Columbus Life Insurance Review 2025

Columbus Life ranks among the cheapest universal life insurers, offering competitive permanent coverage with cash value growth. It also has a term product.

Read our Columbus life insurance review below to learn more.

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Updated: December 2, 2025

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At a Glance: Columbus Life Insurance

Company Image
Columbus
MoneyGeek Rating
4.3/ 5
4.5/5Affordability
4.4/5Customer Experience
3.4/5Coverage Points

  • Average Monthly Cost

    $44 (F); $53 (M)

  • Average Annual Cost

    $530 (F); $632 (M)
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MoneyGeek’s Take: Is Columbus Life Right for You?

Columbus Life offers one of the cheapest universal life insurance options in our analysis, making it worth considering if you want permanent coverage with cash value accumulation potential. It offers indexed universal life policies tied to market performance while protecting you from downside risk.

You'll find Columbus Life particularly attractive if you want flexible premium payments and the option to access policy cash value during your lifetime. The insurer provides multiple indexed account options, including S&P 500 and J.P. Morgan Balanced Growth Index strategies.

Columbus Life works well for buyers seeking permanent life insurance with investment-like features. The company's indexed universal life products allow you to participate in market gains while guaranteeing minimum interest rates of 1-2% annually. This balance appeals to customers who want growth potential without full market exposure.

Columbus Life's customer experience scores lag behind top-rated competitors. It doesn't appear in J.D. Power rankings and lacks sufficient NAIC complaint data for comparison. If customer service responsiveness matters most to you, consider carriers with stronger customer satisfaction metrics.

Columbus Life Insurance Products

Columbus Life offers both term and permanent life insurance, covering temporary needs and lifelong financial protection. It focuses heavily on universal life products with indexed interest crediting options.

Term Life Insurance Options

Term life insurance provides death benefit coverage for specific periods, with affordable financial protection when your financial obligations are temporary. You pay fixed premiums for a set term, and beneficiaries receive tax-free death benefits if you die during the coverage period. Term policies don't build cash value, keeping costs lower than permanent insurance.

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    Nautical Term Life Insurance

    Columbus Life's only term product offers straightforward death benefit coverage with policy terms of 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. You can purchase coverage from ages 18 to 75, an extended age range that accommodates older buyers when many competitors restrict eligibility. Coverage amounts range from $100,000 to over $10 million.

    The policy requires medical underwriting, including medical exams. Premiums remain level throughout your term. Conversion privileges let you switch to permanent coverage without new medical exams before age 70 or at the end of your term, protecting your insurability in case your health declines.

Average Cost of Columbus Life Term Life Insurance
Data filtered by:
20 years
Select
Male
No
$100,000$18$215
$250,000$30$358
$500,000$53$632
$750,000$77$918
$1,000,000$96$1,145
$1,500,000$142$1,693
$2,000,000$188$2,242
$3,000,000$280$3,339

These rates reflect average quotes for applicants with average weight and health ratings. Your actual premiums will vary based on your age, health, lifestyle and coverage needs.

Universal Life Insurance Options

Universal life insurance combines permanent death benefit protection with cash value accumulation, offering flexibility that term and whole life policies don't provide. Your premiums split between insurance costs and a cash value account that earns interest. You can adjust premium payments and death benefits as your needs change, and access accumulated cash value through withdrawals or loans during your lifetime.

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    Voyager Universal Life Insurance

    Voyager provides traditional universal life coverage with a lifetime no-lapse guarantee when you pay the required minimum premiums. Coverage amounts start at $50,000 or $100,000, depending on the underwriting class. The policy guarantees death benefit protection as long as premiums are paid, removing concerns about cash value performance affecting coverage. Ages 18 to 75 qualify for coverage. This product suits buyers wanting permanent financial protection with guaranteed coverage rather than cash value growth focus.

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    Explorer Plus Universal Life Insurance

    Explorer Plus combines permanent coverage with cash value growth and includes a no-lapse guarantee option. You can purchase coverage from ages 18 to 79 with coverage amounts starting at $50,000 or $100,000. This coverage gives you premium flexibility after building sufficient cash value. You access accumulated value through withdrawals and loans. Explorer Plus works for buyers wanting permanent financial protection with some cash value potential while maintaining guaranteed death benefit options through the no-lapse feature.

Indexed Universal Life Insurance Options

Indexed universal life insurance credits interest based on stock market index performance while protecting you from market losses. When indexes perform well, your cash value grows up to specified caps. When markets decline, guaranteed minimum interest rates prevent losses. This structure balances growth potential with downside protection.

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    Indexed Explorer Plus Flexible Premium Universal Life Insurance

    Indexed Explorer Plus serves customers from birth to age 79, offering five account options: one fixed account earning guaranteed 2% minimum annual interest and four indexed accounts tied to the S&P 500 Index or J.P. Morgan Balanced Growth Index with 1% or 0% guaranteed minimums.

    Minimum coverage amounts start at $25,000 for juveniles (ages 0 to 19), $25,000 standard or $100,000 preferred for adults. The 10-Year Minimum Premium No-Lapse Guarantee Benefit protects death benefits for the first decade when paying required minimums. Persistency bonuses credit your policy starting year 11.

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    Indexed Explorer Now Rapidly Issued Universal Life Insurance

    Indexed Explorer Now targets buyers ages 18 to 60 wanting permanent coverage without medical exams. The rapid underwriting process activates coverage faster than traditional policies. Coverage ranges from $25,000 to $1 million (ages 18-50) or $25,000 to $250,000 (for people ages 51 to 60).

    Four underwriting classes (Non-Tobacco Plus, Tobacco Plus, Non-Tobacco, Tobacco) classify applicants based on health information without medical exams. Account structure matches Indexed Explorer Plus: one fixed account with 2% guaranteed minimum and four indexed accounts with 1% or 0% minimums.

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    Expedition SIUL Survivorship Indexed Universal Life Insurance

    Expedition SIUL insures two lives under one policy, paying death benefits after both insureds die. This survivorship structure costs less than two separate policies, making it efficient for estate planning and business succession. Each insured must be ages 20 to 79 with minimum coverage of $100,000 for standard and preferred classes.

    The policy offers five account options identical to other indexed products: one fixed account guaranteeing 2% minimum annual interest and four indexed accounts guaranteeing 1% or 0% minimums. The Policy Split Option converts joint coverage into two equal individual universal life policies under certain circumstances. The Estate Protection Rider protects against tax consequences when transferring policies to trusts if both insureds die within three years.

Average Cost of Columbus Life Universal Life Insurance
Data filtered by:
40
Male
No
$100,000$66$794
$250,000$165$1,985
$500,000$331$3,970
$750,000$496$5,955
$1,000,000$662$7,940
$1,500,000$992$11,910
$2,500,000$1,654$19,850

Rates reflect average quotes for applicants with average weight and good health ratings. Your actual premiums will vary based on your age, health, lifestyle and coverage needs.

Columbus’ Life Insurance Riders

Columbus Life offers multiple riders to customize your coverage. Riders add benefits beyond basic death benefit protection, though most require additional premium charges.

Life Plus Accelerated Death Benefit
Advances a portion of the death benefit for qualifying terminal, chronic or specified medical conditions
Enhanced Cash Value
Eliminates surrender charges on base coverage during early policy years
Accidental Death Benefit
Pays an additional death benefit if death results from an accident
Children’s Term
Covers eligible children ages 15 days to 18 years, continuing until age 23
Disability Credit
Provides monthly premium credits after six months of total disability
Other Insured Term
Adds term life coverage for another insured to the permanent policy
Premium Deposit Account
Allows advance payment of future premiums; not available in CT and PA
Supplemental Coverage
Adds permanent life insurance coverage beyond the base policy amount
Change of Insured
Allows a change of the insured person on corporate-owned policies
Policy Split Option
Converts survivorship coverage into two equal individual universal life policies
Estate Protection
Provides protection intended to offset estate tax exposure when transferring policies to trusts
Overloan Protection
Prevents policy lapse caused by excessive policy loans
Persistency Bonus
Credits the policy annually with a guaranteed bonus beginning in policy year 11
10-Year Minimum Premium No-Lapse Guarantee
Guarantees the death benefit for the first ten years when required minimum premiums are paid

How to Get Columbus Life Insurance

Columbus Life sells policies exclusively through independent insurance agents and financial advisors. It doesn't offer direct purchase through its website or customer service phone lines.

You'll work with a licensed agent to apply for coverage. Your agent gathers information about your health, lifestyle, family medical history and financial situation. The agent submits your application to Columbus Life's underwriting department for evaluation.

Term life and traditional universal life policies require medical underwriting, including a paramedical exam. A trained examiner visits your home or office to collect blood and urine samples, measure height and weight, record blood pressure and ask health questions. Columbus Life reviews these results along with your application.

Indexed Explorer Now uses a simplified underwriting process without medical exams. You answer health questions on your application, and Columbus Life may order medical records from your doctors. This accelerated approach gets coverage in force faster than traditional underwriting.

Columbus Life Claims Process

Beneficiaries file death claims by contacting Columbus Life at 800-677-9595 or through the agent who sold the policy. It requires a completed claim form and certified death certificate. Columbus Life may request additional documentation for policies issued within two years (contestability period) or deaths from unusual circumstances.

The company reviews submitted documentation and approves straightforward claims within five to seven business days. Complicated cases take more time to review. Columbus Life pays approved claims via check or through settlement options, including lump sum payment, installment payments over fixed periods or interest-only arrangements.

If Columbus Life denies a claim, beneficiaries can appeal by submitting additional documentation. State insurance departments handle unresolved complaints when beneficiaries can't resolve disputes directly with Columbus Life.

Columbus Life Insurance Company Review: Bottom Line

Columbus Life delivers competitive universal life insurance at lower costs than many competitors, making the company worth considering for permanent coverage with growth potential. The insurer's A+ rating from A.M. Best shows financial strength to pay claims reliably over decades.

You'll find multiple options for buyers seeking cash value accumulation and premium flexibility, although it may have fewer choices if you only require straightforward term coverage. The company's indexed universal life products balance growth potential with downside protection through guaranteed minimum interest rates. You participate in market gains while avoiding losses, a combination that appeals to risk-averse buyers seeking returns beyond traditional whole life policies.

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Columbus Life Insurance Reviews: FAQ

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about Columbus Life coverage.

Is Columbus Life a good insurance company?
Does Columbus Life require a medical exam?
Can I access cash value in my Columbus Life policy?
What states does Columbus Life operate in?

How We Rated Columbus Life Insurance

We analyzed Columbus Life's actual rates, financial strength and product lineup to show you where this insurer excels and where competitors work better for you.

Our Research Approach

Our scoring evaluates three critical factors:

  • Affordability (55%): Premium costs determine whether families can maintain coverage long-term. We gathered Columbus Life quotes for multiple profile types and compared them against major competitors to see where this insurer's pricing actually lands. Lower rates mean nothing if you can't afford to keep the policy active when your family needs it most.
  • Customer Experience (40%): A.M. Best financial ratings and state complaint data reveal how Columbus Life handles claims and resolves problems. Strong financial stability means your beneficiaries get paid without delays, while complaint ratios show whether policyholders deal with unresponsive service or smooth claim processing.
  • Coverage Options (15%): Columbus Life's product range, availability and conversion privileges matter when your needs change. We examined what this insurer actually offers beyond basic term life: living benefits, policy flexibility and add-on options that adapt as you get married, have children or face health challenges.

How We Established Pricing Benchmarks

To compare Columbus Life's rates fairly against competitors, we started with a standard profile:

  • 40-year-old male
  • Nonsmoker
  • 5-foot 9-inches tall, 180 pounds
  • Average health rating

We then adjusted age, gender, height, weight, tobacco use and health rating to see how Columbus Life handles different customer profiles. This reveals whether the company favors younger buyers, rewards nonsmokers aggressively or offers competitive rates for higher-risk applicants compared to other insurers.

What We Analyzed

We gathered Columbus Life quotes across multiple term lengths and coverage amounts to understand how this insurer's pricing scales as coverage needs increase. Our analysis shows where Columbus Life beats competitors and where you'll find better rates elsewhere.

Beyond rates, we examined Columbus Life's full product lineup (term life, universal life and specialized products) to show you exactly what this company offers and how it stacks up against other industry leaders.

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About Mark Fitzpatrick

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Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.

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