Term life is the one policy type that essentially cannot be sold in its original form. There is no cash value to fall back on and a fixed expiry date, so a buyer taking it over risks paying premiums for years and collecting nothing. Whatever value exists sits in the conversion privilege written into the contract, and that privilege expires long before the term itself does.
Zurich-branded term coverage complicates matters further, because Zurich’s United States life operations have been reorganized more than once and different blocks are serviced by different organizations today. This page covers what is documented about who holds what, and how to find your conversion deadline before it passes. Pine Lake Life Solutions is not affiliated with or endorsed by Zurich American Life Insurance Company or Zurich Insurance Group.
In This Article
Start by Confirming Which Company Actually Holds Your Contract
Zurich-branded life paperwork in American households comes from several different sources, and they no longer live in the same place. The current entity, Zurich American Life Insurance Company, was named Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company until the board changed the name effective August 22, 2010; the related variable separate account was renamed the ZALICO Variable Separate Account on November 2, 2010.
Separately, Aflac announced on March 19, 2020 and completed on November 2, 2020 the acquisition of Zurich North America’s United States Corporate Life and Pensions, or group benefits, business, including the assets and employees of Benefit Harbor Insurance Services. As part of that transaction Aflac reinsured on an indemnity basis Zurich North America’s in-force group life and disability policies, with annualized premium of roughly $120 million. If your Zurich coverage was group life through an employer, that transaction is very likely the reason your paperwork now carries a different name.
Older retail term policies sold under Zurich’s United States life brands in the 1990s and early 2000s may sit with yet another servicer, since those operations changed hands during that decade. Do not guess. Call and ask who administers the contract by policy number.
The Numbers Zurich American Life Publishes for Policy Service
Zurich American Life’s own contact page routes callers by product. Life insurance contracts are listed at 1-888-634-6780 and 1-877-301-5376. Other variable annuity and variable life contracts run through an administrator the carrier identifies as “Commonwealth &TPA Se2” at 1-800-457-9047. Scudder Destinations variable annuities are “Administered by TPA illumifin” at 1-800-449-0523. Fixed annuity contracts are “Administered by Protective Life Insurance Company” at 1-800-621-5001. Hours are listed as Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central.
Written correspondence for the Illinois-domiciled company goes to 7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211. The New York company, Zurich American Life Insurance Company of New York, is listed at 4 World Trade Center, 54th Floor, 150 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007.
Have your policy number in hand when you call. On legacy blocks the servicing team often needs the original issuing company name as well, so mention Kemper Investors Life if that is what your jacket says.
Conversion Is the Only Door, and It Closes Early
Convertible term contracts allow the owner to exchange the term policy for a permanent policy issued by the same carrier, typically without new evidence of insurability. That is enormously valuable to someone whose health has declined, because it converts a temporary benefit into a lifetime one at rates set without a new medical review.
The catch is the deadline. Conversion rights are commonly capped by attained age, by a stated number of policy years, or by whichever comes first. A cap in the mid-sixties is common across the industry, which means the right often expires while the term policy still has years of coverage remaining. There is no general Zurich rule that can be quoted here; the provision lives in your specific policy form and issue state.
Ask the servicing company for three things in writing: the last date you may convert, the permanent products available to convert into, and the premium at your current attained age for both a full conversion and a partial conversion at a reduced face amount. Partial conversion is frequently the affordable answer when a full conversion is not.
| Contract type | Typical conversion window | Assignment to a third party |
|---|---|---|
| Individual level term | Capped by attained age or policy year, often mid-60s | Generally permitted after conversion |
| Group life certificate | Often about 31 days after coverage ends | Frequently restricted or prohibited |
| Converted permanent policy | Not applicable; coverage no longer expires | Subject to carrier change-of-ownership process |
If the Coverage Came Through Work
Group life certificates behave differently from individual policies in two ways that decide the outcome. First, the conversion window after employment or eligibility ends is short, frequently around 31 days, and it is not extended for people who did not read the packet. Second, group certificates often contain assignment restrictions that block a transfer to any third party.
Where an anti-assignment provision applies, no sale is possible regardless of age, health, or face amount. The only permanent-coverage route is conversion inside the certificate window, and possibly portability if the plan offers it. Request the certificate booklet from the plan administrator in writing and read the conversion and assignment sections before the window closes.
What Happens if You Simply Stop Paying
Term policies do not quietly convert into something else when premiums stop. After the grace period, coverage ends and there is no cash value to return. Some contracts allow reinstatement within a limited period, usually with evidence of insurability and payment of back premiums, which is precisely the requirement someone in declining health cannot meet.
If money is the pressure, deal with it deliberately rather than by default. Reducing the face amount lowers the premium on many contracts. Converting a portion produces a smaller permanent benefit at a manageable cost. Letting the policy lapse may still be the right call, but it should be a decision made with the numbers in front of you, not the result of a missed notice.
What a Free Review Covers
A no-obligation policy review reads the schedule pages, locates the conversion provision and its deadline, confirms which organization services the contract today, and prices the realistic options against your household budget. It is educational. It is not legal, tax, or investment advice, and it produces no guarantee of eligibility or value in the secondary market.
Pine Lake does not purchase policies and has no relationship with Zurich American Life Insurance Company. If the review concludes that the right answer is to convert with the carrier and keep the policy, that is what it will say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell a Zurich term life policy?
Not in its term form. Term insurance has no cash value and expires, so there is nothing for a buyer to acquire. If the contract carries a conversion privilege and that privilege has not expired, converting to permanent coverage is the step that changes the analysis, though it still guarantees nothing.
My Zurich group life is now handled by Aflac. Why?
Aflac announced on March 19, 2020 and completed on November 2, 2020 its acquisition of Zurich North America’s United States group benefits business, and reinsured the in-force group life and disability policies on an indemnity basis. Group certificates affected by that transaction are administered under the new arrangement.
My policy says Kemper Investors Life. Is that Kemper Corporation?
No. Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company was renamed Zurich American Life Insurance Company effective August 22, 2010. Kemper Corporation is an unrelated insurer. Searching the wrong name is one of the most common reasons policyholders cannot find their servicing company.
How do I find my conversion deadline?
It is stated in the policy form, not in marketing material, and it varies by issue state and issue year. Call the servicing company listed for your block, give the policy number, and ask for the last conversion date in writing along with the products available and the premium at your current attained age.
Is Zurich American Life financially strong?
As of July 2026 the company does not publish a current AM Best financial strength rating on its policyholder website. Rather than rely on a figure from a third-party site, ask the carrier directly in writing and confirm the rating through ambest.com.
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Related Reading
- Sell My Zurich American Universal Life Policy
- Sell My Zurich American Guaranteed Universal Policy
- Sell My Gerber Life Term Policy
- Carrier Anti Assignment Provisions
- Life Insurance Grace Period Explained
- Is A Life Settlement Right For You
- Sell My Transamerica Term Policy
Pine Lake Life Solutions does not purchase life insurance policies and does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Information provided is for educational purposes only. Eligibility for any option, including life settlements, is not guaranteed and depends on individual circumstances, policy terms, underwriting, and market conditions. Consult independent legal, tax, or financial professionals before making decisions regarding a life insurance policy.