About Us

Our Story

Founded in 1925, by Y. W. Scarborough and J. W. Orvin, Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company (“Atlantic Coast Life”) has served funeral homes and families for nearly one hundred years, helping families plan for and fund “end of life” solutions. We have built a reputation among funeral directors and consumers as a trustworthy source of funding.

Between 1925 and 1940 Atlantic Coast Life’s Home Service Distribution was built through recruiting sales agents and building district offices throughout South Carolina. In 1954, the Scarborough Family acquired one hundred percent of the company’s stock and an era of success and growth has now spanned nearly ten decades.

In the mid 1990’s, our Home Service Distribution peaked, and the company’s growth began to slow. The President and CEO, Y.W. “Bill” Scarborough III, had a vision to dramatically change the company’s original distribution strategy. He focused most of the company’s efforts and resources to launch a new distribution arm to reinvigorate sales and growth. This critical decision transformed the course of Atlantic Coast Life’s voyage into the future. The Preneed Division set sail in August of 2003. After eighteen months of success, and above expectations, the Preneed Division expanded into nine neighboring Southeastern states. By 2008, Atlantic Coast Life was known throughout the Southeast as a serious competitor with a growing presence in the Preneed marketplace.

In 2015, Advantage Capital Holdings, LLC d/b/a “A-CAP” purchased Atlantic Coast Life from the Scarborough Family and Bill  returned to the office of President. Growth, expansion, and success multiplied. Atlantic Coast Life began an intense expansion that  took the company on a journey across the country!

A-CAP guided the company into the annuity marketplace and Atlantic Coast Life immediately became a highly sought after insurer-of-choice by hundreds of annuity producers and financial advisors across the country. The company generated over one billion dollars of new premium 2020.

Bill retired at the end of 2019, and Charles E. Sanders stepped in at the helm of the company. Charles was the logical choice after working side-by-side with Bill for twenty-two years as his sales officer, where Charles helped build and implement strategies for the success of the Preneed Division. Today, Atlantic Coast Life continues to surpass its sales and premium records.

 

Atlantic Coast Life plans to continue nurturing and improving its Preneed and annuity distribution systems. The company also aims to and protect its policyholders’ savings by upholding its standard to be a “Beacon of Integrity” in all dealings with Preneed clients, consumers, insurance agents, and producers.

Founded in 1925, by Y. W. Scarborough and J. W. Orvin, Atlantic Coast Life   Insurance Company has served funeral homes and families for nearly 100 years in the first sentence to help plan for and fund “end of life” solutions.  We have built a reputation among funeral directors and consumers as a trustworthy source of funding.  Our speed to pay claims has been a great strength and still is today. Between 1925 and 1940 our Home Service Distribution was built through recruiting sales agents and building district offices throughout South Carolina. In 1946, the Scarborough Family started Cosmopolitan Life Insurance Company and in 1954 merged its operations into Atlantic Coast Life. Our Home Service distribution reached its height in 1978 employing a field sales force of over 250 persons working out of 15 District Offices strategically located across the state of South Carolina. In 1954, the Scarborough Family acquired one hundred percent of the Atlantic Coast Life stock and the company began an era of success and growth that has spanned nearly ten decades. When Mr. Y. W. Scarborough passed away in 1956,  the responsibility of leadership was passed  to his son, Y. W. Scarborough, Jr., then to R. B. Scarborough in 1989, and then to Y.W. “Bill” Scarborough, III, in 1995.  Wallace B. Scarborough served as President from 2013 to 2015. In the mid 90’s our Home Service Distribution peaked and the company’s growth slowed significantly. Y.W. “Bill” Scarborough had the vision to dramatically change the company’s distribution strategy and focused most of our efforts and resources to launch a new distribution arm to reinvigorate sales and growth.  This decision transformed the course of Atlantic Coast Life’s voyage into the future. The Preneed Division set sail in August of 2003.  In 2005, after 18 months of success, above our expectations, we began to expand our Preneed Division into nine neighboring Southeastern states.  By 2008, we were known throughout the Southeast as a serious competitor and as a growing presence in the Preneed marketplace. In 2015, Advantage Capital purchased Atlantic Coast Life from the Scarborough Family and Y. W. Scarborough returned to the position of president.  Growth, expansion and success has multiplied.  Atlantic Coast began an intense expansion that now takes us on a journey across the country!  Our new Ownership guided the company into the Annuity Marketplace and we immediately became a highly sought after insurer of choice by many annuity producers and financial advisors across the country, generating over 1 billion dollars in 2020 of new premium.  Our plans for the future are to continue to nurture and improve our Preneed and Annuity distribution systems and to protect all of our stakeholders by continuing to be a “Beacon of Integrity” in all of our dealings with clients, agents, and producers.

Officers/Board of Directors

Officers

Board of Directors

Company Milestones
  • 1925

    ACL chartered and the sale of life insurance begins in Charleston, South Carolina.

  • 1940

    Purchase of The Rogers Mansion as the company’s Home Office.

  • 1978

    Acquired American Home Life.

  • 1997

    Sold the Rogers Mansion and purchased our current Home Office Campus.

  • 2003

    Launch of our Preneed Distribution System

  • 2004

    Endorsed by the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association as their Preferred Preneed Provider. Assets of 58 million dollars.

  • 2007

    9 state Southeastern expansion complete.

  • 2008

    Annual premium income exceeds 10 million dollars.

  • 2011

    Annual premium income exceeds 20 million dollars.

  • 2012

    Assets exceed 100 million dollars.

  • 2015

    In June ACL purchased by Advantage Capital Annual premium income exceeds 25 million dollars.

  • 2016

    Began Nationwide expansion effort . Successful launch of Annuity Sales Division and premium income jumps to 250 million dollars.

  • 2017

    Assets approach 450 million.

  • 2018

    Expansion reaches 34 states with 8 additional states pending.

  • Onward
    We
    Go!

ATLANTIC COAST LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY IS A MEMBER OF THE A-CAP FAMILY

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Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company is a premier provider of life insurance and annuity products for families throughout the nation.
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