Is the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan Really Protecting Seniors—or Just Selling a Story?
- ✅ Nationally licensed life insurance expert with over 30 years of experience
- ✅ Founder of InsuranceForBurial.com
Danny Ray is a nationally licensed life insurance expert and the Founder of PinnacleQuote Life Insurance Experts and InsuranceForBurial.com. With over 30 years of industry experience, he has helped thousands of families across all 50 states secure tailored life insurance solutions—specializing in final expense, term life, and impaired risk underwriting. Danny regularly writes educational content on life insurance, financial planning, and consumer protection. He has been featured as an expert source in leading publications including Forbes, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, GoBankingRates, AOL, and MSN, where his insights help consumers make confident, informed decisions. As the architect of PinnacleQuote.com and insuranceForBurial.com, Danny is known for building transparent, client-first digital experiences that simplify the life insurance process. He is also the voice behind several national campaigns focused on educating seniors and families about affordable, no-pressure coverage options.
Have you ever watched a Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn commercial and thought, “Can I really get life insurance for just $9.95 a month?”
On TV, the message sounds simple: one low price, guaranteed acceptance, and peace of mind for your family.
But when you look past the friendly face and rehearsed script, the details tell a very different story.
The $9.95 plan is not a standard burial insurance policy—it’s a limited guaranteed-acceptance whole life plan sold in “units,” with a two-year waiting period and coverage that often falls far short of what a real funeral costs.
Above all, the goal here is not to attack a person, but to clearly break down the product he promotes so you can decide if it fits your family—or if a properly shopped burial plan with first-day coverage and better value is the smarter move.
Colonial Penn Life Insurance
Founded: 1968
“Before we break everything down in detail, watch this short video where I expose how the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 plan really works.”
“Watch: The truth about the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 plan (and better options for seniors).”
Jump to the section you care about most
Quickly compare how the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 plan works, where it falls short, and what better options you may have.
Who Is Jonathan Lawson at Colonial Penn—and What Does He Actually Do?
Most seniors first meet Jonathan Lawson through Colonial Penn’s national TV commercials. In those ads he talks about “the three Ps—price, price, price” and promotes the $9.95 plan aimed at people ages 50–85.
Jonathan Lawson is not an independent advisor. He is a paid spokesperson and corporate employee of Colonial Penn’s parent company in a quality-assurance role. That means his job is to present the company and its product in the best possible light—not to compare all carriers and find you the best value.
Is Jonathan Lawson a Colonial Penn employee or just a paid spokesperson?
Public information shows that Jonathan Lawson works for Colonial Penn’s parent company and is compensated to appear in their marketing. While he may also hold an insurance license, he does not represent dozens of companies the way an independent broker does.
His message is built around one product: Colonial Penn’s guaranteed-acceptance plan.
Why does Jonathan Lawson appear in so many $9.95 commercials?
From a marketing standpoint, the company wants seniors to associate a trustworthy, consistent face with the brand. That’s why you see him in farmers’ markets, living rooms, and simple everyday scenes repeating the same $9.95 message.
But a familiar spokesperson doesn’t change the underlying math of the plan—or the limitations in the fine print.
How the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan Really Works
To judge any life insurance plan, you must first understand what it actually is. The product Jonathan Lawson promotes is a guaranteed-acceptance whole life policy sold in “units” of coverage, with a fixed price of $9.95 per unit.
What is the Colonial Penn $9.95 guaranteed-acceptance plan?
In simple terms, the plan offers:
- Guaranteed acceptance between certain ages (often 50–85, depending on state).
- No medical exam or health questions.
- Whole life coverage that does not expire as long as you pay premiums.
- Benefits designed mainly for final expenses, not full income replacement.
However, the “no health questions” feature comes at a cost: lower coverage for every dollar of premium and a mandatory waiting period.
How do the $9.95 “units” of coverage shrink as you age?
The commercial highlights $9.95, but it does not clearly explain how much coverage that actually buys. Coverage is based on your age and gender, and each year of age generally buys less benefit per unit.
For example, using the rate structure shown in your existing article:
- At age 50, one unit for a female can buy around $2,000 of coverage.
- At age 65, one unit may only buy around $1,258 for a female and $896 for a male.
- By the late 70s, a unit may only buy hundreds of dollars of coverage.
This means a healthy 65-year-old trying to reach $10,000 of coverage could be forced to stack many units and end up paying well over $100 per month, while still facing a waiting period. Below is our Colonial Penn life insurance rate chart.
Why does the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn plan have a two-year waiting period?
Because the policy accepts almost everyone, Colonial Penn manages risk by including a two-year graded period for natural causes of death. If you die from natural causes during the first two years, your loved ones usually receive a refund of premiums plus a small amount of interest—not the full benefit.
For seniors in decent health, this is a serious drawback. Many A-rated burial insurance carriers offer first-day coverage with only a few health questions, often at a lower cost.
Is the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan a Good Deal—or Overpriced Hype?
From a distance, $9.95 sounds affordable. Up close, the combination of limited coverage, shrinking units, and a waiting period raises red flags.
Before comparing, it’s important to remember that actual quotes depend on your state, health, and carrier. The examples below are for illustration only.
Comparing $9.95 units with real burial insurance rates
For a 65-year-old non-smoking male seeking roughly $10,000 in burial coverage, here is a simple comparison:
- Colonial Penn $9.95 plan
- Needs about 11 units to approach $10,000 (for example, 11 × ≈$896 ≈ $9,856).
- Premium: 11 × $9.95 ≈ $109.45/month.
- Two-year waiting period for natural causes.
- Properly shopped level-benefit burial policy (A/A+ rated carrier)
- First-day coverage (no waiting period) for many reasonably healthy seniors.
- Typical pricing often falls in the $55–$70/month range for $10,000, depending on health and state.
So you could pay about double with the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn plan for similar or less coverage—and still face a waiting period.
Colonial Penn complaint history and consumer red flags
Complaint levels give another clue about how consumers feel. In fact, Colonial Penn is one of the final expense companies to avoid.
To understand this, you should know that regulators use a complaint index to compare how many complaints a company receives relative to its size. A score of 1.0 is average. Some periods have shown Colonial Penn with a complaint index far above 1.0 (5.71⛔), meaning significantly more complaints than expected.
Your existing article already highlights that Colonial Penn has posted a complaint index many times higher than average in certain years. That tells us many policyholders have experienced issues with service, claims, or unmet expectations.
When would a guaranteed-acceptance plan actually make sense?
There is a place for guaranteed-acceptance final expense insurance. If you have severe health conditions—such as active cancer treatment, advanced dementia, or current nursing-home confinement—traditional first-day coverage may not be available. In that narrow situation, a graded policy like Colonial Penn’s can be a last-resort option.
But if you can answer basic health questions, an independent broker can usually find better plans with no waiting period and more coverage for your money.
Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn Advertising: Clear Information or Misleading by Omission?
Colonial Penn commercials built around Jonathan Lawson focus heavily on price and simplicity, but leave key limitations off-screen.
Before breaking this down, it’s important to recognize that all advertising has one main job: to get you to respond. That is why understanding what is left out of the message is just as important as what is said.
The “Three Ps” and what commercials don’t say
In the “three Ps” ads, Lawson stresses: “price you can afford, price that can’t increase, and price that fits your budget.”
What the commercials usually do not emphasize upfront:
- Coverage is sold in units, not a fixed dollar amount.
- Each unit buys less coverage as you age.
- There is a two-year waiting period for natural causes of death.
This style of advertising has led several independent agencies and consumer sites to describe the marketing as “misleading” or “deceptive by omission,” or even burial insurance scams, because seniors may assume $9.95 buys enough coverage for a full funeral, when in reality it often does not.
What independent agents and reviewers say about Colonial Penn $9.95 plan
Multiple independent agents—who are free to compare many companies—consistently reach similar conclusions:
- The $9.95 plan is more expensive than many first-day-coverage options for reasonably healthy seniors.
- The two-year waiting period and unit pricing structure make it hard for families to know what they’re truly buying.
Their recommendation is usually to look at other carriers first—exactly what independent, multi-carrier agencies do for their clients.
Jonathan Lawson, Colonial Penn, and Money: What We Know vs. Speculation
It’s easy to get distracted by rumors about a spokesperson’s salary or net worth. What matters most is how the policy treats you.
Before looking at the money aspect, it helps to separate documented facts from online guesses and speculation.
Is Jonathan Lawson paid to promote Colonial Penn’s $9.95 plan?
Yes. Public records and Colonial Penn’s own materials make clear that Jonathan Lawson is a paid employee and spokesperson for the company. Online sources sometimes estimate his income and net worth, but those numbers are only guesses and are not important to your financial protection.
What is certain is that he is compensated to promote a single product—not to review the entire marketplace on your behalf.
Why his military service and corporate role don’t change the math
Jonathan Lawson served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and that service deserves respect.
At the same time, honorable service does not automatically make a product the right financial fit. The premium, coverage, waiting period, and complaint history still need to stand on their own. When we evaluate the $9.95 plan strictly on those facts, it usually falls short compared to other burial insurance options.
Better Alternatives to the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan
There are many ways to secure affordable burial coverage without overpaying or waiting two years for full benefits. We have a ultimate guide for final expense life insurance you should check out.
Before exploring options, it helps to remember the real goal: protecting your family from a financial burden, not just signing up for the most recognizable commercial.
First-day coverage burial insurance with health questions
Most seniors can qualify for level-benefit final expense plans that:
- Ask a short list of health questions.
- Offer immediate coverage from day one.
- Provide straightforward benefit amounts like $10,000 or $15,000 instead of “units.”
For many clients, these plans deliver more coverage at a lower monthly cost than the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 plan.
This is where guides like burial insurance for seniors and burial insurance with pre-existing conditions are especially helpful—they walk through how first-day coverage works even if you have health issues.
How an independent broker shops multiple carriers for you
As an independent agency, we are not locked into one carrier. We compare multiple A/A+-rated companies nationwide to find:
- The best price for your age and health.
- The shortest or no waiting period possible.
- Strong financial ratings and better complaint levels.
Resources such as burial insurance carrier reviews which show the best burial insurance companies and 6 final expense companies to avoid show exactly which companies are strongly recommended—and which ones raise red flags.
Sample comparison: Colonial Penn units vs properly shopped burial plan
To visualize the difference, consider this simplified table for a 65-year-old female, non-smoker seeking around $10,000 of coverage.
Before looking at the numbers, remember that this is an example only—actual rates will vary by state and underwriting.
| Option | Type of Plan | Waiting Period | Estimated Monthly Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan (Jonathan Lawson) | Guaranteed-acceptance whole life | 2 years (natural causes) | ≈ $90–$110 |
| Properly Shopped Burial Policy (Independent) | Level-benefit final expense | Day-one coverage (if eligible) | Often ≈ $50–$70 |
Male – $10,000 in Whole Life
| Age |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | $59.70 | $27.35 |
| 55 | $69.65 | $32.78 |
| 60 | $89.55 | $41.74 |
| 65 | $109.45 | $53.75 |
| 70 | $149.25 | $69.23 |
| 75 | $149.25 ($8,235) | $96.58 |
| 80 | $149.25 ($6,390) | $134.16 |
| 85 | $149.25 ($6,270) | $192.49 |
| 90 | N/A | $354.11 |
Female – $10,000 in Whole Life
| Age |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | $49.75 | $21.78 |
| 55 | $59.70 | $26.26 |
| 60 | $69.65 | $32.60 |
| 65 | $79.60 | $41.01 |
| 70 | $99.50 | $52.03 |
| 75 | $129.35 | $71.64 |
| 80 | $149.25 ($9,120) | $97.50 |
| 85 | $149.25 ($7,020) | $131.66 |
| 90 | N/A | $299.77 |
Colonial Penn Life National Complaint Index Report
This Complaint Index Report is for Colonial Penn Life Ins Co and is based on the criteria you selected. Only closed, confirmed complaints provided by state insurance departments are used in this report.
People Also Ask: Quick Answers About Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn
Before going through these quick questions, it’s useful to keep one filter in mind: does this plan give your family enough coverage, soon enough, for a fair price?
The plan itself is a real, regulated life insurance product—not a scam in the legal sense. However, many experts consider it poor value because of small coverage amounts, high cost per dollar, a two-year waiting period, and a history of higher complaint levels than many competitors.
No. Pricing is set by Colonial Penn and approved by state insurance regulators. Jonathan Lawson’s role is to promote the plan, not design the actuarial rates or underwriting rules.
Yes, many clients move from Colonial Penn to better-priced carriers with first-day coverage. To avoid a gap in coverage, you should:
1️⃣Apply and get approved with a new plan first.
2️⃣Confirm the new policy is active.
3️⃣Then consider cancelling Colonial Penn.
Resources like colonial penn 995 plan review and 6 final expense companies to avoid can help you evaluate whether switching makes sense.
Related Articles
Frequently Asked Questions About Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan
Before reading these FAQs, remember that you are not buying a spokesperson—you are buying a contract. The details of that contract should drive your decision.
You get one unit of coverage for $9.95, and that unit buys less coverage as you age. Most people need many units to reach realistic burial amounts, which drives the monthly premium much higher than $9.95.
The per-unit price is designed to stay level, but the issue is how little each unit buys—especially at older ages. You can still end up paying a lot overall when you stack units to reach a meaningful benefit.
Because the commercials emphasize the easy price but rarely lead with the unit structure, shrinking coverage, and two-year waiting period, many reviewers feel seniors are not getting the full story upfront.
For people with very serious health issues who cannot qualify for any first-day coverage, a guaranteed-acceptance plan may be better than leaving no coverage at all. Even in those situations, it still makes sense to compare several guaranteed-issue options.
The fastest way is to speak with an independent broker who can compare multiple companies side by side—or request a pre-approved, fully shopped quote based on your health and budget.
Final Verdict: Should You Trust the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn $9.95 Plan With Your Burial Expenses?
When we look past the commercials and analyze the Jonathan Lawson Colonial Penn plan the way we would for our own family, the verdict is clear:
- The $9.95 “hook” hides a complex unit system that often delivers too little coverage.
- The policy includes a two-year waiting period, even for many people who could qualify elsewhere for first-day coverage.
- Independent data shows elevated complaint levels compared to many competitors.
If you are relatively healthy, you likely deserve better value and faster protection than this plan offers. An independent agency that represents multiple A/A+-rated carriers can show you the numbers without the TV slogan.
Before you decide, ask yourself:
“Do I want the plan that spends the most on commercials—or the one that gives my family the strongest protection for every dollar I spend?”
2 Comments
Kathy Tiernan
Johnathan Lawson has pointed ears. He looks like Spock ears. Get them fixed!!!!
James
Colonial is a fraud that has been designed to steal your money. It preys on Seniors and their families. You will get nothing and they are under investigation by the SEC.