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Life Insurance Options for Seniors Over 65

Buying life insurance later in life looks different than in your 30s. Here's what's typically available and how underwriting changes.

6 min readReviewed for the 2026 plan year

Common Options for Seniors

  • Final expense / burial insurance: smaller face amounts, simplified underwriting
  • Guaranteed-issue whole life: no health questions, but smaller benefit and graded payout period
  • Term life: still available for some seniors, though premiums rise significantly with age

How Underwriting Changes With Age

Fully underwritten policies become harder to qualify for and more expensive as you age and as health conditions accumulate — simplified-issue and guaranteed-issue options become more common solutions.

Key Takeaways

  • Final expense and guaranteed-issue policies are common solutions for seniors with health conditions.
  • Premiums for traditional underwritten policies rise significantly with age.
  • Coverage amount expectations often shift from income replacement to final expenses.

Underwriting and pricing vary by carrier, age, and health status. This is general education, not a quote for any specific policy.

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