InsuredBetter's Western & Southern Financial Group Score
3.5 Stars
We award Western & Southern Financial Group a final rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been in the insurance industry for well over a century and has high ratings through AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The carrier specializes in life insurance but also sells critical illness insurance, key person insurance, and accidental death insurance. Annuities and mutual funds are also available.
Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1888 as The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company. Now, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc. is an entire family of financial services companies, including The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, Western-Southern Life Assurance Company, Columbus Life Insurance Company, Gerber Life Insurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, The Lafayette Life Insurance Company, National Integrity Life Insurance Company, Eagle Realty Group, LLC, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Advisors, Inc., Touchstone Securities, Inc., W&S Brokerage Services, Inc., and W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc. The carrier is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH.
Coverage is available in all states except Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York. Western & Southern loses a couple of points for not offering online claims reporting, instead encouraging customers to file over the phone. But overall, we recommend looking into the products offered by Western & Southern Financial Group with the help of your independent insurance agent.
Western & Southern Financial Group Pros and Cons:
| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
Longstanding carrier
|
No online claims reporting
|
|
Specializes in life insurance
|
No discount information available
|
|
Also offers mutual funds and annuities
|
Coverage not available in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, or New York
|
|
Coverage available in most states
|
|
|
“A+” (superior) rating by AM Best
|
|
|
“A+” (excellent) rating by the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
|
|
|
Free online quotes
|
Western & Southern Insurance Products by Type
Western & Southern specializes in life insurance coverage. The carrier's products include the following:
Life Insurance:
- Whole life insurance
- Universal life insurance
- Term life insurance
Other Insurance:
- Key person insurance
- Critical illness insurance
- Accidental death insurance
Western & Southern Whole Life Insurance
Western & Southern's whole life insurance policies are designed to remain active throughout the policyholder's entire life, as long as premiums continue to be paid. The carrier offers a few different policy options.
Coverage types, features, and benefits:
Dividend-paying whole life insurance
Western & Southern's dividend-paying whole life insurance policies come with level premium rates throughout the life of the coverage.
Non-dividend-paying whole life insurance
Western & Southern's non-dividend-paying whole life insurance policies are also known as "limited payment" whole life insurance and only require premium payments for a set amount of time.
Single premium whole life insurance
Western & Southern's single premium whole life insurance policies only require one lump sum premium payment.
Simplified issue whole life insurance
Western & Southern's simplified issue whole life insurance policies don't require applicants to pass a medical exam or complete a blood test. However, a health survey is required.
Western & Southern Whole Life Insurance Average Prices
The cost of a whole life insurance policy from Western & Southern may vary based on many different factors, including the applicant's age, current health status, occupation, location, smoking status, and more. An independent insurance agent can help you obtain quotes for a policy, or you can use our life insurance calculator to get a better idea of how much coverage might cost you.
Western & Southern Critical Illness Insurance
Western & Southern's critical illness insurance policies are designed to offer financial help after a serious medical diagnosis. Some of the carrier's coverage features are detailed below.
Coverage types, features, and benefits:
Medical expenses
Western & Southern's critical illness insurance includes medical expenses coverage, which can help pay for doctor visits, deductibles, coinsurance, and travel expenses to treatment facilities.
Recovery time
Western & Southern's critical illness insurance can reimburse policyholders for time away from work during recovery and also pay for childcare expenses during recovery or doctor visits.
Necessities
Western & Southern's critical illness insurance can help pay for daily living expenses during a serious illness, such as meal preparation, cleaning, and more.
What Discounts Does Western & Southern Offer?
Western & Southern does not make information about its specific discounts readily available. An independent insurance agent can provide better discount information and premium quotes for coverage through Western & Southern Financial Group. When it comes to coverage, independent insurance agents work hard to help get you the most for your money.
Western & Southern Customer Service
Western & Southern offers phone claims reporting during business hours. The carrier provides the following customer service options:
- Phone
- Fax
- Snail mail
Customer service and claims phone department has the following hour restrictions:
| Days | Hours (EST) |
| Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Saturday | CLOSED |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
To ensure a great customer service experience, work together with an independent insurance agent. These agents can help handle claims and other matters for you so you can relax and enjoy your coverage.
Western & Southern Insurance FAQs
What is Western & Southern's average claim response time frame?
Western & Southern offers claims reporting by phone during business hours. The insurance company does not provide an official claims response time frame promise.
What is Western & Southern's customer service availability?
Western & Southern allows customers to file claims over the phone during typical business hours. The carrier's phone department is available during extended hours, Monday through Friday. Customers can also contact the carrier via email, fax, or snail mail. Online claims reporting is not available, which sets the carrier behind many other modern carriers.
What is Western & Southern's claims process?
Western & Southern does not detail its specific claims process on the official website beyond how to file. Customers who have questions can either contact the carrier directly or work with an independent insurance agent who can file claims for them.
Does Western & Southern's insurance create a user-friendly experience for customers?
Western & Southern’s official website is easy to navigate. However, claims reporting by phone is encouraged, and customers cannot file claims online. The carrier's phone department is available Monday through Friday.
Western & Southern does have an extensive social media presence that extends across Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube, which makes them more accessible to customers. However, overall, Western & Southern falls a bit behind in terms of user-friendliness.
Does Western & Southern have good life insurance?
Western & Southern offers several options for life insurance customers, including whole life insurance, universal life insurance, and term life insurance. The carrier offers coverage options with no medical exam required and sells policies with a single premium payment and options for coverage with level premiums.
Is Western & Southern a good insurance company?
Western & Southern is rated "A+" by both AM Best and the BBB and offers several types of life insurance coverage. Products are available in every state except Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York. Overall, it can be said that Western & Southern is a fairly good insurance company.
Who are Western & Southern's insurance products right for?
Western & Southern's insurance products may be right for individuals in search of life insurance coverage, critical illness insurance, or key person insurance. Customers in search of accidental death insurance may also find the coverage they need from Western & Southern.
How much are Western & Southern's average life insurance rates?
Life insurance premiums can vary greatly depending on the age, location, and health status of the applicant. As such, Western & Southern does not provide information about average pricing.
Sources
https://www.westernsouthern.com/
https://www.bbb.org/us/oh/cincinnati/profile/financial-services/western-southern-financial-group-inc-0292-2811
https://news.ambest.com/PR/PressContent.aspx?altsrc=3&RefNum=32936&URatingId=-1
