MoneyGeek analyzed term life insurers across affordability, customer satisfaction and coverage options to identify the best fit for different profiles. Nationwide leads for young men, MassMutual for young women, Fidelity Life for those with health issues and State Farm for smokers.
Best Term Life Insurance for Young Adults (2026)
Nationwide, MassMutual, Fidelity Life and State Farm offer some of the best term life insurance for young adults. MoneyGeek analyzed top insurers to find the best companies based on affordability, customer experience, and coverage options.
Find out which insurer offers the best term life insurance based on your profile.
Select age group
Updated: May 8, 2026
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Key Takeaways
Nationwide is the best term life insurer for young men, with an average monthly cost of $33 for a 25-year-old nonsmoker with $500,000 in coverage on a 20-year term.
MassMutual is the best for young women at $16 per month for the same profile.
Fidelity Life is the top pick for young adults with poor health, with rates starting at $23 per month for women and $35 for men on a 20-year term.
Young adults who smoke pay more. State Farm's average rate is $50 per month for women and $64 for men, making it the most competitive option for smokers in this age group.
Who Offers the Best Term Life Insurance for Young Adults?
Young Men | Nationwide | 4.6 | $33 |
Young Women | MassMutual | 4.6 | $16 |
Poor Health | Fidelity Life | 4.5 | $23 (F); $35 (M) |
Smokers | State Farm | 4.5 | $50 (F); $64 (M) |
Rates above are based on average quotes for a 20-year term life policy with $500,000 coverage for 25-year-olds. Actual rates vary depending on your coverage needs, age, gender, health and lifestyle. These rates are estimates for illustration purposes only and don't constitute quotes or guarantees. Individual rates may vary based on underwriting criteria, state regulations, and insurer-specific factors. Consult with licensed insurance professionals for personalized quotes.
Nationwide
Best for Young Men
MoneyGeek Rating
4.6/ 5
4.8/5Affordability
4.8/5Customer Experience
3.8/5Coverage Points
Average Monthly Cost
$33Average monthly cost for a 25-year-old nonsmoker with 20-year term and $500,000 coverageMinimum Supported Age
21
Mass Mutual
Best for Young Women
MoneyGeek Rating
4.6/ 5
5/5Affordability
4.2/5Customer Experience
4/5Coverage Points
Average Monthly Cost
$16Average monthly cost for a 25-year-old nonsmoker with 20-year term policy and $500,000 coverage.Minimum Supported Age
18
Fidelity Life
Best for Poor Health
MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
4.9/5Affordability
4.2/5Customer Experience
4/5Coverage Points
Average Monthly Cost
$23 (F); $35 (M)Average monthly costs for a 25-year-old nonsmoker with $500,000 coverage and 20-year termMinimum Supported Age
18
State Farm
Best for Smokers
MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
5/5Affordability
4/5Customer Experience
3.9/5Coverage Points
Average Monthly Cost
$50 (F); $64(M)Average monthly cost for a 25-year-old smoker with 20-year term and $500,000 coverageMinimum Age Supported
18
How Much Is Life Insurance for Young Adults?
Term life insurance for young adults costs an average of $14 per month for $100,000 in coverage, $26 per month for $250,000 and $39 per month for $500,000, our research shows.
Four factors drive most of the price difference between policies: age at the time of application, health and tobacco use, the coverage amount and the term length. Locking in a policy at 25 rather than 35 can cut your total premium cost over the policy term by thousands of dollars, since life insurers price risk based on the age at which you buy, not the age at which you use the coverage.
If you're a young adult comparing options, consider how much life insurance coverage you need before choosing a coverage level.
Data filtered by:
20
25
Male
No
| $100,000 | $14 | $163 |
| $250,000 | $26 | $313 |
| $500,000 | $39 | $463 |
| $750,000 | $59 | $712 |
| $1,000,000 | $69 | $829 |
These rates are average quotes and don't constitute guarantees. Individual rates may vary based on underwriting criteria, state regulations, and insurer-specific factors. Consult with licensed insurance professionals for personalized quotes.
Is Term Life Insurance Right for Young Adults?
As a young adult, you might wonder whether term life insurance is worth the monthly cost. The answer depends on your financial situation, but term life insurance provides valuable income-replacement protection for most people in your age group. If you have dependents, a mortgage, co-signed student debt or any financial obligations that would fall on someone else if you died, term life is the most cost-effective way to cover that exposure.
Term life isn't the right fit for every situation. If you need lifelong coverage for estate planning purposes or have a dependent with a long-term care need, a permanent life insurance policy may serve you better, though you'll pay more in premiums.
Young adults without dependents and no co-signed debt carry little financial risk to others, so delaying a purchase until those obligations exist can be reasonable.
Best Term Life Insurance Plans for Young Adults: Bottom Line
The best term life insurance for young adults depends on your health profile, gender and whether you smoke. Nationwide's low rates and strong customer satisfaction scores make it the top pick for young men, while MassMutual's AM Best A++ rating and $3 million no-exam coverage limit give young women the most value per dollar. Young adults with health issues get the most flexible underwriting from Fidelity Life, and State Farm offers the most competitive smoker rates backed by a nationwide agent network.
Age works in your favor right now, giving you access to the lowest possible rates. Take advantage of this window by comparing quotes from multiple insurers. A rate comparison across several term life insurance companies takes about 15 minutes and could save you hundreds annually versus waiting even a few years to apply.
Term Life Insurance for Young Adults: FAQ
How much term life insurance does a young adult need?
Most experts suggest 10 to 12 times your annual income in coverage. A 25-year-old earning $50,000 per year would typically target $500,000 to $600,000 in coverage. Your actual need will be higher if you have a mortgage, co-signed student loans or dependents who rely on your income.
Can young adults get term life insurance without a medical exam?
Yes. Several top insurers offer no-exam term life policies for young adults. But rates are slightly higher than fully underwritten policies for healthy people.
Does smoking affect term life insurance rates for young adults?
Yes, and the difference is substantial. Most insurers classify people as nonsmokers after 12 months without tobacco use, so quitting before you apply can significantly reduce your rate.
Also read: Does smoking affect life insurance?
At what age should young adults buy term life insurance?
The earlier you buy, the lower your locked-in rate. A 25-year-old qualifies for rates that a 65-year-old can't access, and a 20-year term policy purchased at 25 provides coverage through age 45. If you have financial dependents or debt obligations now, buying sooner rather than later is the lower-cost choice over the life of the policy.
Also read: Do You Need Life Insurance & When Should You Get It?
MoneyGeek evaluated term life insurance companies for young adults using data from our proprietary scoring model, which weights affordability at 50%, customer experience at 30% and coverage options at 20%. Rate data is sourced from MoneyGeek's proprietary survey of life insurance quotes collected in 2026 using a sample profile of a 25-year-old nonsmoker in average health buying a 20-year, $500,000 term life policy. Customer experience scores incorporate J.D. Power rankings, AM Best financial strength ratings and NAIC complaint index data. Smoker rates reflect a 25-year-old tobacco user on the same coverage profile.
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About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he has produced original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek so people can make coverage decisions with confidence. His insurance insights have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other media outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data, and no insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). He began his career in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!