25-Year Term Life Insurance Cost (2026 Rates)

A 25-year term life insurance policy works best for homeowners with a 20- to 25-year mortgage, parents who want coverage through their children's college years and earners in their 30s and 40s who want to lock in rates before pricing rises sharply.

The policy locks in both the premium and the death benefit for the full 25-year period, giving you long-term cost certainty without paying for permanent coverage. The 25-year term is less common than 10-, 15- and 20-year options. Only six of the 30 life insurance companies we reviewed offer a 25-year term.

Seniors older than 50 should weigh whether a 20-year term covers their actual need at lower cost. People with permanent coverage needs like estate planning, lifelong dependent care or a guaranteed death benefit should consider whole or universal life instead.

Rates increase as coverage amounts rise for a 25-year term life policy, but the cost per dollar of coverage becomes more efficient at higher coverage levels. A 40-year-old male nonsmoker pays $22 per month for a $100,000 policy, amounting to $0.22 per $1,000 of coverage. For a $1 million policy, men pay an average of $128 per month, or $0.13 per $1,000 of coverage. Among the coverage tiers we analyzed, $250,000 has one of the strongest values, providing 2.5 times the coverage of a $100,000 policy for only $15 to $19 more per month.

The gap between male and female rates also widens as coverage increases. Men pay 22% more than women at the $100,000 coverage level but 35% more than women at $3 million.

* Rates shown are for 40-year-old nonsmokers in average health.

The biggest factor affecting 25-year term life insurance rates is age. A 35-year-old woman pays $42 per month for a $500,000 policy. By 45, rates rise to $80. By 55, pricing reaches $226 per month. For men, the increase is even steeper. A 40-year-old male nonsmoker pays $69 per month, while a 55-year-old pays $304 per month, a difference of $235 per month, or $2,820 per year, for the same coverage.

For many buyers, the mid-30s represent one of the last opportunities to lock in relatively low rates before premiums begin rising much more quickly. The increase from age 35 to 40 is the largest five-year jump in our analysis for both men and women.

* Rates shown are for nonsmokers in average health with a $500,000 policy.

Smoking has a major impact on term life insurance costs, and the gap widens as coverage amounts increase. For a 40-year-old woman, smoker rates are 2.7 times higher than nonsmoker rates at $100,000 in coverage and 3.6 times higher at $3 million. The pattern is similar for men. At the common $500,000 coverage level, a male smoker pays $169 more per month than a nonsmoker, while a female smoker pays about $127 more. Over a 25-year term, those differences add up to more than $50,000 for men and roughly $38,000 for women.

Quitting smoking can greatly reduce your premiums. Many insurers offer nonsmoker rates after applicants have been tobacco-free for at least 12 months, though requirements vary by company.

* Rates shown are for 40-year-old smokers in otherwise average health.

Poor health adds less than 11% to premiums across the coverage levels in our analysis, a smaller penalty than most applicants expect. At $1 million in coverage, a woman in poor health pays $107 per month versus $97 for average health, while a man pays $139 versus $128. For context, a 40-year-old in poor health still pays less than a 45-year-old in average health at every coverage level in our data. If you've been delaying an application over a health concern, you'll still pay less by applying now rather than waiting for a health improvement that may take years.

* Rates shown are for 40-year-old nonsmokers in poor health.

Banner Life and Transamerica tie for the cheapest 25-year term rates for women at $51 per month and for men at $63 per month. The more useful pattern in our data is the gender crossover among mid-tier carriers. Cincinnati Life ranks third for women at $53 but second for men at $66. Pacific Life ranks third for women at $52 but drops to sixth for men at $74.

Women should pull quotes from Pacific Life, which is among the cheapest for women but not men. Men get more value from Cincinnati Life, which ranks second for men but fourth for women. Gender-based shopping from this table can save you $10 to $20 per month versus defaulting to the overall cheapest carrier. Compare quotes based on your own age, gender and health profile rather than relying on overall rankings alone.

Rates are based on MoneyGeek's 2026 survey of major life insurance carriers for 40-year-old nonsmokers with average health and weight at $500,000 in coverage. Actual rates vary based on health, lifestyle, coverage level and insurer underwriting guidelines.

A 25-year term policy makes financial sense when your obligations extend that far, like with a mortgage with 20-plus years remaining, young children whose financial dependence will stretch into their 20s, or a household where one income loss would require years of replacement. If a 20-year term covers your actual need, it will cost less.

For a 40-year-old male nonsmoker at $500,000, the average monthly cost is $69. Women at the same profile pay $53. Banner Life and Transamerica have the lowest rates in our data for both genders. The spread between the cheapest and most expensive provider in our analysis exceeds $20 per month at $500,000 in coverage, so comparing quotes from at least three carriers before buying is worth your time.