Foresters PlanRight Review: Final Expense Coverage (2026)

Foresters PlanRight is a simplified issue whole life policy built for final expenses. It covers people aged 50 to 85, with face amounts from $5,000 to $35,000, and it's sold only through agents. It fits people in fair to good health who want level premiums and like the idea of fraternal member benefits. The main trade-off is that your health answers decide which of three plans you get, and the lowest tier pays a reduced benefit for the first two years.

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Foresters PlanRight at a glance

Sources: Foresters PlanRight product page, PlanRight producer guide, and the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search.

What does Foresters PlanRight cover, and who can apply?

PlanRight is permanent whole life insurance that lasts to age 121 as long as you pay premiums. Foresters' PlanRight page lists coverage for ages 50 to 85 with face amounts between $5,000 and $35,000. Premiums are level and guaranteed, and the policy builds guaranteed cash value you can borrow against. The same page is marked "not for use in Oregon," and Foresters notes that products and riders may not be available in all states, so ask the agent to confirm availability where you live.

There's no medical exam, bloodwork, or paramedical visit. Instead, Foresters decides based on your answers to health questions plus "underwriting searches and review," such as prescription and medical database checks. Foresters' producer guide says applicants must also be within height and weight limits, have a Social Security number, and be able to answer the questions on their own.

Your answers to 15 health questions place you in one of three plans:

According to the PlanRight producer guide, a "yes" to any of questions 1–6 means you can't get PlanRight at all. A "yes" in questions 7–12 points to Basic, a "yes" in 13–15 points to Standard, and all "no" answers point to Preferred. Premiums vary by age, sex, and tobacco use (any tobacco or nicotine in the last 12 months).

What riders come with PlanRight?

Foresters includes up to three riders at no extra premium, depending on the plan:

• Accelerated Death Benefit Rider (terminal illness): On Preferred and Standard, lets you take up to 95% of the eligible death benefit early if you're expected to die within 12 months. The payout reduces the death benefit and may be taxable.
• Common Carrier Accidental Death Rider: Pays extra if you die from injuries suffered as a fare-paying passenger on a plane, bus, or train.
• Family Health Benefit Rider: Pays small set amounts, such as $100 for an emergency room visit, if you or immediate family need care after certain natural disasters.

Preferred also offers an optional Accidental Death Rider for an added premium, for issue ages 50 to 80.

How does the PlanRight Basic graded benefit work?

Only the Basic plan has a waiting period. If you die of a non-accidental cause in the first two years, your beneficiary gets the premiums you paid plus 10% annual interest, not the face amount. From year three on, Basic pays the full face amount for any cause.

The PlanRight brochure adds that an accidental death during the first two years pays the full face amount. Foresters' guide says the interest is compounded annually and accrues daily from the issue date.

For example, a hypothetical Basic policyholder with a $15,000 face amount who pays $700 a year and dies of illness at the end of year one would leave about $770 (premiums plus 10%). At the end of year two, it would be about $1,617. After two years, the full $15,000 would be paid. These round numbers come from the illustration in Foresters' producer guide, not from a quote.

Preferred and Standard have no graded period. Like all life insurance, though, every PlanRight certificate has a contestability period, so answer the health questions fully and honestly. To learn how graded plans compare across the market, see our guide to guaranteed issue life insurance and graded death benefits.

What fraternal member benefits come with Foresters?

When you buy a life insurance certificate from The Independent Order of Foresters, you become a member of the society. Foresters calls itself the oldest non-denominational fraternal benefit society and has operated since 1874, according to its October 2025 news release.

Foresters' member benefits page lists perks including:

• Competitive academic scholarships for members and family.
• Foresters Care grants (two $200 grants a year) and community grants for volunteer projects.
• LawAssure, an online tool for wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives.
• Member discounts on travel, attractions, and shopping.
• An orphan benefit of up to $900 a month per child, orphan scholarships, and an interest-free terminal illness loan of up to 75% of the face value.

Two limits matter for final expense buyers. First, the orphan benefit, orphan scholarships, and terminal illness loan require a certificate with at least $10,000 of face value, so a smaller PlanRight policy won't qualify. Second, Foresters says all member benefits are non-contractual and can be changed or cancelled without notice. Treat them as extras, not as part of the insurance promise.

How strong is Foresters financially, and what do complaints show?

AM Best affirmed The Independent Order of Foresters' financial strength rating of A (Excellent) with a stable outlook on October 10, 2025, according to Foresters' financial strength page. AM Best also affirmed an A+ issuer credit rating, and Morningstar DBRS confirmed an A rating in July 2025. An A rating is AM Best's third-highest of its letter grades, after A++ and A+.

The NAIC complaint index compares a company's share of closed, confirmed complaints to its share of premiums. The national baseline is 1.00. A score above 1.00 means more complaints than expected for the company's size; below 1.00 means fewer.

In the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search, data as of September 29, 2026 for Independent Order of Foresters US Branch (NAIC code 58068) shows:

Those are small complaint counts, so a few cases can move the index a lot. They also cover all of Foresters' individual life business, not just PlanRight. Your state insurance department can tell you about complaints filed where you live.

Foresters PlanRight pros and cons

Pros

• Full coverage from day one on Preferred and Standard, with no graded period.
• Three tiers mean a health history that rules out Preferred may still qualify for Standard or Basic.
• Level premiums, guaranteed cash value, and coverage to age 121.
• Terminal illness, common carrier, and family health riders included at no extra premium on eligible plans.
• Fraternal member benefits, such as scholarships and LawAssure, that most stock insurers don't offer.
• AM Best A (Excellent) rating affirmed in October 2025.

Cons

• Starts at age 50, and the Basic plan stops at 80.
• Maximum coverage of $35,000, and lower after age 80 or on Standard and Basic.
• No purchase online or by mail; you must work with an agent.
• A "yes" on any of the first six health questions rules you out entirely.
• Individual life complaint index above the 1.00 baseline in 2024 and 2025.
• Some headline member benefits require at least $10,000 of coverage and aren't contractual.

Who may PlanRight fit, and who should look elsewhere?

PlanRight may fit you if you're 50 to 85, in reasonably good health, and want $5,000 to $35,000 of lifelong coverage for funeral and final bills. It's also worth a look if you value community or scholarship benefits for your family, as long as you buy at least $10,000 of coverage to reach the bigger ones.

You may want to look elsewhere if you're under 50, need more than $35,000, or have a serious condition that would lead to a "yes" on the first six questions. In that case, a guaranteed issue plan may be the realistic path. Our comparison of guaranteed vs. simplified issue policies explains the trade-offs. If you have a specific diagnosis, our guide to life insurance with pre-existing conditions can help you prepare.

What are the alternatives to Foresters PlanRight?

If you're comparing final expense carriers, these reviews cover similar policies:

• Mutual of Omaha final expense review for another large carrier's final expense plans.
• Royal Neighbors of America review for another fraternal benefit society.
• Transamerica final expense review for a carrier whose final expense plans start below age 50.

You can also see our picks in best final expense insurance companies, read what final expense insurance is, or browse all company reviews.