Average life insurance rates by age, gender and health

Why you can trust Insure.com

Quality Verified

At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. For a deeper dive into our process, see our complete methodology. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry.

Age drives what you pay for life insurance more than any other factor. A 25-year-old man pays $299 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy, $470 at 40 and $1,768 at 55, and the increases get steeper with each decade rather than rising evenly.

Buy the coverage now and you lock that rate for the full term. Waiting a year costs you the difference permanently, since the price is set by your age on the application and never repriced afterward.

Run the same coverage amount and term through three insurers before you buy. Rates for identical coverage differ enough between companies that shopping is what determines your price once your age is fixed.

How much does life insurance cost by age?

A 40-year-old man pays $470 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy in the Preferred health class, and a 25-year-old man pays $299 for the same coverage. Rates rise slowly through your 30s and then climb sharply, with a woman going from $290 at 35 to $845 at 50.

The older you get, the steeper the increase. A female nonsmoker going from 35 to 40 sees a 33% jump in premiums, and a male nonsmoker sees a 37% jump. The gap widens further from 50 onwards.

Age	Female	Male
25	$242	$299
30	$254	$314
35	$290	$343
40	$386	$470
45	$564	$723
50	$845	$1,111
55	$1,275	$1,768
60	$2,180	$3,067
65	$4,166	$5,918

Why does life insurance cost more as you get older?

The older you are, the more likely you are to die during the policy term. That’s the core of it. Insurers price policies based on risk, and age is their strongest indicator of mortality risk.

Premiums start rising in your mid-30s, and 50 is where the increases get steep. A 65-year-old man pays $5,918 a year for the same policy a 25-year-old gets for $299.

When insurers give you a higher rate because of you’re age, they’re considering:

Mortality risk increases with age. The older you are, the higher the statistical likelihood of dying during the policy term. Insurers price that risk into your premium.
Health conditions become more common. Older applicants are more likely to have chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure—all of which shorten life expectancy.
Less time to spread risk. A 25-year-old paying premiums for 20 years gives the insurer a long runway to collect payments before a claim is likely. A 55-year-old doesn’t.

Here’s how to pick the best insurance policy

Buying early saves money, but don’t over-insure just to lock in a low rate. Before you buy:

Calculate your coverage. Consider what your loved ones would need to cover lost income, debts, and daily expenses if you died.
Choose your beneficiary. Decide who receives the payout — a spouse, child, or anyone who depends on you financially.
Decide who gets insured. Most people insure themselves, but you can also take out a policy on a spouse or dependent.
Compare quotes. Rates vary significantly between insurers for identical coverage. Shop around before committing.

Do men or women pay more for life insurance?

Men pay more than women for life insurance at every age. Women pay less for life insurance because data shows that they have a longer life expectancy than men, making them a statistically lower risk for insurers.

Age	Female	Male	How much more men pay
25	$242	$299	24%
30	$254	$314	24%
35	$290	$343	18%
40	$386	$470	22%
45	$564	$723	28%
50	$845	$1,111	32%
55	$1,275	$1,768	39%
60	$2,180	$3,067	41%
65	$4,166	$5,918	42%

How does your health class affect life insurance rates?

Your health class is one of the biggest factors determining your premium. Insurers assign you a health class during underwriting based on your medical history, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and lifestyle. The healthier you are, the lower your rate.

What do life insurance health classes mean?

Preferred Plus. The best rating available. Reserved for applicants in excellent health with no significant medical history, ideal weight, and no risky lifestyle factors.
Preferred. Near-perfect health with minor issues — slightly elevated blood pressure or cholesterol that’s well-controlled, for example.
Regular Plus. Average to above-average health with some medical history or lifestyle factors that present moderate risk.
Regular. Standard health class for applicants with notable medical history or lifestyle risks. Most people fall into this category.

A 40-year-old man in Preferred Plus pays $385 a year, and the same man rated Regular pays $819 — more than twice as much for identical coverage.

Here’s how much your health class affects your annual premium on a $500,000, 20-year term nonsmoker policy:

Life insurance rates for male and female by health class

Female

Health class	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65
Preferred Plus	$206	$215	$243	$326	$480	$710	$1,083	$1,850	$3,445
Preferred	$242	$254	$290	$386	$564	$845	$1,275	$2,180	$4,166
Regular Plus	$321	$329	$371	$491	$728	$1,064	$1,612	$2,779	$5,109
Regular	$396	$421	$484	$650	$960	$1,396	$2,129	$3,565	$6,159

Male

Health class	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65
Preferred Plus	$254	$260	$279	$385	$602	$922	$1,495	$2,654	$5,039
Preferred	$299	$314	$343	$470	$723	$1,111	$1,768	$3,067	$5,918
Regular Plus	$384	$394	$437	$605	$932	$1,443	$2,258	$3,963	$7,380
Regular	$486	$511	$587	$819	$1,243	$1,850	$3,056	$5,131	$9,306

What other factors affect life insurance rates?

Age is the biggest driver of your premium, but it’s not the only one. Coverage amount, term length, health, smoking status, gender, and lifestyle all factor into what you pay.

Gender. Men have a shorter average life expectancy than women, so they pay higher premiums across every age group.
Occupation. Construction workers, manufacturers, and others in physically dangerous fields pay more than office workers. The higher the on-the-job risk, the higher the premium.
Lifestyle. Risky hobbies like cave diving, auto racing, or base jumping increase your premium. Insurers price in the higher likelihood of accidents.
Driving record. Speeding tickets, accidents, and DUIs signal risky behavior to underwriters. A poor driving record raises your rate.
Tobacco use. Smokers pay significantly more. Insurers know tobacco use shortens life expectancy and price accordingly.
Family health history. A family history of heart disease, cancer, or other serious conditions increases your premium because it raises the likelihood you’ll develop similar issues.

“It always pays to shop around,” says Kevin Lynch, assistant professor of insurance at The American College of Financial Services. “Underwriting standards can differ company to company. Some companies are very restrictive on certain illnesses, while others will give consideration for those in remission or with heart issues that have been remediated.”

How much life insurance do you need at your age?

Add your mortgage balance, the years of income your family would lose without you, and any tuition ahead, then subtract what you already have saved. That total is your coverage amount, and it’s a number you can quote against instead of a round figure that leaves your family short.

In your 20s and 30s, buy for the mortgage and the years of income ahead. A 30-year-old with a $400,000 mortgage and a young family typically needs more than $500,000, and at $254 a year for a woman or $314 for a man, buying the larger amount now costs little.
In your 40s, buy for the years until your kids are independent. Coverage needs peak here, since the mortgage is still substantial and college is close enough to price.
In your 50s, buy for what’s left rather than what you owed a decade ago. A smaller mortgage balance and grown children mean a smaller death benefit, which matters when a man’s premium runs $1,111 at 50 against $343 at 35.
After 60, buy for final expenses and any debt your family would inherit. Coverage at this age costs $2,180 a year for a woman and $3,067 for a man, so the amount should reflect specific obligations rather than income replacement.

Buy the coverage you’ll need at your peak, not what you need this year. Your rate is locked at the age you apply, so buying $750,000 at 30 and carrying it costs less over the term than buying $500,000 now and adding a second policy at 40.

“The primary motivation for any life insurance is protection of your loved ones,” says Kevin Lynch, assistant professor of insurance at The American College of Financial Services. For this reason, you’ll want to make sure you have enough. “Secondary reasons can be cash value creation, educational funding, debt retirement and protection for your children until adulthood is achieved.”

Frequently asked questions

How much does life insurance cost at age 30?

A 30-year-old woman pays $254 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy in the Preferred health class, and a 30-year-old man pays $314. Rates change with your health class, smoking status and insurer.

How much does life insurance cost at age 40?

A 40-year-old woman pays $386 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy, and a 40-year-old man pays $470. Waiting until 45 raises those to $564 and $723.

How much does life insurance cost at age 50?

A 50-year-old woman pays $845 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy, and a 50-year-old man pays $1,111. Both are roughly three times what the same policy costs at 35.

What is the cheapest age to buy life insurance?

A 25-year-old woman pays $242 a year for a $500,000, 20-year term policy and a man pays $299, the lowest rates on the table. Your premium is set by your age on the application and never repriced, so the youngest age you can buy at is the rate you keep for the full term.

Is life insurance more expensive for men or women?

Men pay more at every age, from $299 versus $242 at 25 to $5,918 versus $4,166 at 65. Women live longer on average, which makes them a lower mortality risk over the same 20-year term.

How much does life insurance increase as you age?

Premiums rise slowly through your 20s and 30s, then climb sharply after 50. A woman pays $290 at 35 and $1,275 at 55, while a man pays $343 at 35 and $1,768 at 55.

Zip Code

Please enter valid zip

Age

Coverage Amount

Coverage Type

Gender

Tobacco Use

Yes No

Compare Quotes

Alisha Ambre

Alisha Ambre holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours in English Literature and Media Studies. She focuses on crafting clear, engaging content that makes complex information feel practical and approachable for everyday readers. When she’s not writing, she’s likely on the volleyball court or immersed in a good video game.