Knights of Columbus
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Written by
Jeffrey Johnson
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UPDATED: Aug 20, 2020
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Company Overview:
Company History: Knights of Columbus, a Catholic Fraternal Society founded in 1881, New Haven, CT, is now the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. During World War I the Order provided recreational facilities, rest, and social services to Allied servicemen of all races and faiths. The Great Depression spurred the establishment of the Order’s Service Department in 1935. In 1946 the Knights launched the Crusade for the Preservation and Promotion of American Ideals, publishing a number of pamphlets and books focused on the “perils of communism”. From 1960 to 1975 the amount of in force insurance tripled from $1 to $3 billion. Now, the Order has over $86 billion of insurance in force. It also has 14,606 councils and 1.84 million members worldwide. The Knights of Columbus as a whole has contributed over 70.1 trillion hours of service and has donated over $167.6 trillion dollars to charitable causes.
Principle Sales Methods: Independent agents and brokers.
Life Annuity Business: Knights of Columbus Life sells whole life insurance, limited payment life insurance, discoverer (blend of whole life and term insurance, dualife (blend of whole life and term that insures 2 lives), annual renewable term policies and accelerator term series. They also offer a variety of annuities.
Health Business: Knights of Columbus offers long term care and disability income policies.
Special Business: Knights of Columbus offers Young Adult Insurance for people ages 18 to 29.
Charged me for two months premium when policy was not in hand do to Medical test and resulting in about $ 370.00 of premiums being paid ( I dont think they would have paid if I had died in those two months since policy was not in hand ).Then when I decided to go with a reputable company they set on the cancilation for 45 days resulting in two More months of delays for me and my wife another $ 500.00 I think this company makes a lot of Money in the name of Religion and I will nolonger be apart of it.
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The K of C is not in the insurance business to make money off of their customers. They are a fraternal organization designed to take care of widows and orphans of Catholic men who die unexpectedly.
The fact they turn their profits back to the customers does not alleviate them from having to assess the risk associated with their customers applications. It will take a while to get approved for large policies, but the K of C is worth working with if you want piece of mind for your family.
They also make your whole life policies a better investment over the long run because the profits from your premiums are not *all* kept by the company.
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The Knights have the highest ratings in the industry and one of the highest sustainable dividend rates.
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Our agent took his time explaining the benefits of both term and whole life. In fact, we went through a very informative financial plan for our family. This was the first time we did not feel intimidated by the complexities of the insurance industry. We would definitely recommend this company.
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Excellent God-fearing Insurance Agents
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I was told when I purchased this policy in 1995 that I would never have to pay premiumns if I paid a lump sum up front. Now after 11 years I am getting bills. They write me a letter saying Brother.
GOD DAMM THEIVES. INSURANCE SUCKS BUT I AM GETTING ROBBED BY GOD
TERRIBLE COMPANY USING THE NAME OF GOD AS THEIR CO-CONSPIRER
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Simply the best whole life product available. The term insurance was convertable with no medical and my agent rocked. He knew more than my CPA about estate law and of course insurance. I have cheap term to cover my current needs and whole life for my “whole Life”. I wish I could afford more Knights whole life it’s like a Roth IRA with a death benefit
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Very professional agents. I’ve moved around frequently with the military and every agent in each state provided customer centered service with sound advice. When an early surrender was necessary they were very promt in addressing my needs and that of my family.
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K of C insurance is top of the line. The person who posted on 7-21-07 should know that if they paid the initial premium, they were covered by up to $300,000 of temporary insurance until the policy was underwritten and delivered. They should have waited instead of going off, half cocked, to another insurer. It can take some time for the companies to coordinate the change. Actually, the Knights ensured that you weren’t uninsured until your new policy went into effect. They did you a favor.
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The Insurance division of the Knights ROCKS!! I have multiple policies on myself, my wife, and my kids. In their by-laws it says they need to return something like 83-85% of their profits to their customers!!! Tell me another life insurance company that will do that. Just one!!!
To the people that bad mouth the Knights, are you sure you did not forget something. You pay 11 years for a policy and never have to pay a penny again. Come on, get real. Something is not making sense here.
Knights agents are the best!! I would trust no one else.
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This is a very competitive, very stable, and very good company. I joined just to become an insurance member.
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Fantastic! The agents, policy costs, everything is great!
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The KofC insurance is top knotch. There was no pressure to buy. The agent met with us to explain what was available. Great Job.
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The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization that also sells insurance. It is financially solid. And their agents are more interested in helping out than in making sales. Customer service is the greatest!
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Excellent service, great value.
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I have had KofC insurance for over 35 years
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My family and I have been KofC policy holders for over forty years. Great company, great dividends, great agency service. That said, of the four agents I have dealt with over the years, only two were knowledgable product wise.
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My family owns 66 Knights of Columbus policies. Why? Simply stated,they are the
best. We started purchasing our life insurance from the Knights in 1984 and we are simply amazed how they continually pay
out the high dividends year after year. More
importantly, they are a Catholic company
supporting the true teachings of our church.
All Catholic families should consider being
members in this GREAT fraternal Society. If
you do, you will also be able to reap the
great spiritual and monetary rewards that my
family has received over the past 25 years.
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Watch for signature fraud with the insurance agent
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I know they get the top ratings and pay huge dividends but I like the idea that I can have all that and still do business with a company that donated $140 Million dollars to Catholic charities last year. Nobody else can say that.
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Poorly trained agents who only want to force you to buy whole life policies using guilt and “used car” tactics.
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Wanted to cash out my policies as we were in Dire Straits. They instead loaned me the money from my policy and 3 years later the amount I owe is nearly double to what I borrowed
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Very knowledgable agent – caring and full of ideas and alternatives. Highly recommended.
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I was injured at work and left unable to work for 2 1/2 years. My insurance premiums were waved for this period after my employer and family doctor submitted the required forms on my behalf. Good thing I had purchased the disability waiver.
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The agents have been very upfront and low pressure. They assisted me reviewing insurance options from the Knights Of Columbus (K of C) and other companies. The K of C agents were honest when they felt K of C products were not the best option. If you have a question, give them a call. You should always use good judgment, but odds are you will get great service from the Knights Of Columbus.
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Met with agent to file claim for life insurance on my recently deceased husband, a Knight who had a policy from age of 19 until his death at 71. One month later, I have heard nothing, zip, nada, from the agent. I am disappointed at the poor customer service and lack of compassion for my situation. If there is a problem, I would like to hear about it from SOMEONE!
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Excellent company
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Last year we borrowed on two 26 year K of C life policies. We were told there would be no tax implications in doing this. Last week they admitted that there was an error in their calculations. Now I am faced with an unexpected income claim of $16,000.00! They are sorry.
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I have purchased a non-qualified annuity from KofC and will definitely consider their other annuity products/options upon retirement.
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Have life insurence with them as does my husband and father. Tried to get a health care policy and was turned down because I have arthritis and take medication. I am very active go to the gym 4-5 times a week tor 2-3 hours at a time. Do my own yard work and house work but I am to much a risk. Guess they only want to insure healthy people. I know its a business but this is excessive caution.
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Greatest company in the world as far as Im concerned. which other of these companies gave 150 million to charity last year
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The products they offer are very limited and frankly antiquated as well as highly profitable as K of C are exposed to very little risk.Personally as an insured member I feel if were cop air with a insurance broker I would have been properly insured with life products that better met my needs rather the the profits of the Order.it seems their marketing focus is based on you not shopping and trusting your fraternal agent then in turn being insured with a product that is highly profitable for the Fraternal.
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Was hoodwinked into this policy years ago with the promise of the vanishing claim. Never Happened. They had a class action suit but was never notified. They are no more a catholic organization than the Taliban. Would never deal with these people again. As a member of the Knights I am ashamed of their actions. Gangsters hiding behind robes
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My entire family is insured with the Knights of Columbus since 1981. Could not be happier Their dividends are huge I have both Term and Whole Life. Their Term is guaranteed convertible to Whole Life NO QUESTIONS ASKED Some of my Whole Life policies have premiums payable for 20 years while others are paid up at age 65. Works great retire at 65 and you have no more payments GUARANTEED I also have fixed annuities with 3% 3-1/2% MINIMUM interest rate GUARANTEED Try to get 3% on a C.D. today My dad passed away almost 10 years ago. His claim was paid in 7 days income tax free. If you want SECURITY and GUARANTEES in life no one is better than Knights of Columbus Insurance
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Great organization.
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When I was a naive 20 year old service member in the Air Force I bought one of these whole life policies. The agent [ed. name redacted] informed me that it would pay for itself after 10 years. Now it’s over 15 years later and it’s not even close to paying for it’s self. If they lied to me about that then what else did they lie to me about like they would pay in a timely way to my benificiary if I die perhaps?I asked for and received a cost basis that was provided. My capital gain over the life of the policy is approximately 250 not nearly the 9% growth [ed. name redacted] talked about when we sat down together.
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When my father passed we received one on one attention from our Knight’s representative. He filed the paperwork promptly and we received our insurance money very very promptly and this was not a small insurance policy. This is a great organization that we will continue to do business with. They provided everything they were suppose to and timely.
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I had a term policy for over twenty years. I have no complaints about the policy. The problem I have is when it expired. Be sure to cancel the policy yourself at the end date or the premiums will continue at an exorbitant rate. I thought the policy would cancel itself out automatically. My Catholic agent did not inform me of this. He told me he would personally cancel it. Apparently not as I received an astonishing bill of accumulated months. K of C recently sent me a letter saying I didn’t fill out the cancellation form.
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The so called vanishing premium on my policyhas not taken place as expressed at the start of the plan. They state that due to economic downturn they are unable to return higherdividends than guaranteed YET theythe home office donates millions of dollars annuallyto various worthy causes. All well and good but whwen it is hurting the insured then another look at their priorities should be reviewed.
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I have whole life insurance policies for each of my family members through Knights of Columbus. Whole life is not cheap when you are young and raising a family but it becomes very valuable and reasonable later on in life. I have had nothing but good experiences with my agent and feel very secure with the continued dividends I receive each year. Thanks to K of C insurance for taking care of my family
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Simply The BEST
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In 1982, my husband took out a life insurance policy with Knight of Columbus and after a few years of following the payment schedule, were told that the amount to be paid was more than what was quoted. Since 1987 we have dealt with 4 or more representatives to get this corrected, along with the home office. A complaint was also filed. Now, we are being told that we have a loan that has been paying for the policy and that the IRS will be notified that we have received taxable income of $29,558.60 to be reported for the 2015 tax year and that this policy will expire in 7-16-17. This policy should have been paid in full within the first 8-9 years according to the agreement between K of C Representative we have illustration payment schedule along with Reps own writing this policy should have been paid up years ago Through the years, not one rep or K of C home office has resolved this issue. We have a new rep that is going to look into this fiasco again, but we will probably have to get an attorney to finally get this settled. My husband had a heart attack a couple of months ago, and we had planned on that $50,000 policy taken out in 1982. We probably won’t be able to get any more insurance now. This company has cost us time and emotional stress. I would look elsewhere to purchase life insurance.
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I have had this policy for about 40 years. Borrowed on the policy and had the dividends apply to the loan. Little did I know that the interest applied to this amount borrowed has now wiped out my policy to a value of less than $150.00. . Wish they would explain there policy’s in more depth. I now have no insurance after 40yrs. with this policy. I’m sure that I have paid for this policy double the amount I borrowed. . They don’t tell you about the interest you pay and how you keep loosing your money to interest and that the dividends are always applied to interest and none applied to the policy. I feel like I have been used and I think this is unfair to the consumer and there best interest is with there company. They should be much clearer than they are with the policy holders money. Also when you call and talk with a CSR for information > they say that they are limited in there computer system to how far back they can go. So they can’t find find your policy from the day you took it out. I will be calling them and I want all money that I have applied to this policy on paper from 1975. At 64yrs. old I now have no insurance on a policy taken out 40yrs. ago.. Pretty sad…>
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The agents keep changing because the they limit the number of clients assigned to them. The General Agents in my experience are not people of high standards. The company seems reasonable but they allow representation by ean Spirited Ogers who will do say anything to CLOSE THE DEAL.
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Company only as good as its agents. In mid missouri General agent will not even talk with local insured. His secretary will only put one through tothe local agent who is quite ineffective. Will be canceling our annuity and moving our whole life policies.
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I was sold 2 policies, both term and whole life. If I were to purchase again, it would be all whole life. The term policy has a limited timeframe and then jumps up to high premiums when it is time to renew it. This is even though the payback is less in terms of today’s dollar value and you are nearing retirement and we are all living longer. Maybe it is the nature of insurance. In any case, I do not understand it. If I do not understand something the last thing I am going to do is buy more of it.
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My spouse had a life insurance policy with them. He died in September 2015. I have yet to receive to receive anything from them. I have been trying for over a year to get this resolved. The beneficiary.
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my agent explained in great detail their annuities and I paid for it after my agent explained to me that I can pull the I would have paid into it out but if I leave it until I turn 59 I it will also have interest added onto the I would have paid
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I have whole life with the KofC, also disability an a ROTH IRA. I was brainwashed by primierica that whole life is bad. Then my KofC agent explained what happens when the term ends Then after shopping around the KofC whole life was much cheaper than any of the other company. As a catholic I’m embarrassed to admit that I shopped around, but the KofC is literally the best.
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I wonder if those who are dissatisfied can blame it on a poor agent – or not understanding what they were buying. We had been taken in by a bad agent from another company so I did a quick study of life insurance policies. I used to laugh because one of our agents, who was with us for about 35 years, did not know a lot when he began. I would often tell him when he was wrong about something. He would always check it out and really did learn. By the time he retired he was a very knowledgeable agent. I used to laugh that I was the one who trained him I don’t think anyone should take it for granted that an agent always knows what he is talking about. If you don’t know or understand, check it out. So many resources are available.
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I purchased a term whole life insurance policy for each kid. Why They’re young and healthy and if they’re under age 18, no blood draws. The whole life must be paid every quarter and AFTER 20 YEARS, it doesn’t have to be paid anymore but still acquires cash benefits. If you CASH OUT the whole life, the money you get for it is very little so don’t expect to get 50,000 for a 50,000 policy. The cash out is something like 5%. A term policy can be converted to a whole life when it’s time to renew AND blood work doesn’t have to be done to do the conversion. NICE. I have a college kid and a acquaintance told me to get life insurance on my student because college loans must be paid back, Even if the student has passed away. As morbid as it sounds, i never thought of that. I feel the costs of these policies are very reasonable and when the kids are old enough, they can take over the payments.
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My brother-in-law recruited me into the Knights of Columbus. At the time I had no idea they sold insurance. I took out 10,000 policies for my wife and I when I joined. I work with teens and know three that became essentially uninsurable when they developed type II diabetes. When my children were born, I purchased a 10K whole life for each of them. The cost was under 6.00month and it came with a guaranteed purchase rider with seven options to purchase additional insurance from age 21-40. Unfortunately, my 30-year old daughter has become uninsurable due to cancer. As far as the rates go, my Prudential agent called me to do a review when my first child was born. When I told him I was a Knight, he said there was no way he could come close to matching what they offered. The only negative aspect of the Knights is you have to call the office to get the cash value of the policy. They do not send annual statements and there is no web portal.
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My dad had a life insurance policy and an IRA. Getting this money is like pulling teeth I was working with one agent who had all my info. and claimed he had sent it off he did not. Apparently, the death certificate and notarized documents both of which I paid for mind you disappeared along with the agent The new agent had me fill out all the papers again in addition to having to provide another death certificateand told me the check should be here within 5-7 business days. I called them on day 9 without a check in sight. They checked on the status of the claim and told me that a document was missing so I had to sign that document and send it back to them that was yesterday. I’m hoping it comes sometime soon. My dad had a life insurance policy on my son that my financial advisor had told me was a good deal and to keep it. I’m cashing it out because this whole process has been a nightmare and I don’t want to give them one penny out of my pocket for anything My dad’s AARP policy was paid out within a week or two of his death I have been working on the K of C policy and IRA for almost 3 months This is ridiculous. My dad was an active knight was a Grand Knight and a State Deputy and trust me….he is turning over in his grave.
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We have had life insurance policies for our kids and i for approx. 8 yrs. Not real big but enough to give a very nice funeral and burial. In 2014 we lost our 20 yr. old diabetic son.I don’t remember exact time frames as this was a shock and all a blurr. Our knights agent was on it right away. He filled everything out with us at our home and all we did was sign. We received our money within a few weeks.We were Extremely satisfied and thankful.
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Trying to collect a life insurance claim from Knights of Columbus is an exercise in futility. They put you through hoops trying to contact them, and when you FINALLY get the claim forms, they take forever to process them. It is almost two months since I have filed a claim, and I still have not received a check. This is not the case with commercial insurance, which pays you right away. If you are thinking about K of C insurance….forget it Get insurance from a reputable commercial company.
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Reps are incompetent doing an extremely inferior job of financial advising. Ended up backing us into a financial corner for the next few years unless we want to pay stiff penalties. If you plan on taking a settlement annuity option with them, be sure your investments are equally balanced in both names so that if one of you has to go to a nursing home, Medicaid can’t take 100% of the settlement payout that would be made out to only one of you. They are also slow to respond, giving multiple excuses for why they haven’t had time to get in touch. Total BS.
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Reps are incompetent doing an extremely inferior job of financial advising. Ended up backing us into a financial corner for the next few years unless we want to pay stiff penalties. If you plan on taking a settlement annuity option with them, be sure your investments are equally balanced in both names so that if one of you has to go to a nursing home, Medicaid can’t take 100% of the settlement payout that would be made out to only one of you. They are also slow to respond, giving multiple excuses for why they haven’t had time to get in touch. Total BS.
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Would have liked to know that there are no withdrawals only loans to get cash out of the policies. The 10 yr one I have builds up cash value very quickly. As stated in other reviews, the quality of the Field Agent is key. We have had great ones.
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