Securities and Exchange Commission
                             Washington, D. C. 20549


                                    Form 10-Q


               Quarterly Report Under Section 13 or 15 (d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                      For the Quarter ended March 31, 1999


                           Commission File No. 2-40764


                       Kansas City Life Insurance Company
                                  3520 Broadway
                        Kansas City, Missouri 64111-2565

                              Phone: (816) 753-7000

                             IRS Number: 44-0308260

                      Incorporated in the State of Missouri



The Registrant  (1) has filed all reports  required to be filed by section 13 or
15 (d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 during the  preceding 12 months,
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

                                 Yes X No______


Indicate the number of shares  outstanding  of each of the  issuer's  classes of
common stock, as of the most recent date available.

                      Class Outstanding at April 6, 1999
                 Common Stock, $2.50 par value 6,201,665 shares
                                     Page 1

                       Kansas City Life Insurance Company
                          Quarter ended March 31, 1999


Part I

Item 1.  Financial  Statements
Incorporated  by reference from the Quarterly  Report to  Stockholders  (pages 4
through 7). See the attached exhibit.  These interim financial statements should
be read in conjunction with the Company's 1998 Annual Report to Stockholders.


Item 2. Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
     of Operations

Results of Operations

Kansas City Life's  operating  earnings per share grew 51 percent over last year
to $0.99. Even including  realized gains,  which declined $2.2 million from last
year's first quarter, net income equaled $1.00 per share, a 27 percent increase.
These per share  earnings  amounts  reflect the  two-for-one  common stock split
authorized by the Board of Directors in January and approved by the stockholders
in  April.  This  operating   earnings  increase  is  primarily  the  result  of
significantly  improved mortality for all three companies and across all product
lines.

Net investment  income was flat in the first quarter as was the net yield on the
investment  portfolio as the yields  available on new money  equaled  those lost
through  sales  and  maturities.  Interest  spreads  on the  interest  sensitive
products were maintained in the first quarter.

Home office operating expenses rose 1 percent versus 1998's first quarter.  Home
office  expenses have been increasing over the past few years as the Company has
focused on expanding sales to help improve operating  efficiencies.  The Company
is currently  consolidating  Sunset Life into its home office  operations.  This
process is on schedule and will be completed by the end of the third
quarter.  It is expected that the resulting cost savings from this consolidation
will exceed $2.0 million annually, beginning in 2000.

The  following  schedule  addresses  the  financial  performance  of each of the
Company's four  reportable  operating  segments:  the Parent  Company,  which is
divided into individual and group operations, and its two insurance affiliates.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                       Kansas City Life Insurance Company
                               Segment Information

                                                   Kansas City Life         Sunset          Old
                                                 Individual   Group           Life      American        Total
<S>                                              <C>          <C>              <C>          <C>        <C>   
Revenues from external customers:
         First Quarter:    1999                  $29,574      13,070           7,540        19,054     69,238
                           1998                   26,098      12,869           6,826        20,289     66,082

Investment revenues:
         First Quarter:    1999                  $37,401         282           8,112         3,479     49,274
                           1998                   37,332         251           8,020         3,439     49,042

Operating income (loss):
         First Quarter:    1999                  $ 8,518         462           2,622           639     12,241
                           1998                    6,095        (360)          2,034           329      8,098

</TABLE>

Notes:

1.   Intersegment revenues are not material.

2.   The above totals agree to the consolidated financial statements.

3. There has been no  significant  change in segment assets from last year end,
   nor has there been any change in the basis of segmentation or the measurement
   of segment income.

Kansas City Life - Individual

New annualized premiums rose 3 percent in the first quarter,  principally due to
flexible  annuities,  up 24  percent,  and  variable  annuities,  up 19 percent.
Partially offsetting these increases, individual life sales declined 36 percent.
Total  variable  sales  were flat in the first  quarter.  On the basis of direct
statutory  receipts,  new sales rose 4 percent  as  variable  annuities  grew 10
percent and individual fixed line annuities grew more than four times.  Variable
sales remain at nearly two-thirds of new sales for this segment.

Total insurance revenues,  which includes premium renewals,  rose 13 percent for
the segment in the first quarter.

Benefits declined 4 percent for this segment in the first quarter,  reflecting a
16 percent  decrease in death benefits and a 33 percent  decrease in surrenders.
Mortality in the first  quarter was improved  versus last year's first  quarter.
Benefits  as a percent  of  operating  revenue  equaled  58 percent in the first
quarter, down from 63 percent last year.

Primarily as a result of the improvement in mortality,  operating income grew 40
percent  in  the  first  quarter  and  this  segment   provided  70  percent  of
consolidated operating income.


Kansas City Life - Group

In  the  first  quarter,   the  group  segment  contributed  4  percent  of  the
consolidated  operating  income  compared to a loss in 1998. This turnaround was
primarily due to  significantly  improved claims ratios in virtually all product
lines of this  segment.  The gross claims ratio for all products in this segment
was 71 percent in the first quarter, compared with 80 percent last year.

Group sales, in terms of new annualized premiums, grew 27 percent in the quarter
and provided 11 percent of consolidated  annualized  premiums.  These sales were
led by dental, up 14 percent; stop loss, up 50 percent; and life, up 68 percent.
The  dental   product  was  revamped   during  1998  in  order  to  improve  its
profitability. The stop loss product continues to maintain its historically good
sales  results and the group area is targeting  the life product  during 1999 to
improve its sales results.

In total,  the group  segment  provided  19  percent of  consolidated  insurance
revenues in the first quarter for both years.

Sunset Life

Sunset Life's new annualized  premiums declined 18 percent in the first quarter,
as declines were recorded in both universal life, down 33 percent,  and flexible
annuities,  down 18  percent.  Sunset  Life  contributed  7 percent of total new
annualized premiums during 1999, down from 9 percent in 1998.

Insurance  revenues  increased 9 percent,  largely  due to  contract  charges on
interest  sensitive  products.  Benefits,  as a percent of  operating  revenues,
equaled 46 percent,  down from 51 percent a year ago.  This decline is primarily
due to improved mortality.  Additionally,  operating expenses declined 4 percent
from 1998. In total for Sunset Life,  operating  income increased 29 percent and
contributed 21 percent of consolidated operating income in the first quarter.

Old American

New annualized premiums rose 1 percent in the first quarter. As mentioned in the
1998 Annual  Report,  Old  American has begun to more  aggressively  recruit new
agents and is seeking to improve its target marketing to provide better response
rates for its sales  force.  Old  American  provided 7 percent  of  consolidated
sales,  consistent with the previous year. This segment also provided 28 percent
of consolidated insurance revenues, down from 31 percent in the first quarter of
1998.

Benefits,  as a percent of operating revenues,  equaled 63 percent compared with
68 percent a year ago. This improvement was primarily due to improved  mortality
and  partially  due to the sale of the home health  care block of business  last
year.

Operating  income for this  segment  nearly  doubled  and  provided 5 percent of
consolidated operating income.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Statements  made in the  Company's  1998 Annual  Report to  Stockholders  remain
pertinent.

In addition to the two-for-one  stock split  previously  mentioned,  in January,
1999, the Board approved the purchase of 500,000 shares,  on a pre-split  basis,
of the Company's  stock on the open market.  As of this time, no shares had been
purchased under this program.

For the three  months,  cash  provided from  operating  activities  and net cash
outflows from contract  deposits  totaled $20.0 million,  a decline of 8 percent
from last year. A growing,  sizable portion of the Company's  insurance receipts
result from variable  products  which directs most of the  investable  cash into
separate accounts rendering it unavailable for general investments. At March 31,
1999,  separate accounts totaled $163.3 million, up $20.3 million from year end.
However, liquidity is not a concern as the Company made new investments totaling
$176.8  million  during the first three  months,  an increase of 23 percent from
last year.

Assets  totaled $3.6 billion at March 31, 1999,  the same as year end.  However,
excluding  unrealized  investment gains,  assets grew at a 5 percent  annualized
growth rate.  Consolidated insurance in force totaled $26.5 billion, a 2 percent
decline on an annualized  basis.  Book value per share totaled $45.29 on a split
basis,  a decline of 11  percent  on an  annualized  basis.  However,  excluding
unrealized  investment  gains,  book  value  per  share  grew  at  an 8  percent
annualized rate.

Year 2000 (Y2K) Compliance

Kansas  City Life is closely  monitoring  its  ability,  and the  ability of its
primary vendors and business partners, to successfully operate in the year 2000.
Kansas City Life continues the  assessment and resolution of potential  problems
in both its  information  technology  (IT)  systems  and in its  non-information
technology systems. At the present time, the Company is approximately 90 percent
complete  with  resolving  its IT  issues  and  anticipates  that it  will  have
completed its year 2000 IT compliant issues by mid-summer. The Company completed
converting its one remaining non-IT system in the first quarter.  The Company is
actively  monitoring the  compliance  programs of those third parties with which
the Company has business  relationships as well as developing  contingency plans
based upon those assessments.  These third parties are progressing well, but the
Company will continue to monitor  these third  parties until full  compliance is
achieved.  Contingency plans are currently being developed and will be completed
by mid-1999.  The incremental cost of the Company's  compliance effort generally
has been expensed as incurred and has not been  material thus far,  estimated at
less than  $700,000,  nor are  additional  costs  expected to be material in the
future. The forecast costs, consequences of the year 2000 problem, and the dates
on which the Company  believes it will  complete its various year 2000  computer
modifications  are based on its best  estimates,  which,  in turn, were based on
numerous assumptions of future events,  including  third-party  modification and
compliance plans,  continued  availability of resources,  and other factors. The
Company  cannot  be sure  that  these  estimates  will be  achieved  or that the
assumptions are accurate,  and actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated.

Market and Interest Rate Risk Analysis 

Statements  made in the 1998 Annual  Report to  Stockholders  pertaining  to the
market and interest rate risk  analysis  remain  pertinent.  As mentioned in the
Annual  Report,  the primary  market risk  affecting  Kansas City Life  concerns
interest rates. The Company's unrealized investment gains were approximately $49
million at March 31, 1999,  representing a decrease in such gains from last year
end, due to increased interest rates in the market during the first quarter.




Part II:  Other Information



Item 2.  Changes in Securities and Use of Proceeds

As a result of the two-for-one stock split approved by the
stockholders, each share of the Company's common stock with a par
value of two and one-half dollars ($2.50) a share will be changed
into two (2) shares with a par value of one and one-quarter dollars
($1.25).  The record date for the stock split will be May 20, 1999. 
On or about June 21, 1999, each stockholder will receive an
additional share for each share held on the record date, together
with a written notice that the par value of each share held has
been reduced to one and one-quarter dollars ($1.25).  The amount of
stated capital will remain unchanged.

Item 4.  Result of Votes of Security Holders

On April 22, 1999, the Annual Stockholders Meeting was held at 3520
Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri.  At this meeting, there were
6,201,665 shares outstanding and eligible to vote, and 5,293,202
shares were represented at the meeting either in person or by
proxy.  The following Directors received the number of votes
indicated and were elected for a three year term:

W. E. Bixby, III     -   5,265,583
Webb R. Gilmore      -   5,261,303
Nancy Bixby Hudson   -   5,259,290
Daryl D. Jensen      -   5,261,677
C. John Malacarne    -   5,261,040

The following Directors continued their term of office after this
meeting:

J. R. Bixby
R. Philip Bixby
W. E. Bixby
Richard L. Finn
Jack D. Hayes
Warren J. Hunzicker, M.D.
Francis P. Lemery
Michael J. Ross
Elizabeth T. Solberg
Larry Winn, Jr.

For amending Article 4(a) of the Articles of Incorporation to
authorize a two-for-one stock split, there were 6,201,665 shares
outstanding and eligible to vote, and 5,290,366 shares were
represented at the meeting either in person or by proxy.  The vote
was as follows:

FOR       -   5,132,140
AGAINST   -     158,226


Item 6.

(a)  Exhibit:  3(a) Article 4(a), as Amended,  of the 1986 Restatement of the
     Articles of Incorporation of Kansas City Life Insurance Company.

(b)  Reports on 8-K:  There were no reports on Form 8-K filed for 
     the three months ended March 31, 1999.




                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                       KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY



/s/Richard L. Finn
Richard L. Finn
Senior Vice President, Finance


/s/John K. Koetting
John K. Koetting
Vice President and Controller


/s/C. John Malacarne
C. John Malacarne
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary



Date:  May 11, 1999








                       KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                          Quarter ended March 31, 1999
                                     EXHIBIT

                        Quarterly Report to Stockholders



Balance Sheet
(in thousands)

                                      March 31     December 31
                                        1999           1998
                                   -------------  -------------
Assets
Investments:
  Fixed maturities:
    Securities available for sale,
      at market                      $ 2,074,156      2,094,362
    Securities held to maturity,
      at amortized cost                  115,522        115,504
  Equity securities available
    for sale, at market                  105,930        100,749
  Mortgage loans                         322,555        315,706
  Policy loans                           121,597        122,860
  Other                                  140,571        142,387
                                   -------------  -------------
                                       2,880,331      2,891,568

Deferred acquisition costs               218,944        218,957
Other assets                             316,185        323,881
Separate account assets                  163,326        143,008
                                   -------------  -------------

                                     $ 3,578,786      3,577,414
                                   =============  =============

Liabilities and equity
Future policy benefits               $   825,518        822,343
Accumulated contract values            1,725,074      1,731,262
Other liabilities                        303,098        302,868
Separate account liabilities             163,326        143,008
                                   -------------  -------------
  Total liabilities                    3,017,016      2,999,481

Stockholders' equity:
  Capital stock                           23,121         23,121
  Paid in capital                         17,882         17,633
  Accumulated other comprehensive
    income (loss)                         20,061         45,466
  Retained earnings                      590,537        581,074
  Less treasury stock                    (89,831)       (89,361)
                                   -------------  -------------
                                         561,770        577,933
                                   -------------  -------------

                                     $ 3,578,786      3,577,414
                                   =============  =============

Notes:
*  Comprehensive income (loss) equals ($12,963,000) and
   $13,832,000, for 1999 and 1998, respectively.
   This varies from net income due to unrealized gains
   or losses on securities.

*  These financial statements are unaudited but, in
   management's opinion, include all adjustments
   necessary for a fair presentation of the results.

*  Income per common share is based upon the weighted
   average number of shares outstanding during the period,
   12,406,574 shares (12,390,452 shares - 1998).  The
   number of shares in both years has been adjusted to
   reflect the two-for-one stock split.

*  These interim financial statements should be read in
   conjunction with the Company's 1998 Annual Report to
   Stockholders.  The results of operations for any
   interim period are not necessarily indicative of
   the Company's operating results for a full year.

*  Certain amounts from the prior year's financial statements
   have been reclassified to conform with the current
   presentation.



Consolidated
Income Statement
(in thousands, except per share data)
                                              Quarter ended
                                                 March 31
                                              1999     1998
                                              ----     ----
Revenues
Insurance revenues:
  Premiums:
    Life insurance                         $ 27,805   26,096
    Accident and health                      10,263   10,368
  Contract charges                           27,233   27,280
Investment revenues:
  Investment income, net                     49,274   49,042
  Realized gains                                309    2,527
Other                                         3,937    2,339
                                            -------  -------
    Total revenues                          118,821  117,652
                                            -------  -------
Benefits and expenses
Policy benefits:
  Death benefits                             27,509   32,007
  Surrenders of life insurance                3,561    4,833
  Other benefits                             16,053   16,904
  Increase in benefit and contract reserve   20,502   18,923
Amortization of policy acquisition costs     10,475    8,517
Insurance operating expenses                 23,129   23,247
                                            -------  -------
    Total benefits and expenses             101,229  104,431
                                            -------  -------

Pretax income                                17,592   13,221
                                            -------  -------

Federal income taxes:
  Current                                     5,835    4,764
  Deferred                                     (685)  (1,284)
                                            -------  -------
                                              5,150    3,480
                                            -------  -------

Net income                                $  12,442    9,741
                                            =======  =======

Per common share
  Operating income                           $ 0.99     0.66
  Realized gains, net                          0.01     0.13
                                            -------  -------

  Net income                                 $ 1.00     0.79




                                  CONSOLIDATED
                            STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                 (in thousands)
                                  Quarter ended
                                                                  March 31
                                                             1999         1998
 Operating activities
   Net cash provided                                        $23,069      21,845

 Investing activities
   Purchases of fixed maturity investments                 (145,282)   (129,363)
   Sales of fixed maturity investments                       68,163      29,960
   Maturities and principal paydowns of
     fixed maturity investments                              56,561      71,072
   Purchases of other investments                           (31,512)    (13,717)
   Sales maturities and principal paydowns
     of other investments                                    17,577      18,502
   Net (purchases) sales of short-term investments            3,898        (627)

   Net cash used                                            (30,595)    (24,173)

 Financing activities
 Policyowner contract deposits                               40,815      46,743
 Withdrawals of policyowner
   contract deposits                                        (43,876)    (46,818)
 Dividends paid to stockholders                              (2,979)     (2,787)
 Other, net                                                    (329)     (2,490)
   Net cash used                                             (6,369)     (5,352)

 Decrease in cash                                           (13,895)     (7,680)
 Cash at beginning of year                                   16,763      50,927
   Cash at end of period                                     $2,868      43,247





Message  from the President and CEO

     Kansas  City  Life is off to a good  start in 1999 as the  first  quarter's
operating  earnings  improved  51  percent  over last year to $.99 a share.  Net
income rose 27 percent to $1.00 a share as realized  investment  gains  declined
$2.2 million in the quarter.  These per share earnings  reflect the  two-for-one
stock split  authorized by the Board of Directors in January and approved by the
stockholders in April.

     The significant  earnings increase  reflected improved claims experience at
all three of our insurance  companies.  Mortality  experience on our  individual
insurance  products improved as did claims ratios in the group line of business.
The sale of Old  American's  home  health  care block late last year  provided a
modest boost to earnings as well.

     Sales, in terms of annualized new premiums,  rose 3 percent in the quarter.
Annuity  sales,  both variable and  non-variable,  were up 18 percent.  However,
sales of  individual  life  coverage  declined  27  percent.  Sales of  variable
products,  which include both annuities and universal  life,  were level for the
quarter.  Group sales  improved 27 percent due to strong growth in dental,  stop
loss and group life.

     Insurance  revenues,  as shown in the attached earnings  statement,  rose 4
percent excluding the decline in home health care premiums. Life premiums rose 7
percent while accident and health premiums increased 7 percent,  again excluding
home  health  care  premiums.  Contract  charges  associated  with the  interest
sensitive and variable products were level for the quarter. Insurance in force
declined 2 percent on an annualized basis to $26.5 billion.

     Net investment income was unchanged for the quarter as was the net yield on
the investment portfolio. Additionally,  interest spreads were maintained on the
interest sensitive products.

     Home office  operating  expenses  rose 1 percent in the  quarter,  the same
percentage  increase as statutory  premiums.  The relocation of Sunset Life into
the  Kansas  City home  office is  progressing  according  to plan and should be
completed by the end of the third quarter.  Costs associated with the relocation
should absorb most of the savings from increased efficiencies in 1999.

     In January the Company  announced a stock  repurchase  program  whereby the
Company  may  repurchase  up to 500,000  shares of its stock on the open  market
during  1999.  No shares  were  acquired  under  this  program  during the first
quarter.

     The Board of  Directors  approved a regular  quarterly  dividend  of $.48 a
share payable on May 24 to stockholders of record on May 10. This dividend is on
a pre-split basis since the record date for the stock split is May 20.

     Book value declined to $45.29 a share on a split basis. This decrease arose
from a decline in the market value of our securities classified as available for
sale due to rising  interest  rates.  Excluding  the  effects  of the  change in
unrealized gains, book value rose 8 percent on an annualized basis, in line with
historical trends.