Kansas City Life Insurance Company

What Kansas City Life Insurance Company does

Kansas City Life Insurance Company is a 130-year-old, family-controlled life insurance and annuity carrier domiciled in Kansas City, Missouri, publicly traded on the OTCQX market under the ticker KCLI. Founded in 1895 as Bankers Life Association and renamed in 1900, the company has been led by four generations of the Bixby family since 1904, with Walter E. 'Web' Bixby serving as President and CEO since 2022. It offers a full portfolio of individual life insurance products — Term Life, Universal Life, Return of Premium, Indexed Universal Life, Variable Universal Life, and Whole Life — alongside fixed, variable, and indexed annuities and Group Benefits, distributed through more than 2,500 field agents and general agencies spanning 49 states and the District of Columbia.

The company operates through three wholly owned subsidiaries: Old American Insurance Company (acquired 1991), which targets final expense and retirement income products for seniors aged 50–85 across 49 states and DC; Grange Life Insurance Company (acquired 2018), which distributes life insurance products across 15 states from a Columbus, Ohio platform; and Sunset Financial Services Inc., a captive broker/dealer distributing variable life and variable annuity products, including the Century II Variable Product Series. The company manages a diversified investment portfolio of fixed maturity securities, commercial mortgage loans, real estate, and equity securities, and benefits from the higher interest rate environment through improved investment yields. It maintains an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent) with a stable outlook as of December 2025.

Kansas City Life generates revenue from three primary streams: insurance premiums on traditional individual and group life, immediate annuities, and accident and health products; investment income from its diversified portfolio; and fees, contract charges, and interest from universal life, variable universal life, and fixed and variable annuity deposits. Pricing is actuarial and quote-based, varying by product, coverage amount, age, health, and policy features, with monthly premium billing. The company serves more than 500,000 policyholders nationwide through a multi-channel model combining agency sales, a wholly owned broker/dealer, and digital self-service account management, with CCPA compliance for California residents and a 'Security Assured' brand promise rooted in its long operating history.

Name

Kansas City Life Insurance Company

Legal name

Kansas City Life Insurance Company

Website

https://kclife.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Kansas City Life Insurance Company is a 130-year-old, family-controlled life insurance and annuity carrier that distributes Term, Universal, Whole, Indexed, and Variable Life products, annuities, and Group Benefits through 2,500+ agents serving more than 500,000 policyholders across 49 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Life Insurance and Annuities

NAICS

Direct Life Insurance Carriers (524113), Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Whole Life Insurance (FSAIABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Universal Life (UL) Insurance (FSAIABAB), Final Expense / Burial Life Insurance (FSAIABAF), Basic Group Term Life (Employer-Paid) (FSAIADAA)

Keywords

• Life insurance products
• Annuity products
• Group benefits
• Final expense insurance
• Insurance underwriting

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums: Revenue from premiums on traditional individual and group life insurance products, immediate annuities, and accident and health products. Also includes contract charges from interest-sensitive and deposit-type products.
2. Investment Income: Returns on investment portfolio including fixed maturity securities, commercial mortgage loans, real estate properties, and equity securities. The company benefits from higher interest rates supporting improved yields on investments.
3. Annuity Deposits: Deposits from universal life insurance, variable universal life, fixed annuities, and variable annuities generate fee and interest income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kansas City Life Insurance Company underwrites and distributes individual and group life insurance products (Term, Whole, Universal, Indexed Universal, Variable Universal, and Return of Premium life) alongside fixed, variable, and indexed annuity products. The company serves more than 500,000 policyholders in 49 states and the District of Columbia through a field force of more than 2,500 agents and general agencies, with variable products distributed through its wholly owned broker/dealer subsidiary Sunset Financial Services. Specialized final-arrangements and retirement income products for seniors ages 50-85 are marketed through Old American Insurance Company, while protection products in 15 states are sold through Grange Life Insurance Company.

Product overview

Kansas City Life Insurance Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of individual life insurance and annuity products through multiple distribution channels. The core product lineup includes Term Life, Universal Life, Return of Premium, Indexed Universal Life, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life, and Annuities, with Group Benefits for employer markets. The company operates through three main subsidiaries: Old American Insurance Company (serving seniors 50-85 with final arrangements products), Grange Life Insurance Company (offering protection products across 15 states), and Sunset Financial Services (distributing variable products). The Century II Variable Product Series is distributed through Sunset Financial Services. The company serves 49 states and the District of Columbia through a force of more than 2,500 agents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Term Life Insurance Term life insurance provides coverage for a specified period (term) at affordable rates, offering financial protection for temporary needs. Designed for individuals and families seeking straightforward death-benefit protection during defined periods such as working years or mortgage terms.
• Universal Life Insurance Universal life insurance combines flexible death benefit coverage with a savings component that accumulates cash value at interest rates tied to market performance. Offered to individual policyholders seeking permanent coverage with adjustable premiums and benefits.
• Return of Premium Term Life Return of premium term life insurance refunds all premiums paid if the policyholder outlives the term period, providing a money-back feature. Targeted at individuals who want term coverage with a savings-back guarantee at the end of the level term period.
• Indexed Universal Life Insurance Indexed universal life insurance links cash value growth to the performance of a stock market index, offering potential for higher returns with downside protection. Built for individuals seeking permanent life coverage with equity-market-linked cash value accumulation and a floor against losses.
• Variable Universal Life Insurance Variable universal life insurance allows policyholders to allocate cash value among investment sub-accounts, with returns directly tied to market performance. Distributed through Sunset Financial Services Inc., the company's wholly owned broker/dealer. Intended for individuals comfortable with market-linked cash value and investment sub-account choices.
• Whole Life Insurance Whole life insurance provides permanent coverage with guaranteed death benefits and fixed premiums, building cash value over time. Designed for individuals and families seeking lifelong coverage with predictable premiums and guaranteed cash value accumulation.
• Annuities Annuities provide guaranteed income streams for retirement, with options including fixed, variable, and indexed products. Built for individuals planning retirement income, with variable and indexed options distributed through Sunset Financial Services Inc.
• Group Benefits Group benefit products provide life insurance and related coverage for employers and organizations, typically at discounted group rates. Targeted at employers seeking employee benefits packages including group life insurance coverage.
• Old American Insurance Company - Final Arrangements and Retirement Income Products Old American Insurance Company is a wholly owned subsidiary focused on final arrangements planning, Social Security and retirement income replacement insurance, and charitable giving life insurance. It primarily serves seniors ages 50-85 across 49 states and DC.
• Grange Life Insurance Company - Protection Products Grange Life Insurance Company is a wholly owned subsidiary specializing in life insurance protection including income replacement, mortgage protection, wealth transfer, and final expenses, operating across 15 states and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since 1968.

Quantifiable outcome

• Q1 2026 net income of $9.6 million, more than doubling from $4.2 million in Q1 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Primerica: Term life specialist using a large independent sales force to serve middle-income households — comparable in distribution model (large agent network) and individual life insurance focus, though more concentrated in term life than Kansas City Life.
• Brighthouse Financial: Public life and annuity company spun out of MetLife with significant variable annuity and life insurance exposure — overlaps with Kansas City Life's variable universal life and annuity franchises, but at materially larger scale.
• Corebridge Financial: Large life and retirement services company offering individual life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, and group benefits — a broader incumbent competitor in substantially the same product categories.
• Equitable Holdings: Large diversified life insurer, annuity provider, and asset manager with overlapping variable annuity, indexed universal life, and group benefits products, but with substantially greater scale and broader distribution.
• Voya Financial: Mid-sized retirement, investment, and life insurance company with comparable individual life, group benefits, and annuity offerings distributed through independent agents and advisors.
• Lincoln National Corporation: Diversified life insurer and annuity provider offering individual life, group benefits, and retirement solutions through multiple distribution channels — overlaps across most of Kansas City Life's product portfolio.

Direct peers

• F&G Annuities & Life: Specialty life insurer and annuity provider focused on indexed annuities, fixed indexed universal life, and immediate annuities for retirement planning — overlaps directly with Kansas City Life's indexed universal life and annuity products.
• National Western Life Insurance Group: Small, publicly traded traditional life insurer and annuity provider with a similar niche, agent-distributed product portfolio (whole life, UL, term, annuities) serving a comparable customer base of individual policyholders and seniors.
• Security Benefit Corporation: Privately held insurance and retirement services company offering annuities, life insurance, and mutual funds through independent advisors — directly comparable in product mix (annuities + life) and individual/senior target market.
• Globe Life: Mid-sized life and supplemental health insurer using a large agent/captive sales force to distribute whole life, term life, and annuities to individuals and families — directly comparable business model and customer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kansascitylife
• Facebookfacebook.com/KansasCityLife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansascitylife

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kansas City Life Insurance Company