<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000054473</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KCLI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001096554</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIXBY WALTER E JR REVOCABLE TRUST</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE CO</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3520 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $1.25 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>42704</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1817456</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Effective on December 31, 2009, pursuant to the mandatory provisions of the agreement of WEB interests, Ltd. (the &quot;Partnership&quot;), an indirect pecuniary interest in 42,704 shares of common stock, $1.25 par value of Kansas City Life Insurance Company (&quot;Common Stock&quot;), owned by the Partnership was transferred from the Walter E. Bixby, Jr. Revocable Trust dated July 28, 1999, as amended (&quot;WEB Trust&quot;), in its capacity as Class A and Class C limited partner and a general partner of the Partnership to the Class B limited partners.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">As a general partner of the Partnership, the WEB Trust with the co-trustees of the WEB Trust, each of whom is a general partner of the Partnership, shares the power to dispose of all of the 2,358,340 shares of Common Stock owned by the Partnership, but disclaims beneficial ownership in all but 1,817,456 shares owned by the Partnership as the WEB Trust only has a pecuniary interest in such shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As reported on a Schedule 13D filed by the Bixby family group with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2004, the sole voting power for all the shares described herein is held by Mr. Lee M. Vogel pursuant to a Voting Agreement dated October 31, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Walter E. Bixby, Co-trustee, signed by William A. Schalekamp power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-02-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert Philip Bixby, Co-trustee, signed by William A. Schalekamp as power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-02-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angeline I. Bixby, Co-trustee</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-02-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
