Is American Fidelity good insurance?

Editorial team Published on

American Fidelity Assurance Company is a financially stable, highly rated supplemental insurance provider with an AM Best Rating Profile of A+ (Superior), though public consumer reviews are mixed.

Financial Strength and Legitimacy

  • AM Best Rating: A+ (Superior), indicating an excellent ability to meet ongoing obligations.
  • BBB Status: Accredited with an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau Profile, with a relatively low volume of complaints relative to its size.
  • Market Focus: Primarily serves public sector, healthcare, and education employees (such as teachers and local government workers) via employer-sponsored plans and worksite enrollment.

Customer Feedback & Sentiment

  • Positive Reviews: Many policyholders praise the company for fast claim payouts, supportive agents during severe health crises like cancer diagnoses, and convenient mobile app access.
  • Negative Reviews: Common consumer complaints on platforms like Yelp Reviews mention long turnaround times on complex claims, rigid documentation requirements, and difficulties reaching customer service representatives.
  • Forum Consensus: Most users on Reddit Personal Finance Discussion express mixed value regarding standalone supplemental policies, often debating whether niche accident or cancer plans justify the out-of-pocket payroll deduction costs compared to traditional comprehensive health insurance.

Employee Sentiment

  • Glassdoor Ratings: Holds an average of 3.7 out of 5 stars on the Glassdoor Reviews, with employees highlighting good benefits and professional training, offset by cons involving heavy travel and corporate performance pressure.

What kind of insurance is American Fidelity?

American Fidelity is a supplemental and life insurance company that provides voluntary benefits primarily through workplace enrollment.

Types of Insurance Offered

  • Life Insurance: Includes term life, whole life, and a specialized Term 100 policy that provides coverage up to age 100.
  • Disability Income: Offers salary replacement benefits if you cannot work due to a covered illness or injury.
  • Supplemental Health: Includes accident, cancer, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and hospital gap plans designed to help cover out-of-pocket costs and deductibles.
  • Other Services: Partners with third parties to offer dental and vision insurance, alongside retirement annuities and reimbursement accounts like HSAs and FSAs.

You can learn more about their offerings directly on the American Fidelity Benefits Page or read about the company on the American Fidelity About Us overview.

Who is the #1 most trusted life insurance company?

There is no single official "#1 most trusted" life insurance company, because different consumer and financial studies rank different providers at the top based on their specific surveys and criteria.

Top Ranked Companies by Trust and Satisfaction

Various major publications and rating agencies award the top spot to different insurers:

How to Choose a Trusted Insurer

When deciding which company to trust, look at these key factors:

  • Financial Strength Ratings: Check independent agencies like AM Best or S&P to ensure the company has the money to pay future claims.
  • Complaint Index: Check the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) database to see if customers file many complaints against the company.
  • Policy Types: Make sure the carrier offers what you need, such as simple term life or permanent whole life coverage.

Which is better, Aflac or American Fidelity?

Neither Aflac nor American Fidelity is universally "better," as choice depends on your specific employment sector and coverage needs.

Coverage and Focus

  • Aflac: Best known for broad market reach, high name recognition, and individual supplemental policies like accident, short-term disability, and cancer coverage that you can often keep if you leave your job.
  • American Fidelity: Often preferred by public sector workers, such as school district, healthcare, and municipal employees, offering specialized account management and tax-deferred annuities alongside similar supplemental plans.

Ratings and Customer Satisfaction

  • Customer Sentiment: American Fidelity generally scores higher in customer satisfaction ratings and Net Promoter Scores (NPS of 15 vs. Aflac’s -18).
  • Financial Stability: Both companies hold strong financial strength ratings (such as an A+ rating for American Fidelity from A.M. Best), meaning both are reliable when it comes to paying out claims.

How good is Fidelity insurance?

Fidelity insurance companies—most notably Fidelity Life Association and investment giant Fidelity Investments—generally receive positive financial ratings but mixed customer reviews.

Customer Feedback and Ratings

  • Positive Reviews: Customers frequently praise the fast, smooth signup process, helpful customer service agents, and accessible no-exam policy options tailored for seniors or people with pre-existing conditions. Fidelity Life holds a 4.5/5 TrustScore on Trustpilot.
  • Negative Reviews: Common complaints involve unexpected premium increases after final underwriting, billing complications, and slow or difficult claims handling. Consumer watchdog data also notes a higher-than-average volume of customer complaints relative to the company's size.
  • Community Sentiments: On platforms like Facebook, some users note that initial low quotes can feel like "bait and switch" tactics once health screening takes place. Meanwhile, discussions on Reddit show mixed opinions, with some users preferring specialized insurance firms over investment companies for dedicated life coverage.

Industry Standing

  • Financial Strength: Major entities like Fidelity Life maintain strong industry standing, including high financial stability ratings from AM Best and positive marks from the Better Business Bureau.
  • Policy Structure: Fidelity Life specializes in rapid approval and no-medical-exam policies, though some policies may initially blend accidental-death coverage with all-cause protection before full underwriting is completed.

Prepare for the Worst With the Best: Accident Insurance Through American Fidelity

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What are people saying about American Fidelity insurance?

People generally describe American Fidelity Assurance Company as a financially stable provider with strong industry ratings, though customer and employee feedback is mixed regarding claims and work culture.

Financial Ratings and Reputation

  • AM Best: Holds an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating, indicating a strong ability to pay policy obligations.
  • Better Business Bureau (BBB): Maintains an A+ accredited rating with a low volume of total formal complaints relative to its size (around 76 complaints over a three-year period).

Customer Experiences and Complaints

  • Positive Feedback: Customers often praise the company for fast payouts, supportive and empathetic service during serious illnesses, and helpful wellness incentives.
  • Negative Feedback: Common complaints on platforms like the Better Business Bureau Complaints page and Yelp Reviews involve delayed claim processing, difficulties reaching customer service representatives, and strict documentation requirements for flexible spending accounts (FSA) or accident claims.
  • General Consensus on Value: Most users on Reddit express a consensus that supplemental insurance plans (such as specific cancer or accident policies) may not always be worth their out-of-pocket costs compared to standard health insurance, depending on individual needs.

Employee Sentiment

  • Workplace Feedback: Employees on Glassdoor and Indeed rate the company culture around 3.7 out of 5 stars, highlighting good colleagues, competitive pay, and flexibility.
  • Challenges: Some field and sales staff note that the job involves heavy travel, high quotas, and pressures related to corporate structure or account management.

Who owns American Fidelity insurance?

American Fidelity Assurance Company is a private, family-owned company controlled by the Cameron family.

Ownership and Leadership Details

  • Parent Company: A subsidiary of American Fidelity Corporation.
  • Control: The stock is controlled by a family investment partnership, Cameron Enterprises A Limited Partnership.
  • Leadership: Led by Chairman and CEO Bill Cameron, the grandson of co-founder C.W. Cameron.
  • Founders: Co-founded in 1960 by the father-son duo C.W. and C.B. Cameron in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

(Note: There is also a separate entity called American Fidelity Life Insurance (AmFi), founded in 1956, which is independently run by the Woodbury family).

Which insurance denies the most claims?

Oscar Health denied 25.3% of in-network claims in 2024, representing the highest denial rate among major national ACA marketplace health insurers.

Health Insurance Denial Rates

  • Oscar Health: Denied 25.3% of marketplace claims.
  • Molina Healthcare: Denied 22% of claims.
  • Ambetter (Celtic): Denied 21% of claims.
  • UnitedHealthcare: Denied 20% of claims (down from 33% the previous year).
  • Kaiser Permanente: Recorded the lowest national rate at approximately 6%.

Homeowners and Auto Insurance Denial Rates

  • Allstate and USAA: Frequently flagged by public reports and consumer data for closing roughly 40% to 50% of property and homeowners claims without payment in high-risk regions.
  • State Farm: Reported home insurance denial rates exceeding 41% to 59% in catastrophe-heavy markets like Florida.

How much does a $100,000 life insurance policy cost a month?

For a healthy non-smoker, a $100,000 term life insurance policy typically costs between $8 and $30 per month, while a $100,000 whole life insurance policy averages between $75 and $230 per month.

Your exact price depends heavily on your age, gender, health status, and whether or not you smoke.

Average Monthly Cost by Policy Type

Age & ProfileTerm Life (10 to 20-Year Term)Whole Life (Permanent)
Age 30 (Healthy Non-Smoker)$8 – $12 / month$75 – $88 / month
Age 40 (Healthy Non-Smoker)$11 – $29 / month$110 – $135 / month
Age 50 (Healthy Non-Smoker)$15 – $34 / month$175 – $230 / month
Smokers (Any Age)2x to 3x more than non-smokersSignificantly higher premiums

Key Factors That Affect Your Rate

  • Term vs. Whole Life: Term life is highly affordable because it only covers you for a set window of time (e.g., 10, 20, or 30 years) and does not build cash value. Whole life covers you permanently and builds equity, making it much more expensive.
  • Age: Rates rise as you get older. Locking in a policy while you are young ensures the lowest possible payment.
  • No-Exam Policies: Opting for a simplified or "no medical exam" policy provides faster approval but typically increases the monthly cost by a few dollars compared to fully underwritten policies.

To compare exact prices for your situation, you can use online comparison tools like the Policygenius Quote Engine or view coverage assessments on Aflac.

Should a 70 year old buy life insurance?

A 70-year-old should buy life insurance only if they have unpaid debts, a spouse who relies on their income, or no personal savings to cover final funeral and burial expenses.

For many people in their 70s, children are grown, houses are paid off, and life insurance is no longer necessary. You should carefully evaluate your financial situation before buying a new policy, as detailed in the CBS Guide on Senior Life Insurance.

When to Buy Life Insurance at 70

  • Final Expenses: Your savings cannot cover funeral or burial costs, and you want to protect your family from these bills.
  • Surviving Spouse: Your spouse depends on your pension, Social Security, or regular income that will drop after you pass away.
  • Dependent Care: You still financially support an adult child or a relative with special needs.
  • Estate Planning: You have a high net worth and need to cover specific estate or inheritance taxes.

When You Do Not Need Life Insurance

  • No Dependents: No one relies on your money to live day-to-day.
  • Good Savings: You have enough money in the bank to pay for your own final expenses and emergencies.
  • Fixed Income: The monthly cost (premium) of the policy is too high for your retired budget and causes financial stress.

Common Policy Types for Seniors

  • Term Life Insurance: Provides temporary coverage for a set number of years (like 10 or 20). It costs less than whole life, but the price is very high for a 70-year-old, and the policy eventually ends.
  • Whole Life or Final Expense Insurance: Lasts your entire life and builds a small cash value. It is more expensive, but the payout is guaranteed as long as you pay the monthly bill.
  • Guaranteed Issue Insurance: Does not require a medical exam or health questions. Approval is certain, but the payout amounts are low (often $2,000 to $35,000) and it usually has a two-year waiting period before full benefits kick in.

You can learn more about finding the right coverage by reading the U.S. News Senior Life Insurance Overview.