CSO

What CSO does

CSO (Central States Health & Life Co. of Omaha) is a mutually owned U.S. insurance company founded in 1932 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with 101-250 employees. It underwrites and administers a diversified portfolio of niche insurance products anchored in debt protection: credit life and credit disability insurance, debt cancellation programs for installment loans and lines of credit, and contractual liability policies issued through its subsidiary Censtat Casualty Company to indemnify lenders. Beyond debt protection, CSO sells Dental, Vision and Hearing policies (underwritten using the DenteMax preferred provider network of 263,000+ access points) and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance covering gaps in Medicare Parts A and B.

The company generates revenue primarily through recurring insurance premiums and monthly debt cancellation program fees, with multiple distinct pricing constructs by product line. Credit insurance premiums are typically financed into the loan amount at origination, while DVH and Medicare Supplement plans are quote-based monthly subscriptions, and contractual liability insurance functions as a B2B indemnification fee. CSO's go-to-market relies on business partner distribution — automobile dealerships, credit unions, banks, and finance companies — supplemented by a network of licensed agents for Medicare Supplement and DVH products, direct-to-consumer quote capability via cso.com, and self-service policyholder portals (dashboard.cso.com) that process claims with an average turnaround under five days for credit insurance.

CSO's operational platform is built around proprietary web-based partner and policyholder portals — ezDCC for debt cancellation enrollment, ezLink for credit union account management, ezAudit for annual partner audits, and the State Licensing Portal — integrated with the DenteMax dental provider network for DVH claims. The company holds an AM Best Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) (2025) covering CSO and its reinsurance and P&C subsidiaries, has completed SOC 2 Type 2 audits annually since 2012, and operates as a mutual structure owned by its policyholders with no disclosed parent company or external equity investors.

Name

CSO

Legal name

Central States Health & Life Co. of Omaha

Website

https://cso.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CSO is a mutually owned Omaha-based insurance company underwriting credit life and disability insurance, debt cancellation programs, Dental/Vision/Hearing policies, and Medicare Supplement products, distributed primarily through auto dealerships, credit unions, and banks across most U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Credit and Health Insurance

NAICS

Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411), Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers (524114), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (52412), Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAIAGAH

Medicare Plan Distribution & Brokerage (Captive, Independent, FMOs)

Financial & Insurance/Insurance — Life & Health/Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

Keywords

• Credit insurance
• Debt cancellation programs
• Dental vision hearing insurance
• Medicare supplement insurance
• Mutual insurance company

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Credit Insurance Premiums: CSO underwrites credit life and credit disability insurance sold alongside credit transactions. Premiums are paid by borrowers as part of their loan arrangements. CSO is a top provider of credit insurance to the U.S. dealer market.
2. Debt Cancellation Program Fees: Monthly fee debt cancellation programs protect installment lending and line of credit loans offered by banks, credit unions, and finance companies. Fees are collected for coverage against death, disability, or involuntary unemployment.
3. Dental, Vision and Hearing Insurance Premiums: Individual and family policies providing coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services with various benefit levels and network options.
4. Medicare Supplement Insurance Premiums: Policies that supplement Medicare coverage, helping pay gaps in Medicare coverage including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
5. Contractual Liability Insurance: CSO issues contractual liability policies through subsidiary Censtat Casualty Company to indemnify lenders for risks related to debt cancellation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CSO is a mutually owned insurance company that underwrites and administers credit life and credit disability insurance, debt cancellation programs for lenders, dental/vision/hearing (DVH) individual policies, and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance. Products are distributed through auto dealerships, credit unions, banks, finance companies, and licensed agents, with internal digital portals supporting enrollment, policy management, and claims processing.

Product overview

CSO (Central States Health & Life Co. of Omaha) is a mutually owned insurance company offering a diversified portfolio of insurance products and services. The company operates as a platform of distinct, interconnected insurance offerings rather than a single unified product. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Credit Insurance (Credit Life and Credit Disability Insurance) marketed through automobile dealerships, credit unions, and banks to protect borrowers and loan portfolios; (2) Debt Cancellation Programs offering optional loan protection that cancels borrower obligations upon death, disability, or involuntary unemployment; (3) Dental, Vision and Hearing Policies providing coverage for oral health, vision correction, and hearing services with access to the DenteMax provider network; and (4) Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) covering gaps in Medicare costs. The company also provides Contractual Liability Insurance for Lenders through subsidiary Censtat Casualty Company, and has expanded through acquisition/administration of Arkansas Bankers Life and First National Life Insurance Company policies. All products are supported by internal web-based portals for claims, policy management, and provider access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Credit Life Insurance Insurance that pays off or reduces a borrower's loan balance upon their death from a covered sickness or injury. Available in multiple coverage options including Gross Pay Decreasing Life, Net Pay +2 Decreasing Life, Truncated Net Pay +2 Decreasing Life, and Level Life. Benefits are paid to the financial institution holding the loan.
• Credit Disability Insurance Insurance that pays scheduled monthly loan payments (or a portion of them) if a borrower becomes totally disabled due to a covered sickness or injury. Available with Full Term of Insurance or Critical Period Disability coverage options and waiting periods of 7, 14, or 30 days. Benefits are paid to the financial institution.
• Debt Cancellation Programs Optional monthly-fee loan protection programs allowing cancellation of all or a portion of a borrower's obligation to repay an installment loan or line of credit upon death, disability, or involuntary unemployment. CSO provides program administration and indemnification to lenders via its subsidiary Censtat Casualty Company.
• Dental, Vision and Hearing Policy Individual and family insurance policy covering preventative, diagnostic, restorative, and prosthodontic dental services; vision services including eye exams, lenses, frames, and contact lenses; and hearing services including exams, hearing aids, and repairs. Includes access to the DenteMax preferred provider network with 263,000+ dental access points. Available benefit levels include $1,000 and $1,500 with $100 annual deductible.
• Medicare Supplement Insurance Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance standardized by the federal government that works with Medicare Part A and B to cover gaps in healthcare costs including deductibles, coinsurance, and co-payments. CSO offers Plans A, B, F (including high-deductible), G, K, L, and N with responsive customer service, household discounts, and timely claims processing.
• Contractual Liability Insurance for Lenders Insurance products issued by subsidiary Censtat Casualty Company that provide indemnification to lenders for risks related to cancellation of borrower debt due to death, disability, or involuntary unemployment events under debt cancellation programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 5-day average turnaround for credit insurance claims processing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arkansas Bankers Life Insurance Company (ABL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2024Effective August 20, 2024, CSO assumed all active Arkansas Bankers Life (ABL) credit insurance policies. This means CSO assumes responsibility for all policyholder services during the term of the insurance policy, including insurance risk, claim and refund processing.
• ASG ResultsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerASG Results works with CSO to help banks, finance companies, and credit unions generate additional loan volume and noninterest income through comprehensive analysis, consultation, and training in consumer lending and ancillary product sales, with emphasis on direct auto lending. Through this partnership, products such as Vehicle Service Contracts and Guaranteed Asset Protection are offered.
• DenteMaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationDenteMax provides CSO's dental policy with a preferred provider network. The network includes 263,000+ dental access points nationwide with negotiated rates typically 20-40% below dentists' usual charges. Providers undergo rigorous credentialing with re-credentialing every three years.
• First National Life Insurance Company of the USA (FNL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEffective July 1, 2021, CSO became administrator of credit insurance policies underwritten by First National Life Insurance Company of the USA. CSO processes life and disability policies, refunds, and claims on policies underwritten by FNL. Policyholders call (800) 826-6587 for assistance.
• Censtat Life Assurance CompanycoreOthersSubsidiary company of CSO - an Arizona stock reinsurance corporation. Part of CSO's organizational structure alongside Censtat Casualty Company, Censtat Services, Inc., Censtat Financial, Inc., and Censtat Reinsurance Company, LTD.
• Censtat Casualty CompanycoreOthersSubsidiary company of CSO - a Nebraska stock property and casualty insurance company. Issues contractual liability policies to provide indemnification to lenders for risks related to debt cancellation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 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 CSO