Is it worth having life insurance after 60?
You may no longer need life insurance once you've hit your 60s or 70s. If you're living on a fixed income, cutting the expense could give your budget some breathing room. Make sure to discuss your needs with an insurance agent or a financial advisor before making any major moves.
Life insurance is no longer needed for many people once they reach their 60s or 70s. At this point they retire, their kids have grown up, and they've paid off their mortgage and other debts. However, others prefer to keep life insurance later in life to leave an inheritance and to pay off final expenses.
The bottom line. Life insurance is a smart idea for most seniors. That's especially the case if you have a spouse, lack plans to cover end-of-life costs or don't have a long-term care insurance policy. The simple fact is that just about everyone has someone who loves them, depends on them or both.
Life insurance may not be worth if you have no dependents, if you have a tight budget, or if you have other plans for providing for them after your death.
Age | Average cost per year for men | Average cost per year for women |
---|---|---|
30 | $3,310 | $2,903 |
40 | $4,471 | $4,123 |
50 | $6,531 | $5,831 |
60 | $10,113 | $9,149 |
If retirement savings, investments and Social Security are enough to provide for final expenses and your survivors who still rely on your income—you may not need life insurance in your 60s. In some situations, however, having life insurance after 60 makes sense.
At 60, term life insurance may be a better financial investment than whole life insurance.
Key Takeaways
People with young children are strongly recommended to have life insurance to protect their family. Homeowners should take out life insurance so that the death benefit can pay off the mortgage. Business owners and those who want to pass down a financial legacy are also advised to purchase life insurance.
While seniors can typically buy any policy they'd like up until age 85 or 90, popular choices are guaranteed issue, simplified issue and burial insurance.
MoneyGeek analyzed $100,000 life insurance policies to determine the average premium for 10- and 20-year term lengths. The average monthly cost of a $100,000 life insurance policy for a 10- or 20-year term is $11.02 and $12.59, respectively.
Why you shouldn't wait to get life insurance?
Life insurance premiums are based on your age as well as health and other factors, so the older you are when you apply, the more you'll pay for coverage. By purchasing life insurance early on, you can lock in a lower premium and save money over the long term.
Cost. One of the most common reasons people don't buy life insurance is that they perceive it as too expensive.
One disadvantage of life insurance is that the older you are, the more you'll pay for a policy. This is because you're more likely to pass away during the policy period than a younger policyholder and will, in turn, cost the life insurance company more money.
New York Life, which underwrites AARP life insurance policies, has very high ratings for financial strength. There are options for no-exam term and permanent life insurance policies, Final expense insurance is available. Easy to get a quote and submit an application online.
Looking at $500,000 of coverage, a man in their 30s can expect to pay around $18 a month, whereas a woman would pay about $15 a month. This difference in monthly premiums increases drastically for 60-year-old applicants, where men can expect to pay around $137 a month versus $79 a month for women.
How much does whole life insurance cost? A 30-year-old in good health could pay about $451 per month for a whole life insurance policy with a $500,000 coverage amount. Generally speaking, whole life is significantly more expensive than term life insurance.
Guardian Life Insurance is our top pick for older seniors because it is one of a handful of insurers we've reviewed that issues policies up to age 90. It offers no-exam policies up to $3 million in coverage, though seniors might face significant rates for higher coverage amounts.
How much is AARP life insurance per month? AARP life insurance can cost as little as $11 monthly or as high as $900. The final price depends on the type of policy (whole, term, or guaranteed acceptance), product, age, gender, state of residence, and health.
If you're looking for life insurance later in life, you'll pay a higher premium than your younger self would have. Many insurance companies also have age restrictions for certain types of policies. For example, an insurer may not offer 30-year term life policies to those aged 60 or older.
A unit of Colonial Penn coverage is the life insurance benefit amount you receive for $9.95 per month. Your age and gender determine the exact amount of insurance coverage a single unit provides. The older you are, the more units you will need to purchase in order to get an adequate death benefit.
Should seniors get whole life or term life insurance?
Although term life insurance might make sense for younger seniors who only want short-term coverage—for instance, until their homes are paid off—whole life insurance may be a better fit for a senior's financial plan. A financial advisor can recommend the best policy for your needs.
If you only need coverage for a few years while your children are growing up, for example, then term life insurance may be the right choice. But if you want lifetime coverage and the ability to build cash value, then consider whole life insurance.
Your coverage ends if you outlive your term life policy. If you still need life insurance after the term expires, you can choose to convert your policy to permanent insurance, buy a new policy, or go without coverage.
Let the policy lapse: No matter what life insurance policy you have, you can simply stop paying premiums at any point. The policy will lapse, and you'll lose coverage. Keep in mind that you typically can't recover any of the premiums you paid once the policy lapses.
Based on the value of your future earnings, a simple way to estimate this is to consider 30X your income between the ages of 18 and 40; 20X income for age 41-50; 15X income for age 51-60; and 10X income for age 61-65. After age 65, coverage is based on net worth instead of income.
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