The average cost of final expense life insurance is $30 per month for women and $38 per month for men. These rates are based on quotes for 50-year-old nonsmokers with $10,000 coverage. Your actual premium depends on your age, gender, lifestyle, the insurer you choose, and the death benefit you select.
Final Expense Insurance Cost (2026 Rates)
Final expense insurance costs $30/month for a 50-year-old woman and $38 for a man at the same age, for $10,000 in coverage. Rates vary by age, gender and lifestyle.
Find out if you're overpaying for life insurance below.
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Updated: April 23, 2026
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Key Takeaways
Age is the primary pricing factor in final expense insurance. Buying earlier locks in a lower rate.
Women pay less than men in most states because of their longer average life expectancies.
Smoking also affects final expense insurance costs, with smokers paying more than nonsmokers.
Coverage amounts for final expense policies range from $1,000 to $50,000. Estimating your actual end-of-life costs helps you choose the right amount without overpaying.
How Much Does Final Expense Insurance Cost?
Cost of Final Expense Insurance by Age and Gender
Age affects final expense premiums more than any other factor. Rates increase with each birthday, so buying earlier locks in a lower cost for the life of the policy. Women pay less than men because longer average life expectancies mean lower risk for the insurer.
Data filtered by:
Female
| 40 | $22 | $264 |
| 45 | $28 | $331 |
| 50 | $30 | $363 |
| 55 | $36 | $432 |
| 60 | $42 | $498 |
| 65 | $50 | $605 |
| 70 | $64 | $769 |
| 75 | $87 | $1,049 |
| 80 | $125 | $1,496 |
| 85 | $155 | $1,862 |
Rates are estimates based on a $10,000 policy. Actual costs vary by individual circumstances and insurer underwriting.
Final Expense Insurance Rates for Smokers
Smokers pay more for final expense insurance than nonsmokers of the same age and gender. Insurers classify tobacco use as a higher mortality risk, and that risk is priced into your premium from day one. The gap between smoker and nonsmoker rates varies by company.
Data filtered by:
Female
| 40 | $29 | $345 |
| 45 | $34 | $404 |
| 50 | $38 | $457 |
| 55 | $44 | $529 |
| 60 | $51 | $617 |
| 65 | $63 | $759 |
| 70 | $80 | $962 |
| 75 | $108 | $1,298 |
| 80 | $155 | $1,856 |
| 85 | $204 | $2,452 |
These rates are based on applicants with $10,000 in coverage. The actual final expense insurance cost depends on personal factors and the insurer.
Most final expense insurers ask whether you have used tobacco within the past 12 months, though some look back two to three years, depending on the product and underwriting class. Applicants who qualify as nonsmokers under a given insurer's definition receive the lower rate.
If you've recently quit, it's worth confirming the insurer's tobacco look-back period before applying, since the same application can qualify you as a nonsmoker at one company and a smoker at another.
Average Cost of Final Expense Insurance by Coverage Amount
Higher coverage amounts mean higher monthly premiums. Final expense insurance policies range from $1,000 to $50,000, and your cost scales with the death benefit you choose.
Data filtered by:
40
Female
| $1,000 | $5 | $64 |
| $5,000 | $13 | $156 |
| $10,000 | $22 | $264 |
| $25,000 | $49 | $587 |
| $50,000 | $95 | $1,145 |
The right coverage amount depends on your actual end-of-life costs. Add up your estimated funeral and burial expenses, any outstanding medical bills and small debts you want covered, then choose a death benefit that matches that total.
Final Expense Insurance Cost by Company
Each insurer applies its own underwriting criteria, so the same applicant can get meaningfully different quotes for identical coverage. Insurers with stricter health questions often start at lower rates.
Data filtered by:
Female
| AARP | $24 | $288 |
| Transamerica | $24 | $291 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $24 | $292 |
| Americo | $26 | $309 |
| Foresters Financial | $26 | $313 |
| Lincoln Heritage | $26 | $316 |
| Liberty Bankers Life | $26 | $316 |
| American Amicable | $27 | $320 |
| Aflac | $27 | $324 |
| Aetna | $27 | $328 |
| American Home Life | $29 | $346 |
| USAA | $30 | $365 |
| Royal Neighbors of America | $34 | $410 |
| Gerber Life | $34 | $414 |
| Physicians Mutual | $35 | $414 |
| State Farm | $35 | $418 |
| Fidelity Life | $35 | $423 |
| AIG | $39 | $463 |
| AAA | $46 | $552 |
These final expense insurance costs are average premiums for 50-year-old applicants with $10,000 in coverage, per MoneyGeek's 2026 rate analysis. Rates are based on sample profiles. Actual costs will vary based on individual health and eligibility.
TYPES OF FINAL EXPENSE INSURANCE
Final expense insurance comes in two forms. Simplified issue policies ask a short health questionnaire and offer lower rates for applicants who qualify. Guaranteed acceptance policies skip health questions entirely and approve anyone who meets the age requirement, but cost more and include a 2-to-3-year waiting period before the full death benefit pays out. If your health allows, a simplified issue policy costs less.
How to Get Low-Cost Final Expense Insurance
Your final expense insurance cost depends on when and how you buy the policy. These tips help you get the cheapest final expense insurance for your situation.
Buy as early as you can
Final expense insurance is a whole life policy with lower coverage levels, so it locks in rates permanently. The older you are when you buy, the higher your rate will be for the life of the policy.
Compare quotes from multiple insurers
Life insurance rates for the same coverage vary across companies. Getting at least three quotes at the same coverage level gives you a reliable comparison.
Answer health questions if you can
Policies that include a short health questionnaire cost less than those that skip questions entirely. If your health allows you to qualify for a policy with health questions, you'll pay a lower rate.
Match coverage to your actual costs
Overbuying raises your premium without adding value. Estimate your funeral, burial and outstanding debt costs before choosing a death benefit amount.
Avoid tobacco use
Tobacco use raises premiums. Many insurers offer lower rates for nonsmokers, so applying after you've quit can reduce your cost.
Ask about annual payment discounts
Some companies charge less per year when you pay in a lump sum rather than monthly. Confirm with your insurer whether this option is available.
Final Expense Life Insurance Cost: Bottom Line
Final expense insurance costs depend on your age, gender, lifestyle, and the death benefit you choose. On average, a 50-year-old woman pays $30 per month for $10,000 in coverage. A 50-year-old man pays $38.
Buy as early as possible, because premiums are locked in at purchase and only climb from there. Quote at least three insurers and size your coverage to actual end-of-life costs rather than a round number.
Final Expense Insurance: FAQ
We answer common questions about final expense insurance:
Is final expense insurance the same as burial insurance?
Yes. Both terms refer to the same product: a small whole life policy designed to cover funeral, burial, and other end-of-life costs. Insurers and agents use them interchangeably.
Does the cost of final expense insurance increase over time?
Not with a whole life policy. Whole life coverage locks in your premium at the rate you qualify for when you apply. It never increases, and coverage doesn't expire as long as you pay premiums. Some term-based burial insurance products can change in cost at renewal, so confirm the policy type before you buy.
How do you get final expense insurance?
You can buy directly through an insurer's website, through a licensed independent agent who quotes multiple companies, or through an agent who works for one company. Most final expense policies don't require a medical exam. Depending on the policy, you'll either answer a short health questionnaire or none at all.
Does final expense insurance cost more if you have health problems?
It depends on the policy. Some final expense policies ask a few health questions and may decline applicants with serious conditions or charge higher rates. Others skip health questions entirely and accept all applicants, but cost more and include a waiting period before the full death benefit pays out. Check your policy's terms for the specific waiting period length.
Our Methodology
We gathered thousands of final expense quotes across multiple demographics to show how insurers price whole life insurance policies for different people. Our baseline applicant is a 50-year-old nonsmoker in average health. All premiums use this profile unless a section specifies otherwise.
We adjusted three underwriting factors to capture real pricing differences across demographics:
- Smoking status: nonsmoker vs. smoker rates
- Health rating: average to poor health classifications
- Coverage amount: varying death benefit levels
We collected quotes and identified pricing patterns across the full dataset, then used those patterns to show how final expense life insurance costs shift by age, coverage amount, gender and smoking status. Younger applicants pay less than older ones; women pay less than men at most ages. The data captures both differences so you can find a realistic starting point for your profile, not just a broad average.
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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 analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.
He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.
His insights — on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance — have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR among others.
Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!