| Brochure | Mutual of Omaha Children's Whole Life Policy Brochure |
Is The Grow-Up ® Plan Worth It?
The Gerber life insurance Grow-Up Plan is absolutely a worthwhile investment.
You would have peace of mind knowing that if your children or grandchildren were to die, it would provide financial protection to cover their final expenses.
It would likely also allow you and your loved ones to take time off work to grieve such a tragic event.
Additionally, the insured children will have the guaranteed option to purchase additional life insurance later in life, even if they are in bad health.
But if you want life insurance for your grandchildren or your own, Gerber Life Insurance Company shouldn’t be the first place you buy a policy.
You can get the same type of life insurance for a child for much less money from other insurance providers like Mutual of Omaha or Globe Life.
If you want to buy life insurance for one of your kids or grandkids, look elsewhere.
Gerber Young Adult Life Insurance Plans
The Gerber young adult plan is for children aged 15-17. It’s essentially identical to the Grow-Up Plan.
It’s still whole life insurance, and the coverage will double once they turn 18.
The primary difference between the young adult and the Grow-Up Plan is that there are more than just two health questions to answer, and it’s not available in New York.
The other difference is that you must call Gerber to apply for the young adult plan. You cannot buy it online or through the mail.
Gerber Life College Plan
The Gerber College Plan differs from most college savings plans (like a 529 plan).
It’s an endowment life insurance policy with fixed premiums and builds cash value at a guaranteed rate of return.
You choose how much coverage you want ($10,000-$150,000) and how long you want to pay (10-20 years).
Gerber will pay out the death benefit if the child dies while the policy is in force.
However, if the child is still alive after you’ve made all your payments, they will payout the guaranteed payout amount.
The guaranteed payout amount would be equal to the death benefit.
Unlike 529 plans, the Gerber College Plan funds can technically be used for anything.
View a sample Gerber College plan policy for complete details.
The Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan earned 3 stars out of 5 for overall performance. Choice Mutual’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula considers consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and financial strength ratings.
Learn about our rating methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Policy loans (from the cash value) are subject to an 8% interest rate.
Unfortunately, Gerber does not provide preliminary cash value charts for illustration purposes. Once you buy the coverage, your policy will show you the cash value accumulation over time.
At any point, you can cash in your policy and receive whatever cash value you’ve accumulated.
The Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan is a children’s whole life policy from $5,000-$50,000 in coverage. The premiums are fixed for life, and the coverage is guaranteed never to expire or decrease in value. You can buy this policy for children aged 0-14 years old.
Choice Mutual often cites third-party websites to provide context and verification for specific claims made in our work. We only link to authoritative websites that provide accurate information. You can learn more about our editorial standards, which guide our mission of delivering factual and impartial content.
- Gerber Grow-Up ® Plan. https://www.gerberlife.com/child-life-insurance/grow-up-plan
- cash value. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cash-value-life-insurance.asp
- Mutual of Omaha online application. https://mutualapplication.com
- young adult plan. https://www.gerberlife.com/child-life-insurance/grow-up-plan/young-adult-life-insurance
- Gerber College Plan. https://www.gerberlife.com/saving-for-college/college-plan
