Kemper Life Insurance has been providing life insurance products and services for over 100 years. Founded in 1890 as The Kemper Life Insurance Company, Kemper Life Insurance was originally based in Chicago, IL. In the early 1920s, the company changed its name to Kemper Life and moved its headquarters to Long Grove, IL. 

Today, Kemper Life Insurance offers a variety of life insurance products including term life, whole life, universal life, and variable universal life insurance. The company focuses primarily on providing personalized life insurance solutions to meet the needs of individuals and families across the United States.

Kemper Life Insurance offers both temporary and permanent life insurance options. Term life insurance provides affordable death benefit coverage for a set period, such as 10, 20, or 30 years. Permanent life insurance options like whole life and universal life provide lifelong protection as long as premiums are paid. These policies also have cash value components that grow tax-deferred over time.

By partnering with independent agents and financial advisors, Kemper Life Insurance aims to help customers select the right type and amount of coverage to protect their loved ones. The company has a strong reputation for financial strength and paying claims quickly. Kemper Life Insurance is currently rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company.

Types of Life Insurance Policies Offered by Kemper

Kemper offers several types of life insurance policies to meet different needs:

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance provides coverage for a set period of time, typically 10, 20, or 30 years. This type of policy only pays out if you die during the term. Term life is usually the most affordable option and ideal if you need coverage for a specific timeframe, like while kids are young or you have a mortgage.  

Kemper’s term life policies allow you to choose your term length and coverage amount. You can also add optional riders for additional benefits like waiver of premium if disabled and accidental death benefits.

Whole Life Insurance 

Whole life insurance remains in effect for your entire life as long as you pay the premiums. This type of permanent life insurance has a cash value that builds over time that you can borrow against. 

Kemper’s whole-life policies offer guaranteed death benefits, fixed premiums, and dividend options to use your cash value. You can also customize your policy with accelerated death benefits and waiver of premium riders.

Universal Life Insurance

Universal life insurance provides permanent coverage with premiums that can be adjusted over time. It also builds cash value that you can access while living.

Kemper’s universal life policies allow you to adjust your premiums and face amounts for flexibility. You can also earn interest on cash value that builds tax-deferred. Additional riders are available to meet specific needs.

Variable Life Insurance

Variable life insurance offers permanent coverage while also letting you invest your cash value in a choice of investment funds. This allows your cash value the potential to grow much higher than other types of permanent life insurance.

Kemper’s variable life policies provide a wide range of investment options to match your risk tolerance. You can adjust the face amount and premiums for flexibility. Various riders are also available to customize coverage.

Term Life Insurance from Kemper

Term life insurance is one of the most popular types of life insurance because of its affordability and flexibility. Kemper offers a range of term life insurance policies to fit different budget and coverage needs.

With a Kemper term life insurance policy, you get death benefit protection for a set period of time or “term”. This can be a great option if you need life insurance for temporary needs like paying off a mortgage or getting your kids through college. 

Kemper offers term lengths ranging from 10 to 30 years. You can also choose between level premium policies, where your premium stays the same for the length of the term, or annually renewable policies where your premium starts lower but increases each year as you age.

Some of the key features and options of Kemper term life insurance include:

• **Coverage amounts** from $25,000 up to $1 million or more
• Ability to **add riders** for extra benefits like accidental death, waiver of premium, and living benefits
• **Guaranteed renewability** – Kemper guarantees you can renew your policy up to age 95 without having to requalify
• Ability to **convert** your term policy to permanent insurance in the future 
• Access to your **KLife eService account** online for easy policy management

When shopping for term life insurance, be sure to get quotes from Kemper along with other top insurance companies. Kemper is known for competitive pricing and outstanding customer service. Their term-life policies offer reliable protection tailored to your specific needs and budget.

Whole Life Insurance from Kemper

Whole life insurance is a permanent form of life insurance that covers the entire life of the insured. With whole life insurance from Kemper, policyholders pay the same premium amount every year until they reach age 100 or pass away. 

The premiums for Kemper’s whole-life policies are more expensive than term life insurance since they last for life. However, the premiums remain level and do not increase with age like term life premiums.

A portion of each whole life insurance premium goes towards building cash value. The cash value accumulates over time and earns interest. Policyholders can borrow against or withdraw the cash value if needed. If the policy is surrendered, the cash value is paid to the policyholder.

Kemper offers several whole life insurance products:

• Kemper Whole Life – This is their basic whole life policy with guaranteed death benefits and cash value growth. Additional riders can be added for an extra premium.
• Kemper WealthBuilder IUL – This is an indexed universal life policy that offers whole-life coverage combined with indexed interest potential. Part of the premiums go towards index-linked interest growth.
• Kemper Permanent Life – This customized permanent life insurance product allows adding term insurance, disability waiver of premium, and other riders.
• The main benefits of Kemper’s whole-life policies are lifetime coverage, guaranteed death benefits, guaranteed cash value growth, dividends from the company, and level premiums. The downsides are higher initial premium costs and less flexibility compared to term life insurance.

Kemper’s whole life insurance is a good option for people who want permanent coverage and cash value savings in addition to a death benefit. It provides strong guarantees backed by over 120 years of experience from Kemper.

Universal Life Insurance from Kemper

Kemper offers several types of flexible universal life insurance policies that combine permanent life insurance coverage with a savings or investment component. Universal life insurance is intended to provide lifetime protection while also building cash value that can be accessed during the insured’s life.

With a Kemper universal life insurance policy, premiums are deposited into an account that earns interest based on current rates. The cost of insurance is deducted from the account value, while the rest remains to grow tax-deferred. Policyholders have flexibility in when and how much they pay for coverage. Unlike whole life insurance with set premiums, you can pay more or less as your needs change, as long as there is enough in the account to cover the monthly charges.

Kemper’s universal life insurance policies offer:

• Lifetime death benefit protection
• Flexible premium payments
• Tax-deferred cash value growth
• Liquidity through loans and withdrawals 
• Optional riders for additional benefits

Universal life insurance from Kemper can be customized with different death benefit options. You can also add optional living benefits like disability coverage or long-term care coverage. By providing permanent coverage plus cash value, Universal Life aims to fit both protection and savings goals over your lifetime.

Kemper’s universal life insurance policies are issued up to age 80 with death benefit protection up to age 100. Your specific policy details, costs, and benefits will depend on your age and health at the time of purchase. Overall, Kemper aims to provide competitive universal life insurance products that offer both death benefits and tax-advantaged savings potential.

Variable Life Insurance from Kemper

Variable life insurance from Kemper offers policies that provide both death benefit coverage and an investment component. With a variable life insurance policy, your premiums are invested in separate accounts that include stocks, bonds, and other investments. 

The cash value and death benefit can fluctuate depending on the performance of the investments. This allows for the opportunity to grow your cash value tax-deferred. However, it also exposes your policy to market risk.

Kemper offers several types of variable life insurance policies:

• Variable Universal Life – This offers flexible premiums, adjustable death benefits, and tax-deferred cash value growth. You have control over how your cash value is invested.
• Survivorship Variable Universal Life – This covers two insureds and pays out a death benefit when the second insured passes away. It provides coverage for longer than individual policies.
• Variable Executive Benefit Life – Designed for key executives and business owners, this policy has an accelerated death benefit if the insured becomes terminally ill.

The main advantage of Kemper’s variable life policies is the ability to potentially grow your cash value by investing in the market. This can help offset increasing premium costs as you age. It also provides income tax-free loans and withdrawals in some cases.

A downside is that your cash value and death benefit are exposed to volatility and loss if the investments perform poorly. Variable life also tends to have higher fees and insurance costs compared to other types of permanent life insurance.

Overall, Kemper’s variable life offerings can make sense for individuals who want both death benefit protection and growth potential from market investments. Consulting with a financial advisor can help determine if it aligns with your insurance needs and risk tolerance.

Additional Insurance Offerings

In addition to life insurance, Kemper also offers other types of insurance policies to meet various needs:

Auto Insurance

Kemper provides a range of auto insurance options including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, and more. Policyholders can customize their auto coverage and add-on services like roadside assistance. Discounts are available for safe drivers and bundled policies.

Home Insurance 

To protect homeowners, Kemper sells insurance for dwelling, personal property, loss of use, personal liability, and more. Policyholders can choose from different levels of coverage and add-ons like identity theft protection. Kemper also offers condo and renters insurance.

Health Insurance

While not offered in all states, Kemper provides health insurance plans directly to individuals and families. These major medical policies help pay for costs associated with illness, injury, hospitalization, prescriptions, and more. Kemper health plans come with wellness programs.

Annuities  

For retirement planning and income, Kemper sells fixed and variable annuity products. These offer guaranteed payouts through annuitization as well as tax-deferred growth potential. Annuities can provide lifetime income streams.

Disability Insurance

Kemper has short-term and long-term disability insurance policies. These provide income replacement if an injury or illness prevents someone from working. The benefits help pay for living expenses during the disability period.

Getting a Quote and Applying

Getting a life insurance quote from Kemper is straightforward. Here are the steps:

1. Visit the Kemper website or call their toll-free number. You can request a quote online or speak to a licensed agent.

2. Provide some basic personal information like name, date of birth, height/weight, and contact details. 

3. Choose the type and amount of coverage you need. Term, whole, universal, and variable life policies have different premium costs.

4. Answer health and lifestyle questions that factor into pricing. Be prepared to share medical history and information about tobacco use, family health, occupation, and hobbies. 

5. Receive a personalized quote for premium costs. Premiums are based on the policy type, coverage amount, and your specific risk factors. Kemper uses technology to deliver fast quotes.

6. Proceed with the application process if you wish to purchase a policy. This involves completing all forms, paying the initial premium, and scheduling any medical exams required.  

7. Go through underwriting and get a final decision on your application. Kemper generally provides fast decisions within days or weeks.

8. Get your policy documents and insurance ID card once approved. Your coverage will be active after your first premium payment is processed.

Getting a quote is fast and easy. Kemper aims to make the application and underwriting process smooth as well. Their website has helpful resources to guide you through each step. Speak to their licensed agents if you have any questions.

Customer Service and Claims 

Kemper Life Insurance offers options to get support and help process claims. Customers can access customer service representatives by phone, email, or through the company’s website. 

The customer service phone line is available 24/7. Customers can call to get assistance with any questions or issues related to their policies, billing, claims, and more. Experienced representatives are available to provide information, address concerns, and guide customers through processes.

For non-urgent inquiries, customers can also reach out by email. Emails are typically responded to within 1-2 business days. The email contact form can be found on Kemper’s website.

To file a claim, customers can download the claim form online or request it directly from a customer service agent. The claim form will need to be filled out with details of the claim and signed. Supporting documents like a death certificate will also need to be provided. 

Once the completed claim form and documents are submitted, a claims specialist will review the claim and reach out to the beneficiary with the next steps. Kemper aims to process claims promptly, within 30 days of receiving all required information.

The customer service team is available to track claims and provide status updates. They can also answer any questions about the claims process or required documents. Kemper strives to make the claims process as smooth and simple as possible for beneficiaries during difficult times.

Their customer service aims to be responsive, transparent, and helpful throughout the process of owning a policy or filing a claim. Multiple access points are provided for customer convenience as well.

Pros and Cons of Kemper Life Insurance

Kemper Life Insurance offers some key benefits as well as potential drawbacks to consider:

Benefits of Kemper Life Insurance

• Competitive pricing – Kemper tends to offer lower premiums than many other insurance providers on comparable policies. This makes their coverage affordable for many households.
• Flexible underwriting – Kemper uses a more flexible approach to underwriting, making it easier for some people to qualify for coverage who might be declined elsewhere. This includes options for people with certain health conditions.
• Variety of policy types – Kemper provides all the major types of life insurance, including term, whole, universal, and variable policies. This range of options allows customers to find a plan that suits their needs and budget.
• Strong financial ratings – Kemper Life Insurance receives high ratings from independent agencies for financial stability. They have sufficient reserves to continue paying out claims in the future.
• Customer service – Kemper has a reputation for helpful customer service and making the process straightforward for policyholders. Many people report positive experiences when interacting with their team.

Potential Drawbacks of Kemper

• Limited policy customization – Kemper’s policies tend to be fairly standardized without as many options for customization as some other insurers provide. The coverage may not be tailored for specific situations.
• Low long-term returns – The cash value growth and dividends on Kemper’s permanent life insurance policies are relatively modest compared to competitors. Policyholders have fewer opportunities to increase the policy’s value over time.
• Fewer additional benefits – Kemper offers fewer extra add-ons and supplemental benefits compared to some insurers. There are fewer options available to enhance the base policy.
• Limited financial ratings – While Kemper has solid ratings for financial stability, they are not ranked as highly as industry leaders such as New York Life and Northwestern Mutual.

Mixed customer service reviews – While some people report very good experiences with Kemper’s customer service, others have had frustrations with long response times and unclear answers from the support team.