Final expense insurance rates go up with the age you are when you buy. The same amount of coverage costs more at 75 than at 60, and the rate you lock in usually stays level for life. Your exact price also depends on your sex, health answers, tobacco use, coverage amount and policy type, so the only way to see your number is to get quotes for your age and health.

This page explains what moves the price at each age and shows a few prices that carriers publish on their own websites, so you have a real reference point.

Why Age Matters So Much

Final expense is small whole life insurance. The insurance company prices it on how long it expects to collect premiums before it pays the death benefit. The older you are at the start, the fewer years of premiums it expects, so the monthly cost is higher.

Most final expense policies have level premiums. The age you are when the policy is issued sets the rate, and it does not rise as you get older. That is why waiting usually means paying more for the same coverage. See the best age to buy final expense insurance for more on timing.

What Else Drives Your Rate

Age is only one piece. These are the main things a carrier looks at:

  • Age at issue. Sets the starting point and usually locks in for life.
  • Sex. Women usually pay less than men at the same age because they live longer on average.
  • Coverage amount. More coverage costs more. Final expense policies usually range from a few thousand dollars up to about $25,000.
  • Health answers. People who answer "no" to the health questions usually get the lowest level-benefit rates. Some conditions lead to a graded policy, which costs more.
  • Tobacco. Smokers and other tobacco users usually pay more. See final expense insurance for smokers.
  • Policy type. Guaranteed issue policies ask no health questions, so they usually cost more for the same coverage.
  • Carrier and state. Each company sets its own rates, and they vary by state.

Real Published Examples

A few carriers post sample prices on their own websites. These are one carrier's example for one type of person, not a market average. They are also guaranteed issue prices, which are usually higher than what a healthy person pays for a policy with health questions.

| Carrier and policy | Example applicant | Coverage | Published monthly price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Corebridge Direct, Guaranteed Issue Whole Life | Female, age 50 | $5,000 | $22 | | Corebridge Direct, Guaranteed Issue Whole Life | Male, age 50 | $5,000 | $32 | | AAA Life, Guaranteed Issue Whole Life | Female, age 60, AAA member, automatic payment | $5,000 | $23 |

Sources: Corebridge Direct and AAA Life, checked September 2026. Prices can change, and your price depends on your own age, sex, state and coverage amount.

Notice that the Corebridge example shows a man paying more than a woman at the same age for the same coverage.

Level, Graded and Guaranteed Issue

The type of policy you qualify for changes the price as much as age does.

  • Level benefit. You answer health questions and qualify. The full death benefit is paid from the start, and this is usually the lowest price.
  • Graded benefit. You answer health questions but have some conditions. The price is higher, and the policy pays a reduced benefit in the first two or three years. The exact amounts are in the policy. See graded vs. level death benefits.
  • Guaranteed issue. No health questions. These policies usually have a limited benefit for the first two years. If the insured dies of natural causes in that window, the beneficiary typically gets the premiums paid back plus some interest (for example, AAA Life pays premiums plus 30%, and Corebridge Direct pays 110% to 120% of premiums, per their published terms). Accidental deaths are usually covered in full from day one. See guaranteed issue life insurance explained.

How Much Coverage Do You Need?

Many people size their policy around funeral costs. The median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial was $8,300 in 2023, and a funeral with a viewing and cremation was $6,280, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Those figures do not include a cemetery plot, headstone or flowers.

For context, the average final expense policy sold in 2024 had a face amount of $14,535 for simplified issue and $9,786 for guaranteed issue, according to LIMRA (2025).

Choosing a slightly smaller amount is one of the simplest ways to fit a policy into your budget. For more ideas, see how to lower your final expense insurance premium and how much final expense insurance costs.

How to Find Your Actual Rate

Because every carrier prices age, health and tobacco a little differently, the same person can see different prices from different companies. Comparing more than one carrier is the best way to find a fair price.

You can answer a few short questions to see your options, and a licensed agent can walk you through plans in your state. Before you buy, make sure the premium fits your budget for the long run, since a policy only pays if it stays in force.