Term Life Insurance Rates by Age Chart (2026)

Term life insurance starts as low as $15 per month for a 20-year-old woman with a 10-year, $250,000 policy. At the high end, an 80-year-old buying the longest available term will pay up to $4,292 per month for the same coverage. Age is the largest factor in pricing, so locking your rate in early can save you hundreds each year.

Our analysis includes five term life insurance rate charts by age and term length, from 20 to 80 years old and 10- to 30-year terms. Each chart shows male and female rates at $250,000, $500,000, and $1,000,000 in coverage. All rates assume nonsmokers in average health. For a broader view of pricing factors, see our guide to term life insurance cost.

A 10-year term is the most affordable option at every age. A 20-year-old woman pays as little as $15 per month for $250,000 in coverage, while a 70-year-old woman pays $217 per month for the same coverage level, showing how sharply premiums climb in later decades. The 10-year term works best when you have short-term coverage needs and low monthly cost is your primary concern.

A 15-year term costs more per month than a 10-year term at the same age and coverage level, because insurers carry five additional years of mortality risk. The maximum age available for a 15-year term in our analysis is 75, reflecting the longer coverage window. Buyers who need protection through their mid-50s or early 60s will find the 15-year term a useful middle ground between the shortest and most common term length options.

The 20-year term is the most common choice for working-age adults, because it balances coverage length with monthly cost. A 30-year-old who locks in a 20-year policy today stays covered through age 50, spanning peak earning and family obligation years. For context on how these rates compare to other policy types, see our full breakdown of life insurance rates.

Editorial note: The age 75 row in this table reflects a lower average rate than the age 70 row, because fewer insurers offer 20-year term policies at age 75. The available products at that age represent a narrower, more competitively priced subset of the market.

The 25-year term is less widely available than 20- or 30-year options, and fewer insurers offer it at older ages. Eligibility drops off after age 65, so the table below covers ages 20 to 65 only. If you want coverage longer than 20 years but can't qualify for a 30-year term, you may find a 25-year policy a useful option while you're still in their 40s or early 50s.

A 30-year term locks in today's rate for three decades, making it most valuable for people in their 20s and 30s who want long-term financial protection at a fixed cost. Based on our research of the best term life insurance companies, eligibility extends up to age 60 for the 30-year term. Buying at age 30 instead of waiting until age 40 saves a man an average of $40 per month on a $500K policy, while women will save an average of $30 per month.

A 30-year-old nonsmoking man pays $38 per month for a 20-year, $500K term life policy. By age 40, that same man pays $59 per month, a jump of $21. At age 50, the rate climbs to $137 per month, adding another $78 over the prior decade.

Rates rise with age because actuarial risk increases as life expectancy shortens. The older you are, the higher the probability that a claim will be paid during the policy term, and insurers price that risk directly into the premium.

Women pay less than men at every age because they have a longer average life expectancy, which lowers the probability of a claim within the term. At age 40 on a 20-year, $500K policy, women pay $47 per month compared to $59 per month for men, a difference of $12.

Term life insurance applicants follow one of two underwriting paths: simplified or no-exam underwriting, and fully underwritten policies. The path you take affects both your eligibility and your premium.

Simplified issue policies require you to answer health questions but skip the medical exam. Accelerated underwriting uses algorithms and third-party data sources to approve many applicants instantly. No-exam policies have lower coverage limits and cost more than fully underwritten policies. For a full comparison of available options, see our guide to the best no-exam life insurance.

Full underwriting requires a medical exam, including a blood draw, urine sample, and vitals check, along with a review of your medical records and prescription history. Full underwriting gets you the best available rates and the highest coverage limits, making it the right path for most applicants seeking $500,000 or more in coverage. The process takes four to eight weeks from application to approval. For a full walkthrough of the process, see our guide on how to get life insurance.

MoneyGeek analyzed thousands of quotes from more than 30 term life insurance providers to build the rate data on this page. Our baseline profile is a 40-year-old nonsmoker with an average BMI and standard health rating, quoted at $500,000 in coverage across 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30-year terms.

To show how rates vary based on different needs, we also collected quotes for seven coverage levels: $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $1 million, $1.5 million, $2 million and $3 million. We then adjusted for age, smoking status, health rating and BMI to illustrate how each factor impacts cost. All monthly rates shown are averages across the insurers we reviewed, rounded to the nearest dollar.