Life insurance gets more expensive with every birthday, and the jump speeds up after 60. In published sample rates updated in November 2026, $100,000 of term life for a healthy nonsmoker costs about $56 to $79 a month at 60 and about $215 to $313 a month at 80. A $10,000 guaranteed issue final expense policy averages about $50 to $63 a month at 60 and $142 to $184 a month at 80. In each range the lower figure is for women and the higher one is for men. The only official government price list is VA's VALife table for veterans with a service-connected rating: $50.00 a month for $10,000 at age 60 and $127.50 at age 80.
Every number on this page is a published average or an official rate table, with its source and date. None of them is a quote. Your price depends on your health, tobacco use, sex, state, the insurer and the exact policy, and only an insurer can tell you what it will charge you. This page does not recommend any company or plan.
Quick Answer: Monthly Cost by Age
This table puts the most common senior purchases side by side. The ranges run from the published average for women to the average for men.
| Age when you buy | Term life, $100,000 (nonsmoker) | Whole life, $100,000 (nonsmoker, good health) | Guaranteed issue final expense, $10,000 | VALife, $10,000 (veterans) |
|---|
| 60 | $56 to $79 | $257 to $288 | $50 to $63 | $50.00 |
| 65 | $90 to $127 | $356 to $406 | $60 to $78 | $62.00 |
| 70 | $156 to $210 | $498 to $575 | $75 to $96 | $78.00 |
| 75 | $134 to $192 (10-year term) | $745 to $860 | $103 to $130 | $99.50 |
| 80 | $215 to $313 (10-year term) | $1,125 to $1,293 | $142 to $184 | $127.50 |
Sources: term life from MoneyGeek's term life rates by age (page updated November 5, 2026; 20-year terms at 60 to 70, 10-year terms at 75 and 80). Whole life and final expense from MoneyGeek's whole life rates by age (page updated November 2, 2026). VALife from VA.gov (page updated October 13, 2026). Private figures are published monthly averages, not quotes. VALife figures are VA's official rates.
The term figure at 75 is lower than at 70 only because the term is shorter. The 70-year-old row is a 20-year policy. At 75 and 80, the published sample switched to 10-year terms, because 20-year terms were not available at those ages in that analysis. Compare the same term length, and price still climbs with age.
Term Life Rates by Age
Term life covers you for a set number of years and pays nothing if you outlive the term. It is the cheapest way to buy a large amount of coverage, but it is also the type whose price rises fastest with age. Many insurers stop offering longer terms as applicants get older.
Nonsmokers, monthly premium
| Age | Term length | Women, $100,000 | Men, $100,000 | Women, $250,000 | Men, $250,000 | Women, $500,000 | Men, $500,000 |
|---|
| 60 | 20 years | $56 | $79 | $110 | $157 | $204 | $293 |
| 65 | 20 years | $90 | $127 | $180 | $260 | $336 | $500 |
| 70 | 20 years | $156 | $210 | $335 | $452 | $637 | $871 |
| 75 | 10 years | $134 | $192 | $269 | $405 | $514 | $790 |
| 80 | 10 years | $215 | $313 | $439 | $659 | $859 | $1,323 |
Source: MoneyGeek, term life insurance rates by age, page updated November 5, 2026. Nonsmokers in good health. The page does not state the date the underlying quotes were collected.
Smokers, 20-year term, monthly premium
Tobacco use roughly doubles or triples the price. The published smoker table stops at 65.
| Age | Women, $100,000 | Men, $100,000 | Women, $250,000 | Men, $250,000 |
|---|
| 60 | $158 | $226 | $339 | $486 |
| 65 | $229 | $328 | $497 | $722 |
Source: MoneyGeek, same page and date.
A 65-year-old man who smokes pays about $328 a month for $100,000 in this sample, against $127 for a nonsmoker. That is about 2.6 times as much.
Whole Life Rates by Age
Whole life lasts for your whole life as long as you pay, and part of each premium builds cash value. That is why it costs several times more than term for the same face amount. Many seniors buy much smaller whole life policies, $10,000 to $25,000, rather than $100,000 or more.
Nonsmokers in good health, monthly premium
| Age | Women, $100,000 | Men, $100,000 | Women, $250,000 | Men, $250,000 |
|---|
| 60 | $257 | $288 | $590 | $684 |
| 65 | $356 | $406 | $835 | $967 |
| 70 | $498 | $575 | $1,189 | $1,374 |
| 75 | $745 | $860 | $1,775 | $2,074 |
| 80 | $1,125 | $1,293 | $2,678 | $3,151 |
Health and tobacco change the price as much as age
| Age | Women, nonsmoker, poor health ($100,000) | Men, nonsmoker, poor health ($100,000) | Women, smoker ($100,000) | Men, smoker ($100,000) |
|---|
| 60 | $476 | $552 | $405 | $454 |
| 65 | $704 | $820 | $592 | $664 |
| 70 | $1,059 | $1,230 | $881 | $984 |
| 75 | $1,460 | $1,676 | $1,225 | $1,371 |
| 80 | $2,012 | $2,283 | $1,704 | $1,912 |
Source for both tables: MoneyGeek, whole life insurance rates by age, page updated November 2, 2026. Monthly averages. The page does not say how or when the quotes were collected.
In this sample, a woman in poor health at 60 pays about the same as a healthy woman at about 68 or 69. Health class can move your price by years.
Final Expense and Burial Insurance Rates by Age
Final expense insurance, also sold as burial insurance, is a small whole life policy meant to cover a funeral and final bills. Guaranteed issue versions ask no health questions, so almost anyone in the insurer's age range is accepted. They usually pay only your premiums back, plus some interest, if you die of an illness in the first two years or so.
Guaranteed issue final expense, monthly premium
| Coverage | Age 60 (women / men) | Age 65 | Age 70 | Age 75 | Age 80 |
|---|
| $5,000 | $27 / $34 | $32 / $41 | $39 / $50 | $53 / $67 | $73 / $95 |
| $10,000 | $50 / $63 | $60 / $78 | $75 / $96 | $103 / $130 | $142 / $184 |
| $15,000 | $74 / $93 | $88 / $115 | $110 / $142 | $152 / $194 | $210 / $273 |
| $20,000 | $98 / $125 | $116 / $153 | $145 / $188 | $200 / $259 | $281 / $370 |
| $25,000 | $122 / $155 | $145 / $191 | $180 / $233 | $249 / $323 | $350 / $462 |
Source: MoneyGeek, whole life insurance rates by age, final expense section, page updated November 2, 2026. Average monthly rates for guaranteed issue whole life. Smoker status not stated.
Simplified issue policies, which ask a short list of health questions, usually cost less than guaranteed issue for the same coverage. If you can answer the health questions honestly and pass, it is worth comparing both.
Watch the break-even point
At older ages, small policies can cost more over time than they pay out. A man who buys $10,000 of guaranteed issue coverage at 80 for $184 a month has paid in $10,000 after about 54 months, or 4.5 years. Some families decide a dedicated savings account or a funeral pre-need plan makes more sense. Others value knowing the benefit is there no matter how long they live. Run the math for your own price before you sign.
VALife Rates by Age (Official VA Table)
Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for veterans with a service-connected disability rating, including a 0% rating. These are VA's monthly rates, set by age when you apply.
| Age when you apply | $10,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 |
|---|
| 60 | $50.00 | $100.00 | $150.00 | $200.00 |
| 65 | $62.00 | $124.00 | $186.00 | $248.00 |
| 70 | $78.00 | $156.00 | $234.00 | $312.00 |
| 75 | $99.50 | $199.00 | $298.50 | $398.00 |
| 80 | $127.50 | $255.00 | $382.50 | $510.00 |
Source: VA.gov, VALife page, updated October 13, 2026. VA also lists rates for ages 81 to 95, which apply only in limited cases.
Key VALife rules from VA:
- Age 80 or younger: eligible with any service-connected rating, even 0%. No deadline to apply after the rating.
- Age 81 or older: eligible only if you applied for disability compensation before 81, got the rating after 81, and apply for VALife within 2 years of the rating notice.
- Coverage: up to $40,000, in $10,000 steps. No health questions.
- Waiting period: full coverage starts 2 years after you apply. If you die in those 2 years, VA pays your beneficiaries the premiums paid plus interest (4.23% for a death in 2026).
VALife's prices sit close to the private guaranteed issue averages above, and below the men's averages at every age shown. The full VALife details are in our life insurance for seniors guide.
What Changes Your Rate
Age is the biggest single factor, but several others matter.
| Factor | How it affects price |
|---|
| Age when you apply | Price rises each year. Between 60 and 80, the averages above rise about 2.5 to 4.5 times, depending on policy type. |
| Sex | Women pay less at every age in these samples, because women live longer on average. |
| Health | Conditions such as heart disease, diabetes with complications, or cancer history raise the price or limit you to smaller policies. See life insurance for diabetics. |
| Tobacco | Smokers pay roughly 1.5 to 3 times as much in these samples. |
| Policy type | Term is cheapest per dollar of coverage. Whole life costs more. Guaranteed issue costs the most per dollar. |
| Coverage amount | Bigger policies cost more in total, though often slightly less per $1,000. |
| Term length | A longer term costs more each month, and long terms may not be offered at older ages. |
| State and insurer | Rates vary by insurer and state. Prices for the same person can differ a lot. |
Average Life Insurance Cost for a 70-Year-Old
This is one of the most searched versions of the question, so here it is in one place, using the same published averages:
- $100,000 of 20-year term, nonsmoker: about $156 a month for women, $210 for men.
- $100,000 of whole life, nonsmoker, good health: about $498 a month for women, $575 for men.
- $10,000 guaranteed issue final expense: about $75 a month for women, $96 for men.
- $10,000 of VALife (eligible veterans): $78.00 a month.
Per year, that $10,000 final expense policy works out to roughly $900 to $1,150.
How to Get a Real Price
- Decide what the money is for. For a funeral, a traditional service with burial has a national median of $8,300 at the funeral home alone, before cemetery costs, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Paying off a mortgage or replacing a pension for a spouse may need far more, which usually points to term.
- Check coverage you already have. Look for group coverage through an employer, former employer, union or credit union, and VALife if you are a veteran with a rating. Group coverage often ends at retirement, but many plans let you convert to an individual policy within a short window.
- Gather your health details. Medications, diagnoses and dates. Honest answers matter, because a misstatement can let the insurer deny a claim during the contestability period, usually the first 2 years.
- Get quotes from more than one licensed agent or insurer. Confirm the license with your state insurance department.
- Compare the same policy. Match coverage amount, term length and policy type before comparing prices. Ask whether the premium can rise later and when coverage ends.
- Read the waiting period. Guaranteed issue and VALife both have a 2-year limited benefit period for deaths from illness.
- Check benefits rules before you buy whole life. If you get or may need SSI or Medicaid, cash value can count as a resource. For SSI, cash value is ignored only if the total face value of all your cash-value policies is $1,500 or less. Above that, the cash value counts toward the $2,000 limit ($3,000 for a couple). Our guide on how life insurance counts for SSI and Medicaid explains the details. SNAP does not count the cash value of life insurance.
If you are looking into coverage on a mother or father, our life insurance for parents guide covers consent and ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does life insurance cost at 60?
In published averages updated November 2026, a healthy nonsmoker pays about $56 (women) to $79 (men) a month for $100,000 of 20-year term, and about $257 to $288 a month for $100,000 of whole life. A $10,000 guaranteed issue final expense policy averages about $50 to $63 a month. VALife costs $50.00 a month for $10,000 at 60. These are averages, not quotes.
How much does life insurance cost at 65?
About $90 to $127 a month for $100,000 of 20-year term for a nonsmoker, $356 to $406 for $100,000 of whole life, and $60 to $78 for $10,000 of guaranteed issue final expense, based on MoneyGeek's November 2026 averages. VALife is $62.00 a month for $10,000.
Can I get life insurance at 75 or 80?
Often, yes, but choices narrow. In the published samples, 20-year terms were not available at 75 and 80, so the figures switch to 10-year terms. Small whole life and final expense policies remain the most common choice at these ages. Each insurer sets its own maximum age to apply, often somewhere in the 80s for final expense.
Why is life insurance so much more expensive for men?
Women live longer on average, so insurers expect to pay a claim later. In the samples on this page, men pay roughly 10% to 50% more than women of the same age for the same policy.
Is there government life insurance for seniors?
There is no general government life insurance for older adults. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating can buy VALife, up to $40,000, with no health questions. Social Security pays a one-time $255 death payment to an eligible surviving spouse or child, and monthly survivor benefits to those who qualify.
Do life insurance rates go up every year after I buy?
It depends on the policy. Whole life and most final expense policies are priced at your age when you buy, and the premium is usually level for life. Term premiums are usually level for the length of the term, then rise sharply if you renew. Some policies allow premium changes, so ask the insurer and read the policy. Nothing on this page guarantees any rate.
Is it cheaper to buy life insurance now or wait?
Waiting almost always costs more, because price is based on your age when you apply and your health can change. In the whole life sample above, the same $100,000 policy costs a woman about $356 a month at 65 and $498 at 70.
Are these life insurance rates guaranteed?
No. These are published sample averages and VA's official VALife table. Private insurers set their own prices, which change over time and depend on your health, state and the exact policy. Only a licensed insurer or agent can quote your actual price.
