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Senior life insurance for seniors

Reviewed by licensed insurance agents· Updated July 2026

"Senior life insurance" almost always means small whole-life final expense coverage — enough to pay for a funeral and final bills, with no medical exam and a rate that's locked in for life. Here's what it costs and how it works.

Quick answer

Senior life insurance is whole-life coverage of roughly $5,000-$25,000 that pays out fast for final expenses. For $10,000, seniors pay about $34/mo at 50–54, $54/mo at 65–69 and $108/mo at 80+ (median of real policies, women). No medical exam, available to age 85.

Senior life insurance rates by age (2026)

Medians of real purchased policies (all health classes), July 2024 – July 2026. Toggle gender.

Gender
Coverage
Real data — not generic estimates. These averages come from 38,000+ burial insurance policies purchased since 2020 by families we connected with our partner carriers, so the numbers reflect what real applicants pay.
Your ageMonthly premiumAnnual

Whole-life final expense coverage — premiums never increase and it never expires. Tobacco users pay 30-50% more.

How senior life insurance works

Whole life, not term

Coverage never expires and the premium never rises — unlike term policies that get expensive or end just when seniors need them.

No medical exam

Issued on health questions alone. Guaranteed-issue plans ask no health questions at all, for ages 50-85.

Pays out fast

Benefits are typically paid within days, so family can cover the funeral and final bills without dipping into savings.

Best senior life insurance companies

CarrierIssue agesWaiting periodBest for
Mutual of Omahato 85Day oneHealthy seniors
Colonial Pennto 852 yrs (GI)Any health
Aetna / Accendoto 89Day oneHigher coverage
Gerber Lifeto 802 yrs (GI)Guaranteed accept

Looking beyond burial coverage? Our sister comparison service publishes real placed-policy rates for larger life insurance plans for seniors — including the $25,000–$50,000 whole-life tiers most buyers choose.

Frequently asked questions

What is senior life insurance?
For most seniors it means small whole-life 'final expense' coverage ($5,000-$25,000) that pays out fast to cover a funeral and final bills. Premiums are fixed for life and there's no medical exam.
How much does life insurance for seniors cost?
About $34/month at 50–54, $54 at 65–69 and $108 at 80+ for $10,000 (median of real policies, women). Men pay about 26% more.
Can seniors get life insurance with no exam?
Yes. Simplified-issue and guaranteed-issue whole life require no medical exam — just health questions, and guaranteed-issue asks none at all.
What's the best age for a senior to buy?
The sooner the better — whole-life rates rise every year you wait and lock in permanently once you start. 65 is the most common age our clients buy at.

See your senior life insurance rate

Free, no exam, no obligation — locked in for life. Takes 60 seconds.

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Related guides: cost by age · over 65 · best carriers · no-exam plans

About these figures: the premiums and averages shown are estimates based on real purchase data from our own systems (policies bought through our partner carriers) — not official carrier-published quotes. Your actual rate depends on age, gender, tobacco use, health and coverage amount, and is confirmed by the carrier at application.