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Zander Insurance Review

Zander Insurance review
Insurance Quotes 2 Day Team

Written By Doug Mitchell

Doug Mitchell, CLU holds a BA degree in Finance from Auburn University as well as having obtained a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from The American College in Bryn Mahr, PA.  Doug has spent close to 30 years in the insurance and financial planning industry and has held licenses to sell securities, long-term care insurance, health.  Doug is also a financial blogger addressing the topics of life insurance, annuities and retirement income planning.

Holly Mitchell  &

Holly Mitchell’s background in life insurance insurance goes back to 1985 when she worked for her father who was a New York Life agent. Holly has a marketing degree from Auburn University and has had a life insurance license since 2008. In addition to advising life insurance for customers all around the country, Holly is our website fact checker.

Rob Pinner   &

Rob Pinner is the founder and CEO of Pinner Financial Services servicing all 50 states. Rob started his insurance career in 2002.

Louis LaBash

Results-driven and innovative life insurance professional with 30 plus years of life insurance industry sales and marketing experience. Recognized as a pioneer in the field, leveraging phone and internet channels to exceed personal sales of over $100 million during the first decade of the 21st century. Creator of a highly effective intuitive IUL life insurance sales software that facilitated the sale of millions of dollars of indexed universal policies by numerous life insurance agents. Proven track record as a Managing General Agent (MGA), Life Agent, IUL Life Insurance Sales Software developer, and leading-edge creator of insurance marketing tools, educational content, and delivery systems.

 12 minute read

First off, we are not Zander Insurance.

This is our Zander insurance review which we consider fair and balanced.

Most of the time when we publish insurance review articles, we focus on insurance companies and not insurance agencies.

However, in this review article, we are going to drill-down into Zander Insurance, an insurance agency that provides multiple lines of insurance.

Since Zander Insurance is a well-known insurance agency that offers life insurance, health insurance, homeowners’ insurance and auto insurance, and disability insurance, you can certainly consider them as a one-stop-shop.

If there is any one thing that allows Zander Insurance to stand out among its competitors, it’s that the agency does not offer any cash-value type of life insurance.

They offer term life insurance and only term life insurance.

No whole life and no universal life, no indexed universal life, or any variations thereof.

Their reason for not offering any permanent life insurance products appears to be motivated by their solid belief that cash value life insurance is not worth the money charged. This is certainly strongly backed up by Dave Ramsey, a nationally known author, and an American businessman.

Although InsuranceQuotes2Day does not fully subscribe to Mr. Ramsey’s opinion about cash-value life insurance, you simply cannot ignore the fact that he has helped hundreds of thousands of families across the U.S. take control of their finances and learn how to eliminate debt. Mr. Ramsey is an advocate for Zander term life insurance and we represent many of the same insurance companies that are currently represented by Zander.

 

Who is Zander?

 

Established in the 1920s, the Zander insurance company is steeped in tradition and is currently managed by the family’s fourth generation of insurance professionals. Although family-owned, Zander Insurance group has a very large footprint in the U.S. and represents highly-rated insurers by implementing cutting-edge technology.

Operating as The Zander Insurance Group, the company’s headquarters are located in Nashville, Tennessee. One of Zander’s missions is to simplify the process of purchasing insurance products by allowing their clients and prospective clients to purchase a complete portfolio of insurance products from one office that they can trust with their financial protection.

It’s also important to note that The Zander Insurance Group’s product line is not limited to personal lines. The company also provides a complete selection of commercial insurance products that include employee benefits, commercial business insurance, Zander term life insurance, and workers’ compensation.

 

Where is Zander Insurance located?

The Zander Insurance offices are located in Nashville, TN:

6213 Charlotte Avenue, Charlotte Pike
Nashville, TN  37209
Phone: 800-356-4282
email: info@zanderins.com

 

Zander Insurance Review – Term Life Insurance

 

The Zander Term Life insurance products are typically the most affordable term life insurance products available in the marketplace.

For example, we ran a Zander insurance quote on their website for a 30-year old female non-smoker in very good health for a $500,000 20-year term policy and received quotes back from eight major insurers with monthly rates less than $25 which make Zander Insurance quotes competitive but not the lowest available.

Here are the best offers from lowest to highest:

 

Protective Life

Protective Life logo

Protective came back with their Protective Classic Choice Term 20 priced at $243.80 or $20.84 per month.

Protective Life Insurance is a well known and highly-rated insurance company. They have been in business for more than 100 years and during that time have helped U.S. families protect their futures through very affordable life insurance. Protective is currently rated A+ by A.M. Best, one of the leading insurance company rating services worldwide.

 

AIG – American General Life Insurance

 

AIG Review

AIG or American General life, delivered a term insurance rate similar to Protective with their Select-a-Term 20-year term policy priced at $244.00 or $20.86 per month.

AIG is another insurer that has been operating for over 100 years and offers insurance products worldwide. The company has won accolades for business innovation, top 100 internship programs, and best places to work. The company has received an A+ rating from Standard & Poor’s and an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best.

 

Legal and General, also known as Banner Life or William Penn

 

Legal and General logo

 

Next in line is Legal & General’s OPTerm 20 that came in with an annual rate of $243.76 or 20.96 per month.

When it comes to term life insurance, Legal & General ranks in the top five nationally issuing over $53 billion in new policies in 2017. The company has about $5 Billion in assets and has an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best rating services.  Banner Life or Legal and General is represented by William Penn in the state of New York.

 

Pacific Life

 

pacific life logo

 

Coming in at number four in our group is Pacific Life’s PL Promise Term 20 with an annual rate of $246.75 and $20.97 per month.

Pacific Life offers a complete portfolio of insurance products and has earned a rating of A+ from A.M. Best. As a very affordable priced term provider, it’s no wonder they are close to the top in our Zander life insurance quote.

 

SBLI or Savings Bank Life Insurance Company

 

SBLI logo

 

SBLI is another very competitive insurer when it comes to term life insurance from Zander Insurance. SBLI returned a very competitive quote of $256.19 annually and $22.29 per month. This policy uses a unique no medical exam underwriting approach.  Zander insurance delivers affordable life insurance with companies like SBLI.

SBLI has consistently received high ratings like their A (excellent) rating from A.M. Best and has a very stable outlook to pay claims and ongoing operating expenses.

 

Transamerica

 

Transamerica logo

Another well-known insurance company and coming in at #6 is Transamerica. Transamerica has always been very competitive and offers very affordable rates with their Trendsetter Super 20 product. The annual rate for this Zander life insurance quote is $265.00 or $22.79 per month.

 

Mutual or Omaha or United of Omaha

 

Mutual of Omaha logo

 

Probably one of the most well-known insurance carriers in the U.S. is Mutual of Omaha. Mutual’s Term Life Answers 20 came in at $262.50 annually and $22.97 per month. It’s interesting that only about $3.00 separates the #1 company from the #7 company.

 

North American

 

North American Company logo

 

Although possibly not as well-known as other life insurers listed here, most agents understand that North American Company is a very competitive life insurer and provides very affordable term insurance rates. North American’s ADDvantage 20 product is priced at $275 annually and $24.20 per month.

North American Company and sister company Midland National offer a complete portfolio of life insurance products and annuities and enjoys an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best. Certainly, any of the insurance companies listed here would be an excellent choice for affordable term life insurance.

 

Why does Zander offer Only Term Insurance?

 

As we mentioned earlier, Zander Insurance management completely agrees with Dave Ramsey’s Zander Insurance Review financial opinion about term insurance versus cash value insurance, in fact, Mr. Ramsey is featured in several places on their website. Dave Ramsey has issued the following statement about life insurance:

“I recommend Term Life Insurance because it is the most affordable type of protection. Insurance is all about protection – not savings! Cash value plans are just a waste. If you need access to the savings in your policy you have to borrow it and pay interest. When you die, the insurance company pays your beneficiary but keeps your savings. Don’t buy cash value plans. It just doesn’t make sense!” Dave Ramsey

Please don’t misunderstand, we don’t necessarily agree or disagree with Zander Insurance Group about their product selection and we are in no way affiliated with them. We believe that consumers who are looking for life insurance or annuity products should have the choice of purchasing an insurance product that best meets their needs, circumstances, and their budget.

There are certain circumstances when Zander term life insurance will be the most appropriate product to purchase, especially for younger families who may have accumulated considerable debt. But it’s important to remember that term insurance is temporary unless the policyholder converts their policy to permanent insurance before their term coverage expires.

 

When is Term Life Insurance not a Good Choice?

 

Individuals and families have different financial needs and most plan for the future in different ways. A large portion of America gets their life insurance through their employer as well as a retirement plan like a 401k. Although the 401k money can easily be transferred (rolled over) to another retirement plan if you leave the company, typically your life insurance does not.

By having a permanent type of life insurance like Indexed Universal Life, your coverage will stay in force as long as you need it and it will follow you wherever you go. 

Here are some typical circumstances when Zander term life insurance will likely not be your best choice:

  • If you are a senior and need final expense insurance. Many seniors realize just before it’s too late that the life insurance they had through work will cancel when they retire or maybe they do not have any life insurance at all. In these cases (and there are very many), a senior will need to purchase Final Expense Insurance (using whole life insurance) because term policies will not fit that particular need. A term insurer will not insure an 80-year-old person, they require a purchase of at least $50,000 which would likely be unaffordable, and a term policy expires.
  • You want permanent insurance that builds cash value. The old saying “buy term and invest the rest” really only works for individuals who are principled in saving and investing. It also doesn’t work well if you invest in low-interest mutual funds. If you want to earn realistic interest on your money and never lose money if the market goes south, Indexed Universal Life would be a better solution. Plus the IUL policy can develop a tax-free income stream that works perfectly to supplement your retirement.
  • Estate Conservation and Planning. I’m not aware of any financial planner who would recommend term insurance for estate conservation or planning. It just won’t work. People with high net worth need to take the necessary steps to protect their assets from being taxed when they pass on and leave their estate to their children. Here again, we would recommend a survivorship policy and you cannot do this with term insurance.

Why is Term Insurance so much Cheaper?

 

Life insurance rates are based on mortality rates. Simply put, the more a type of life insurance pays out, the higher the rates will be. Since term insurance is TEMPORARY, most policyholders outlive their policy and thus the insurer pays out far fewer claims than a permanent policy. And, since many term policies allow the policyholder to convert their term insurance to permanent insurance (a new policy), the insured ends up with a completely different policy before their term policy expires. The bottom line is insurance companies rarely pay out death claims from term policies compared to permanent policies.

If you decide to renew your term policy, this is where your cheap insurance starts to balloon in pricing. Let’s say you are 30 years old and you have a $500,000 30-year term policy. Most companies will offer to renew the policy but the renewal term is for one year and is based on your current age at renewal. This means every year your insurance premium will increase as you get older and will soon be 30 or 40 times what you originally paid for it and to make matters worse there is no value in your policy unless you die.

With permanent life insurance like whole life or universal life, your premium never increases. And, since you own your insurance rather than rent it (like you would with term), a portion of your premiums are being converted to a savings account that will earn interest over the life of your policy. As the cost of your term policy soars when as you get older, your cost for permanent insurance actually shrinks over time because the cash value and the death benefit increase substantially over time.

 

Can Term Life Insurance help Me Accumulate Wealth?

 

In a nutshell, no.

Term Life Insurance will not help you to accumulate wealth for retirement and as a matter of fact, many of the products being promoted by Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman will fall short of accumulating the wealth you’ll need to live a comfortable retirement.

Traditional retirement products like the 401(k), IRA, and company pension plan, will likely fall short of accumulating the wealth you’ll need for retirement, especially if you expect to live into your 90s.

Although Dave and Suze have good advice when it comes to living without debt, their advice is primarily for middle America and they completely leave out high net-worth individuals and families.

If term insurance is the only insurance worth buying, then why do the majority of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies use Indexed Universal Life insurance as a major part of their retirement planning? You won’t read this in Zander insurance reviews.

If term insurance is the only insurance worth buying, then why do so many business owners use whole life insurance to fund their “Be your own Banker” plan?

If term insurance is the only insurance worth buying, then why do so many business owners use Indexed Universal Life insurance for business continuation plans like Buy-Sell agreements and Key Person insurance? A Zander Insurance review is unlikely to list this issue as well.

Please don’t misunderstand. We don’t think that Dave Ramsey is providing bad advice to his audience, in fact, we agree that reducing or eliminating debt is a good thing to work towards. But, and this is a very important “but,” Dave Ramsey’s advice is not targeted at high net-worth people. Knowing this, we assume that Zander Insurance Group prefers to do business with only the middle class and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. Our objection is simple: why turn your back on a very large segment of wealthy individuals?

 

What Should I do if I need to Accumulate Wealth for Retirement?

 

Good question! If your concern is about building a retirement plan that will deliver an income stream to pay for a lifestyle you are accustomed to, you will need to make sure that your wealth accumulation is not severely impacted by federal and state taxes or fees that are associated with many investment products.

We recommend a very good book called the Power of Zero.  

This is a fairly short read that helps the reader understand the Power of Zero and how it can have such a positive impact on your retirement planning.

In The Power of Zero, David McKnight does an excellent job explaining that a portion of your retirement plan must be non-taxable and he provides examples of what happens to a bucket of money if it is taxable. Remember, in the 21st century, men and women typically live much longer than ever before which means we must now accumulate more wealth than ever before if we expect to have a comfortable retirement.

What could be even worse, is if a retiree becomes very ill and must live the rest of their life in a long-term care facility and by doing so, completely deletes their retirement savings in a matter of a few years. Will term life insurance provide enough money for long-term care? No, it won’t but an IUL policy with a long-term care rider will and most of the companies we listed earlier for term insurance also offer Indexed Universal Life insurance.

So then, if you feel like you need more than just a temporary death benefit, take some additional time and learn about how cash value life insurance like Indexed Universal life can help you accumulate the wealth you need for an awesome retirement.

Feature/BenefitTerm InsuranceIndexed Universal Life
Permanent Coverage?NoYes - If premium is paid
Lifetime Coverage?NoYes - If premium is paid
Tax-Free Death Benefit?YesYes
Builds Cash Value?NoYes
Earnings on Cash Value?NoYes
Cash value losses?N/ANo
Policy Loans?NoYes
Taxable Withdrawals?N/ANo tax on withdrawals

 

Zander Insurance Reviews

Although there are very few Zander life insurance reviews on the web, in our opinion they must be doing a great job for their clients even with a limited product selection because they’ve been serving their customers for four generations.

We, like Zander Insurance, only do business with highly-rated companies and we represent many of them so that we can deliver the best solution possible for our clients and prospective clients.

We differ when it comes to product selection. Even though we provide term life insurance at very affordable rates, we also offer many types of permanent life insurance like indexed universal life, guaranteed universal life and whole life insurance that provides more than just a death benefit.  We even offer disability insurance, critical illness insurance, and chronic illness insurance.  These can be stand-alone policies or riders to your life insurance policy.

 

Frequently asked Questions

What is Zander Life Insurance?

Zander is not a life insurance company but rather a life insurance agency. Zander only sells Term Life. 

Why does Zander only offer term insurance?

document in hand graphic

Their reason for not offering any permanent life insurance products (cash value life insurance) appears to be motivated by their solid belief that cash value life insurance is not worth the money charged. This is certainly strongly backed up by Dave Ramsey, a nationally known author, and an American businessman.

Does Zander of low-cost term life insurance?

woman with list graphic

Zander represents the top highly-rated life insurance companies with very competitive prices on term insurance. Some of their most competitive providers are:


Protective Life
AIG
Banner Life
Transamerica

Are their positive Zander Life Insurance Reviews on the Web?

Yes, the Zander Group has many positive life insurance reviews online but there are also some that criticize the company for not offering cash-value life insurance for prospective customers who don’t want a temporary life insurance policy.

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To find out if Term Insurance will work best for your circumstances and to get a free and confidential quote, run a quick quote from the form on this page.
author avatar
Doug Mitchell, CLU Independant Advisor
Doug Mitchell, CLU holds a BA degree in Finance from Auburn University as well as having obtained a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from The American College in Bryn Mahr, PA. Doug has spent almost 30 years in the life insurance industry and has also held licenses to sell securities, long-term care insurance and home and auto insurance. Doug is a Top of the Table Million Dollar Round Table member (MDRT).  MDRT is a global, independent association of the world's leading life insurance advisors.  For two years, Doug served as President of the Auburn Opelika Association of Financial Advisors and has been a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He obtained Life Millionaire status at Horace Mann Insurance Company and was awarded the Life Agent of the Year Award. Later in his career with New York Life he was an Executive Council Member. Doug currently serves as President of Ogletree Financial, a managing general agency serving life insurance agents and clients in all parts of the United States. Today, Doug’s main focus is servicing 1000s of policyholders and growing the agency through the reach of  insurancequotes2day.com.

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