• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Good Financial Cents®
Content is based on in-depth research & analysis. Opinions are our own. We may earn a commission when you click or make a purchase from links on our site. Learn more.
  • Make Money
    • Get Money Now
      • Ultimate Guide to Making Money
      • Need Money Now
      • Get Free Money Fast
      • Make Money Fast
      • Make $1K Per Month
    • Control Your Destiny
      • Self Employed Jobs
      • Make Money from Home
      • Hobbies That Make Money
      • How to Become a Freelance Writer
      • Small Business Ideas to Start
      • How to Become an Independent Contractor
      • Best Online Jobs
    • Passive Income
      • Passive Income Ideas
      • Multiple Streams of Income
      • Extra Income
      • Residual Income Ideas
      • Learn to Sell e-Books
      • Make Money on Facebook
      • Make Money on Tiktok
      • Best Online Survey Sites to Make Money
    • Explore More
      • Make Money for Teens
      • Best Online Colleges
      • Best Jobs No College Degree
      • Become a Millionaire
      • Careers for the Future
  • Manage Money
    • Best Of
      • Budgeting Tools
      • Personal Finance Software
      • Best Cashback Cards
    • Company Reviews
      • Personal Capital vs Mint
      • Personal Capital Review
      • SmartAsset Review
    • Guides
      • Buy or Lease a Car
      • What is Liquid Net Worth?
      • Setting Financial Goals
      • How to Budget
      • Ways to Save Money
    • Explore More
      • How Much Car Can I Afford?
      • Best Auto Refinance Companies
  • Invest
    • Best Of
      • Best Short and Long-Term Investments
      • Best Low Risk Investments
      • Best Online Stock Brokers
      • Best Crypto Exchanges
      • Best Short Term Investments
      • Best Long Term Investments
      • Best Trading Platforms
      • Best Investment Apps
    • Company Reviews
      • Lending Club
      • Robinhood
      • M1 Finance
      • Ally
      • TD Ameritrade
      • Fundrise
      • Betterment
      • Etrade
      • Wealthfront
    • Guides
      • Investing for Beginners
      • Investing Small Amounts of Money
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • No Money Down Real Estate
      • Bonds vs Stocks
      • Peer to Peer Lending
      • Best Hedges Against Inflation
      • Safe Bitcoin Investing in 2022
    • Explore More
      • Bitcoin vs. Real Estate
      • Betterment vs Wealthfront
      • Investing for College Students
      • Stock Market Alternatives
    • By Investment Amount
      • How to Invest $100
      • How to Invest $1K
      • How to Invest $5K
      • How to Invest $10K
      • How to Invest $20K
      • How to Invest $50K
      • How to Invest $100K
      • How to Invest $200K
      • How to Invest $500K
      • How to Invest $1M
  • Taxes
    • Best Of
      • Best Tax Relief Companies
      • Best Tax Software
    • Guides
      • Federal Income Tax Guide 2022
      • Taxes and Cryptocurrency
      • How to Do Your Own Taxes
      • How to Invest Your Tax Refund
      • Hiring a Professional Tax Preparer
      • Tax Tips for Freelancers
    • Company Reviews
      • TurboTax Review
      • H&R Block Review
      • Taxslayer
      • Tax Act
  • Insurance
    • Best Of
      • Best Life Insurance
      • Best Home Insurance
      • Best Auto Insurance
      • Cheap Term Life Insurance
      • Car Insurance For Young Adults
    • Guides
      • Term vs Whole Life
      • Different Types of Car Insurance
      • Average Cost of Car Insurance
    • Explore More
      • Life Insurance Over 50
      • Life Insurance Over 80
      • $1 Million Life Insurance
      • $2 Million Life Insurance
      • $3 Million Life Insurance
    • Company Reviews
      • Banner Life Insurance
      • Ladder Life Insurance
      • Health IQ
      • Haven Life
      • Policygenius
      • State Farm Auto Insurance Review
  • Retirement
    • Roth IRA
      • Best Places to Open a Roth IRA
      • Best Investments for Roth IRA
      • 7 Roth IRA Secrets
      • Roth IRA Conversion Guide
      • Roth IRA Rules
      • Roth IRA vs Roth 401k
      • Are Roth IRA Contributions Tax Deductible?
    • 401(k)
      • 401(k) Limits
      • 401(k) to Roth Rollover
      • Is 401(k) Enough for Retirement?
      • Maxed Out 401(k): What's next?
    • Traditional IRA
      • Traditional IRA Rules and Limits
      • Traditional IRA vs. 401(k)
      • Simple IRA Rules
      • SEP IRA Rules
      • How Much Do You Need to Start an IRA?
    • Explore More
      • SEP IRA vs. Roth IRA
      • 457 Plan for Successful Retirement
      • 401a Rollover Rules
      • How to Retire at 50
      • How to Retire at 55
  • Banking
    • Best Of
      • Best National Banks
      • Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
      • Best Checking Accounts
      • Best Savings Accounts
      • Best CD Rates
      • Best Money Market Accounts
    • Company Reviews
      • BBVA
      • Synchrony
      • Wells Fargo
    • Explore More
      • 9 Banking Alternatives for 2022
      • What is a Credit Union?
  • Home
    • Best Of
      • Best Mortgage Lenders
      • Best Mortgage Refinance Companies
      • Best Home Warranties
      • Best Homeowners Insurance
      • Best VA Loans
      • Best Mortgage Rates
      • Best Moving Companies
      • Best Home Security
    • Guides
      • Home Buying Checklist
      • Online Home Appraisal
      • How Much House Can I Afford?
      • First-time Homebuyer Programs
      • How to Get Approved for a Home Loan
      • Save Money When Building a House
      • How to Save for a Downpayment
      • When to Refinance Your Mortgage
    • Explore More
      • 15 vs. 30-year Mortgage
      • Home Warranty vs. Home Insurance
      • Veterans United Home Loan Review
      • Quicken Loans Review
      • HELOC vs Second Mortgage
      • DCU Mortgage Review
      • Costco Mortgage Program Review
      • USAA Mortgage Loan Review
  • Credit
    • Best Of
      • Best Credit Repair Companies
      • Best ID Theft Protection Services
      • Best Credit Report Options
      • Best Bad Credit Loans
    • Guides
      • How to Build Your Credit Score
      • How to Raise Your Credit Score in 5 Months
      • How to Dispute Your Credit Report
      • Hot to Remove Collections from Your Credit Reports
      • How Identity Theft Destroys Your Credit Score
    • Explore More
      • What is a Good Credit Score?
      • What is a Bad Credit Score?
  • Debt
    • Best Of
      • Best Debt Consolidation Loans
      • Best Personal Loans
      • Best Student Loans
      • Best Student Loan Refinance
    • Guides
      • How to Get Out of Debt
      • How to Get a Personal Loan Approved
      • How to Pay Off Student Loans Faster
      • Should I Consolidate My Debts?
      • Should I File for Bankruptcy?
    • Company Reviews
      • Credible
      • Sofi
Advertiser Disclosure (How We Make Money)
GoodFinancialCents.com has an advertising relationship with the companies included on this page. All of our content is based on objective analysis, and the opinions are our own. For more information, please check out our full disclaimer and complete list of partners.

Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Review

Jeff Rose, CFP® | April 05, 2022

Most people understand the importance of life insurance. They know how important it can be to provide for their loved ones if they were to pass away.

Unfortunately, not nearly as many people understand how important disability insurance can be and why they should consider a policy.

A Quick Background of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.

Ameritas Bison LogoOne of the popular companies for disability insurance coverage is Ameritas. They are not the most well-known insurance company, but in the disability insurance field, they are one of the major players.

Before we look at their disability coverage, let’s take a look at the company itself.

If you want to go back to the beginning of the company, you have to look all the way back to 1887. Back then, there were no insurance companies in Lincoln, Nebraska.

There were five men in the community who saw an opportunity to create an insurance business and capitalize on the lack of competition. In April of 1887, those men created the Old Line Bankers Life Insurance Company of Nebraska.

Over a 100 years later, they have seen a lot of changes and have added a lot of products to their menu. They have everything from your standard life insurance plans, to dental and vision, and they can even help you plan your retirement.

They have insurance policies and investment options for every stage of life.

Their About Us page gives a lot of information on their focus as an agency, “At Ameritas, fulfilling life is what we do daily. We continuously strive to help our customers enjoy life at its very best by reducing uncertainty, helping grow assets and protecting what is most cherished.”

As a company, they have excellent ratings from all of the rating parties, meaning you can rely on their financial obligations based on their reputation, current standing, past performance, and projections.

From A.M. Best, they currently have an “A” rating, which is excellent. The company also touts an A+ from Standard and Poor’s. Ameritas has been accredited with the BBB since 1948, where they hold an A+ rating.

Both of these are very encouraging for any applicant looking to buy insurance, regardless of the kind it is.

Disability Insurance From Ameritas

Want to see what kind of premiums you might be approved for? We suggest PolicyGenius as they’ll do the shopping for you, using only the best possible companies.

Get Quotes >

Ameritas offers two separate types of disability insurance policies.

Both of them are good options for insurance coverage, but they are slightly different in the benefits they offer. The two plans are their DInamic Foundation Series and their DInamic Fundamental policy.

Let’s look at the DInamic Fundamental plan first.

Their DInamic policy is the more basic of the two options available. These policies are guaranteed renewable plan, as long as you want to have the plan, the company will give you the coverage. Every insurance company has different coverage limits, especially when it comes to disability insurance.

If you buy a DInamic Fundamental policy, then you can get a lump sum benefit for any disability which is going to last for a year. There is no elimination period with this plan, and you won’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get approved.

Ameritas offers a streamlined underwriting process, which makes it quick and easy to get disability coverage.

Their other plan, the DInamic Foundation Series policy is going to be slightly more involved. Just like the other policy, the plan is guaranteed renewable and noncancelable. The premium rates for the plan are guaranteed until the policyholder turns 65.

This plan will pay a monthly check for a disability from sickness or injury.

The plan will pay out for either partial disability or total disability. The company has specific circumstances and restrictions for this, and they may differ depending on your situation.

These policies are own occupation, not working policies, but you can get a true own-occupation coverage as an additional rider.

You can buy a different length of benefit periods to meet your needs, they come in 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years.

Additional Advantages of Ameritas

Not only do they give you affordable disability coverage, but there are some additional benefits you get as an Ameritas policyholder. In fact, there are several built-in features you won’t find with most other insurance companies out there.

One of those is the survivor benefit rider they add to their plans. If you were to pass away while you were claiming a payout from the policy, the company will pay three additional months to your beneficiary.

Another cool feature of their plans is their automatic increase feature. For the first five years you own the plan, Ameritas will increase the benefit coverage by 4%. You won’t have to pay additional premiums or go through underwriting to get the additional benefit.

Two other interesting features are their non-disabling injury and the presumptive total disability coverage. The non-disability insurance feature will reimburse the policyholder for some medical expenses for injuries which are not disabling.

The presumptive total disability will cut out the elimination period and pay full benefit if you were to ever lose sight, hearing, speech, or hands or feet.

Additional Riders

If their basic plans are not enough income protection for you, they have some additional riders you can attach to your plan.

One of the popular riders is a cost of living adjustment. This rider will increase the monthly benefit based on the Consumer Price Index, with a maximum of 3%.

The longer you have the plan, the higher the cost of living might be, which means when you file a claim, the money you receive may not go as far as you’d like.

On a similar note, you can also add future insurance option coverage. If your policy has this rider, you can increase the coverage amount every year (up to age 55), without having to go through the underwriting process again.

Why You Should Buy a Disability Insurance Policy

When most people think of disability insurance, they think of high-risk jobs, like a firefighter, but regardless of your occupation, accidents happen. If something were to happen, and you were to find yourself suffering from an injury and you could not go to work. If you don’t go to work, you’re not getting paid.

If you don’t get paid, will your family have the money they need to pay your bills or monthly expenses?

If you’re like most Americans, you don’t have nearly enough money saved to go without a paycheck for more than a month. You don’t know when you could be out of work with an injury or an illness, which is why disability insurance is vital.

Unlike life insurance, there are not thousands of companies who sell life insurance.

There aren’t many solid numbers are exactly how many companies sell disability insurance, but it looks like it’s less than 50. While 50 is nothing compared to the vast amount of life insurance companies, there are still a lot of differences in the number of companies out there.

Our Verdict on Ameritas Disability Insurance

If you’re looking for a stable insurance company which offers comprehensive insurance coverage, Ameritas is a good place to start your search. Their rates are on par with a lot of the other companies out there.

If you’re set on buying a plan through Ameritas, there are a couple of ways you can do that.

The first way, and the most obvious is to contact one of their agents. You can call them at 800-745-1112, or you can use their contact form on their website. Their customer service does a decent job at getting back to any requests.

The other way you can get disability insurance is to use a third-party tool, like PolicyGenius. The joy of using one of these is you don’t only get quotes from one company, like Ameritas, but you get dozens of quotes to match your disability needs.

You can customize your quotes based on the type of plan you want, the coverage limits, and the elimination periods. Using PolicyGenius can save you time and help you find the best disability insurance plan out there.

If your family relies on your monthly paycheck for their livelihood, you want to protect your income anyway possible. Instead of living in a bubble, disability can offer you the insurance you need.

Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

About the Author

Jeff Rose, CFP® is a Certified Financial Planner™, founder of Good Financial Cents, and author of the personal finance book Soldier of Finance. Jeff is an Iraqi combat veteran and served 9 years in the Army National Guard. His work is regularly featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Inc.com and Entrepreneur.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

You Might Also Enjoy

Best Homeowners Insurance Companies of 2022 - Updated for July

Best Homeowners Insurance Companies of 2022 - Updated for July

10 Best Car Insurance Companies of 2022 - Updated June

10 Best Car Insurance Companies of 2022 - Updated June

Best Car Insurance Plans for Young Adults Under 25 in 2022

Best Car Insurance Plans for Young Adults Under 25 in 2022

6 Best Home Warranty Companies - Updated June 2022

6 Best Home Warranty Companies - Updated June 2022

All the Types of Life Insurance Policies, Explained

All the Types of Life Insurance Policies, Explained

9 Best Life Insurance Companies - Updated June 2022

9 Best Life Insurance Companies - Updated June 2022

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Make Money
  • Manage Money
  • Invest
  • Taxes
  • Insurance
  • Retirement
  • Banking
  • Home
  • Credit
  • Debt
  • About
  • Contact
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

© 2022 Good Financial Cents®. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Licenses & Disclosures

All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of AWM, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.

All third party trademarks, including logos and icons, referenced in this website, are the property of their respective owners. Unless otherwise indicated, the use of third party trademarks herein does not imply or indicate any relationship, sponsorship, or endorsement between Good Financial Cents® and the owners of those trademarks. Any reference in this website to third party trademarks is to identify the corresponding third party goods and/or services.