The Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index, August 2021

Prices remain steady despite dip in U.S. life expectancy

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and and Prevention (CDC) this month found that the average life expectancy in the U.S. fell by a year and a half in 2020, though Hispanic and Black Americans saw an even greater decline. The drop in life expectancy is the biggest seen since World War II and is predominantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While insurers account for life expectancy when determining how much consumers pay, the new federal data has not impacted life insurance rates as of yet. In fact, life insurance prices remained largely the same from July to August 2021, with a negligible decrease for non-smokers of every demographic.

In the interest of remaining competitive, insurers are not raising prices at this time. For consumers, now is a good time to get the coverage they need at an affordable price.

U.S. monthly averages as of August 1, 2021

Term life insurance for non-smokers

The chart below shows average monthly premium prices for a 20-year term life insurance policy for non-smokers in a Preferred health classification; quotes are based on the Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index Methodology.

Age / Sex	$250K coverage amount	$500K coverage amount	$1M coverage amount
25 year old female	$14.25	$21.14	$34.31
25 year old male	$17.17	$27.00	$44.90
35 year old female	$16.54	$25.47	$42.75
35 year old male	$18.78	$30.37	$51.87
45 year old female	$28.49	$47.53	$86.15
45 year old male	$35.39	$60.76	$113.52
55 year old female	$60.42	$108.17	$206.22
55 year old male	$84.20	$151.54	$287.11

Collapse table

U.S. monthly averages as of August 1, 2021

Term life insurance for smokers

The chart below shows average monthly premium prices for a 20-year term life insurance policy for smokers in a Preferred health classification; quotes are based on the Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index Methodology.

Age / Sex	$250K coverage amount	$500K coverage amount	$1M coverage amount
25 year old female	$35.23	$59.72	$110.74
25 year old male	$43.63	$74.84	$139.01
35 year old female	$45.07	$79.46	$145.98
35 year old male	$53.79	$94.80	$179.27
45 year old female	$90.80	$166.52	$318.66
45 year old male	$122.68	$228.56	$439.72
55 year old female	$200.33	$371.91	$717.86
55 year old male	$291.19	$536.46	$1039.87

Collapse table

How our index works

Life insurance prices are primarily based on life expectancy; taking into account an applicant’s age, health, hobbies, and medical history. The riskier you are to insure or the shorter your life expectancy, the higher your rates will be.

Prices are also affected by the length of a policy and the amount of coverage someone is looking to purchase. A longer policy term or higher coverage amount might increase monthly or annual premiums. Policygenius generally recommends people buy life insurance 10 to 15 times their individual income with a term long enough to get them to retirement age. Since there are a lot of variables involved, we specialize in helping consumers get the right policy to fit their individual needs.

Policygenius transforms the insurance journey for today’s consumer, providing a one-stop platform where customers can compare options from top insurance carriers, get unbiased expert advice, buy policies, and manage their insurance portfolio, in one seamless, integrated experience. Our proprietary technology platform integrates with the leading life, disability, and home and auto insurance carriers and delivers an exceptional digital experience for both consumers and insurance carriers. Since 2014, our content, digital tools, and experts have served as a resource for millions of people on their insurance journey, and we have sold more than $160 billion in coverage.

Find your best life insurance prices today.

Methodology: The prices displayed above are based on internal actuarial rate tables for 11 life insurance carriers that offer policies through the Policygenius marketplace (AIG, Banner Life, Brighthouse, Lincoln Financial, Mutual of Omaha, Pacific Life, Principal, Protective, Prudential, SBLI and TransAmerica). The prices represent the average monthly life insurance premium for each sample customer profile (age, gender) and policy type (term, coverage amount) as of August 1, 2021. Monthly averages are based on 11 products available through Policygenius for the indicated profile; rates for those products may vary by state, and not all 11 products are available in all states. Individual rates may vary, depending on age, gender, state, health profile, and other eligibility criteria. The index is updated each month.

Image: Sarah Mason / Getty