Educational examples · Not an insurance illustration

Critical Period sample ranges, age by age

Educational examples of what $10,000 of the small, permanent whole life policies families use for funeral and end-of-life costs can run — often marketed as “final expense” or “burial insurance” — so you can see how age and gender move the numbers before you ever talk to anyone.

Important educational disclaimer — please read

These are illustrative examples only for educational and discussion purposes. They are not insurance quotes, not offers of insurance, and not guarantees of rates or availability. Unlike our term-life and mortgage-protection sample pages, these figures are NOT from our own reference tables — they are assembled from publicly available 2026 market rate surveys.

Actual premiums depend on your exact age, gender, health history, medications, tobacco use, state of residence, carrier underwriting guidelines, exact face amount, and many other factors.
Ranges shown are illustrative 2026 market ranges at the benchmarks shown — the $10,000 level-benefit whole life table (non-tobacco) and the $100,000 / $250,000 10-year level term table (non-smoker). Your underwritten rate can be meaningfully higher or lower.
Level-benefit pricing shown assumes you qualify on health questions. Guaranteed-issue policies (no health questions) cost meaningfully more and typically pay a graded benefit — usually a return of premiums plus interest, not the full face amount — if death occurs in the first two years from natural causes.
Tobacco use typically adds roughly 30–60% to the premiums shown, varying by carrier and age.
These illustrations do not include any company logos, product names, or carrier information. They are designed for general consumer education only.
Always obtain a personalized, carrier-specific illustration from a licensed insurance professional. Insurance is subject to underwriting approval and state regulations.

One table, every age band

$10,000 face amount · level-benefit whole life · non-tobacco · monthly premiums

Age band	Female (non-tobacco)	Male (non-tobacco)
50–55	$22–45 /mo	$28–58 /mo
56–60	$26–55 /mo	$34–70 /mo
61–65	$32–70 /mo	$42–90 /mo
66–70	$40–90 /mo	$52–115 /mo
71–75	$52–120 /mo	$68–155 /mo
76–80	$70–165 /mo	$95–215 /mo
81–85	$95–230 /mo	$135–300 /mo

Illustrative 2026 market ranges at the $10,000 benchmark. Tobacco use typically adds roughly 30–60%. Your underwritten number will be different.

Other face amounts, honestly scaled

A $5,000 policy usually costs a little more than half the $10,000 price — per-policy fees do not shrink with the face amount.
A $25,000 policy usually runs roughly 2.3–2.5× the $10,000 price at the same age and health.
A $50,000 policy usually runs roughly 4.5–5× the $10,000 price — and past about age 80, faces above $25,000 become scarce.

Health questions a problem? Guaranteed-issue coverage exists with no health questions — at a meaningfully higher price, and with a graded benefit (usually premiums returned plus interest, not the full face amount) if death occurs from natural causes in the first two years. It is the fallback, not the default — most people qualify for the level-benefit pricing shown above.

Shorter terms at 65 and beyond

10-year level term · non-smoker · monthly premiums · $100,000 and $250,000 death benefits

Age band	$100,000 benefit	$250,000 benefit
65–69	$34–85 /mo	$67–175 /mo
70–74	$56–140 /mo	$108–335 /mo
75–80	$98–260 /mo	$224–630 /mo

Illustrative 2026 market ranges for fully underwritten 10-year term. Your underwritten number will be different.

A 10-year term at this age usually has one job: carry a specific obligation — a mortgage tail, a bridge to a pension start, income years a spouse is counting on — that outlasts the budget for a large permanent policy.
Simplified-issue versions (health questions, no exam) exist at many of these ages and price somewhat higher than the fully underwritten ranges shown; guaranteed-issue term does not exist — no-health-question coverage at these ages means the small whole life policies above.
Living Benefits riders are often available on senior term policies, but less universally than at younger ages — carrier and policy specific.
Past 80, new term policies are essentially unavailable — permanent coverage is the remaining tool.

Ages 86 and beyond: Published market rate surveys stop at 85, so this page shows no ranges past that age — printing one would be invention, not education. What the market actually looks like at 86 and beyond: new level-benefit policies become scarce, most remaining options are guaranteed-issue with small faces (commonly $25,000 or less) and graded first-two-year benefits, and several products stop taking new applications in the late 80s. Options do exist case by case toward 90 and beyond — this is exactly the age where the licensed call matters most, because the answer is genuinely individual.

How to read the numbers

Every range is a monthly premium for a $10,000 level-benefit whole life policy, non-tobacco. Other face amounts scale roughly as described below the table.
The low end of each range reflects the most competitive published carrier pricing; the high end reflects published market averages. Underwritten offers often land inside — and can fall outside either end.
These small whole life policies are designed to keep premiums level for life — the price at issue is the price the policy is built to keep.
Level-benefit (full coverage from day one) requires answering health questions. If health rules that out, guaranteed-issue exists at a higher price with a two-year graded benefit.
Tobacco typically adds roughly 30–60% at every age.
These are starting-point educational samples only. Your underwritten number will be different.

Key takeaways

Age is the biggest driver of cost, and these premiums rise steeply after the mid-70s — coverage locked in earlier is designed to keep the earlier price.
Women pay roughly 25–30% less than men at every age, reflecting longer average life expectancy.
Most applicants with manageable health conditions still qualify for level-benefit coverage — the health questions are far simpler than fully underwritten life insurance.
Small faces carry proportionally higher per-dollar costs because policy fees are flat — which is one reason a $25,000 policy is usually less than 2.5× a $10,000 one.
Guaranteed-issue is the fallback, not the default: it costs more and pays a graded benefit in the first two years.
These numbers are educational market samples only. Your underwritten rate requires an application and underwriting.

Final compliance reminder

This entire page is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or recommendation of any insurance product. No specific insurance company, product name, or agent is endorsed or identified. Rates and availability are subject to change and to full underwriting. Living benefits have specific definitions, waiting periods, maximum percentages, and conditions that vary by policy. Always review the actual policy illustration and contract language provided by a licensed producer. State insurance laws govern all sales. This material is not a substitute for personalized advice from a licensed insurance professional.

Get my personalized illustration Call 435-703-3808

These samples are the starting point — the personalized illustration on your own numbers always comes from a licensed agent.

Planning for this season of life more broadly? See the Critical Period conversation → Younger and protecting income or a mortgage instead? See the term life sample ranges →