Build a fortress around your family. One no employer can take away.

For most families, life insurance ends the day a job does. Family Fortress helps you put personal coverage in place that you own, that stays when the job doesn't, and that's sized to what your family would actually need.

Request a conversation Why own your coverage
You own itNot tied to any employer
28 carriersIndependent, not captive
Licensed teamAgents across many states
DecadesOf combined experience

Coverage through work is a benefit. It was never meant to be your family's plan.

The difference between having coverage and owning it.

Group life insurance is worth keeping. But it's controlled by your employer, it's usually a small multiple of your salary, and it rarely comes with you when you leave. Personal coverage fills that gap.

QuestionThrough workOwned by you
Who controls itYour employer chooses the carrier, the amount and whether it continues.You do. The policy is a contract between you and the insurance company.
How much coverageOften one or two times your salary, whatever your family's needs.Sized to your mortgage, your children's years at home and your spouse's plans.
If you change jobs, retire or are laid offCoverage usually ends. Continuing it on your own can be expensive.Nothing changes. It stays in force as long as premiums are paid.
What it costs over timeRates can rise as you move into older age bands.Premiums can be locked for the full term, set by your age and health today.
If your health changes laterReplacing lost coverage at an older age, with new health history, costs more or may not be possible.Your approval and rating are already secured.

Group plan terms vary by employer. We'll review what you have through work and build personal coverage around it, not in place of it.

Personal coverage, designed around your family.

Most families need one of these, and some need two working together. The right choice depends on how long the need lasts, what you want the policy to do while you're alive, and what your health allows.

Term life

Coverage for a set number of years, usually 10 to 30, at a locked premium. The most protection for the least cost through the years your family depends on your income.

Who it's forWorking parents whose only coverage is through their job.

Whole life

Permanent coverage with a fixed premium and guaranteed cash value. It never expires, so it's still there after retirement, when work coverage is long gone.

Who it's forPeople who want a guaranteed benefit, whenever it's paid.

Indexed universal life

Permanent coverage with flexible premiums and cash value linked in part to a market index, with a floor against losses. It rewards careful design and regular review.

Who it's forHigher earners planning for tax-advantaged growth and a legacy.

Simplified & guaranteed issue

Policies with few or no medical questions and no exam. Benefits are usually smaller and some have a waiting period, but approval is fast and dependable.

Who it's forPeople leaving a job with health history who need coverage in place.

The carriers we work with.

As an independent agency, we compare the whole field for your age, health and budget, and recommend the company that treats your situation best. Not the one we're required to sell.

Select a carrier to visit its website in a new tab. Carrier names are the property of their respective owners and do not imply endorsement. Product availability varies by state.

How we'll work together.

One licensed agent works with you from the first call to the delivered policy. No call-center hand-offs and no pressure to decide on the first conversation.

  1. Review

    We look at what you have through work, who depends on you, your budget and your health history, and find the gap between what you have and what your family would need.

  2. Design

    We compare carriers and policy types against your situation and show you two or three options side by side, with the trade-offs in plain language. You choose.

  3. Place

    We prepare the application, coordinate any exam or records, and stay in contact with the underwriter until the policy is approved and in your hands.

Real situations, handled carefully.

Diabetes, heart history, a past DUI, self-employment income or a recent diagnosis don't rule you out. Carriers weigh these very differently, and knowing which one views your history most favorably is much of what we do.

The goal is the best rating available to you, not the first approval that comes back.

Dubuque, Iowa

Family Fortress

An independent life insurance agency

Family Fortress is a team of licensed agents built around one idea: every family deserves protection it owns, not protection it borrows from an employer.

We're independent, so we aren't bound to one company's products. We work with 28 carriers and take the time to match each family with the one that fits their health, budget and goals. We'd rather get a policy right than place it quickly.

Our agents bring decades of combined experience in life insurance, and the agency is led by Cole Brayton. We're based in Dubuque, Iowa, and work with families across the country by phone and video.

Headquarters
Dubuque, Iowa
Carriers
28
Principal NPN
19224373

Who we help.

Most people who call us already have some coverage through work. What they want is to know whether it's enough, and to fix it if it isn't.

  • Families relying on work coverage alone

    Adding personal term coverage so the family is protected whether or not the job is.

  • People changing jobs or retiring

    Putting owned coverage in place before group benefits end, while health and age are on your side.

  • The self-employed

    Business owners, contractors and 1099 earners who have no employer plan at all.

  • Anyone with health history

    Finding the carrier most likely to offer a fair rating, and preparing the application so it's read correctly.

  • Families planning a legacy

    Permanent coverage for children, grandchildren or a cause, structured so it passes simply.

  • Couples covering final expenses

    Smaller permanent policies so funeral costs and last bills never fall on family.

Questions people ask first.

I already have life insurance through work. Isn't that enough?

For most families, no. Group coverage is often one or two times salary, and it usually ends when you leave the job. That includes when you retire.

Most families don't realize this until retirement is close, and by then it's often too late to fix easily. New coverage is priced on your age and health on the day you apply. Premiums at 65 are far higher than at 40, and a health change along the way can make approval harder or rule it out. On a fixed retirement income, that cost often doesn't fit the budget.

The best way to prevent this is to lock in your own coverage while you're younger, healthier and still working. Keep what you have through work, and treat it as extra protection on top of coverage you own.

What happens to my work coverage if I leave my job?

It usually ends. Some plans let you convert or continue it individually, but that's often expensive and the amount may be limited. Personal coverage isn't affected by where you work.

How much coverage do I need?

It depends on your income, debts, children and what you want covered, such as the mortgage, college or a spouse's retirement. We'll walk through it with you and show how we arrived at the number.

Should I choose term or permanent coverage?

If the need has an end date, like children growing up or a mortgage being paid off, term usually fits and costs far less. If the need lasts your whole life, permanent coverage makes sense. Many families use a large term policy for the working years and a smaller permanent one that never expires.

What if my health isn't perfect?

That's common, and it's where an independent agency matters most. Each carrier has its own guidelines, and the same history can be rated very differently from one company to the next. If standard coverage isn't available, simplified and guaranteed-issue options still are.

How long does it take to get covered?

Many policies can be approved on the spot, during your first application call. Larger cases that need full underwriting can take a few weeks, sometimes longer if medical records are slow to arrive. Your agent tracks the file and keeps you updated.

How are your agents paid?

Our agents are paid a commission by the insurance company you choose. You don't pay us a fee. Premiums are set by the carrier and filed with the state, so you pay the same rate for a given policy through us as you would anywhere else.

Commissions are generally higher on permanent policies than on term. If we recommend permanent coverage, we'll show you what term would cost instead and explain why we think the difference is worth it.

Is a conversation an obligation?

No. The first conversation is for understanding your situation and whether we're the right people to help. If we're not, we'll tell you.

See where you stand.

A first conversation takes about 20 minutes by phone. We'll look at what you have through work, what your family would need, and whether personal coverage makes sense for you.

Tap the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner to reach us.

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