Best Life Insurance for 50 to 59 Years Old | Tips & Sample Quotes

If you’re between the ages of 50 to 59 years old, choosing the right life insurance is essential. This may be the last policy you ever buy.

Here are some of the most common concerns individuals over 50 typically have:

• What type of life insurance you actually need?
• Health concerns / approval
• Your AGE – (limited availability of longer terms like 25-30 years)

The problem?

Many agents are severely limited in their life insurance options over age 50,  especially if you have any health issues.  Choose the wrong agent here, and you might end up overpaying or being denied coverage.

Not to worry…

You’re in the perfect place!

In this guide, we’ll help you navigate the important considerations for life insurance in your 50’s, help you determine the best type of coverage for you, and show you sample quotes at various policy amounts.

This will likely be the LAST policy you ever buy, so we need to get this right.  

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Understanding Life Insurance Challenges in Your 50’s

At InsuranceBlogByChris, we specialize in understanding and meeting the life insurance needs of individuals ages 50-59.

As mentioned in the introduction, you’re at a unique age and should approach purchasing life insurance with the following special considerations.

CHALLENGE #1 – HEALTH

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For most of our younger clients, health rarely gets in the way of finding affordable life insurance.

… but we do start seeing some health concerns with our clients in their 50’s.

2 Primary Ways Health Could Impact Your Policy:

1. Price – Companies will place you in a “Health class.”  The better your health class, the cheaper your rates.
2. Denial of Coverage – In severe cases, you could be denied coverage.  (Especially if you use an agent who only has access to a company that is stringent against your particular health condition)

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Your first and most important lesson if you have any health concerns is to use an experienced, independent agent.

Every company treats a particular health concern differently.  Some are more lenient on, say, diabetes, than others.  An independent agent’s job is to shop the market for the company that will be best for YOU and your particular health concerns.

And when you find that right company, THAT is what leads to the cheapest rates.

But you can’t use a rookie agent.

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So, rest assured, whether you are coming to us as a healthy, non-smoker, or if you have pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes, previous bouts with cancer, heart troubles, weight issues or are a smoker, we are experts at helping you find the most affordable premiums from the highest rated insurance companies.

CHALLENGE #2 – What’s the Best Type Over 50?

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With limited options as we get older, which type of life insurance do you actually need?

Before discussing the type of life insurance you need, you first must understand the following considerations as we get older.

They are both important for you deciding which type of insurance you’ll buy.

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#1 – Insurance Companies Have Max Age Cutoffs 

Life insurance at 55 costs about 8% less than life insurance at age 56.

Typically the max age to qualify for 30 year term is 50 to 55 with most companies.

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*However we have access to at least one company who will issue a 30 year policy up to age 58.

View Rates Now!

So if you’re in your early 50’s, you can still get 30 year term!

It is not available at 59 or 60.

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If you’re 59 and can no longer buy 30 year term, or you’d like a policy that lasts your entire lifetime, we use a similar product to a long term called guaranteed universal life and structure it to cover you to age 90.

The pricing is very competitive, and less than half the price of whole life.  Even if you’re in your early 50’s however, and you can still qualify for the longer terms, the next point is critically important to you.

#2 – You Need to Think 10-20 Years in the Future

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We see a lot of clients in their 50’s who have owned 2 or 3 policies in their lives.

Maybe they bought a 20 year term in their 20’s, and when that expired, they bought a 10 year term, and now that is expiring.  You really need to think ahead now.

For example:

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Say you get a 10 year term at age 57, for example, and you still need coverage when it expires at age 67.

Your options will be very limited.

At 67, you can only buy 10 and 15 year term, and it will be expensive.  If you’re 57 and buy a 20 year term, it will expire when you’re 77, and you’re out of options at that age, except 10 year term or a permanent policy.  (… and that’s if you can still qualify health-wise)

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Having said this, you might not need a long term.

Longer terms cost more.

If you are paying down your debts, investing for the future, you might look 10-15 years into your financial plan and find there is no need for coverage.

We only recommend a longer term in your 50’s if:

• You are not retiring anytime in the foreseeable future
• You want coverage after you retire (even if you don’t need it)
• Your goal is to “invest in yourself” and create an estate with an excellent ROI
• To cover a long-term debt like a 30 year mortgage

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So don’t let an agent talk you into a long, expensive term unless you actually want or need one.  Most of our clients in their 50’s can get away with a 10 or 15 year term.

Term, Whole Life & Universal Life Insurance at Age 50

1. Guaranteed Level Term – 10, 15, 20 or 30 Years

Term life insurance is the lowest priced type of life insurance.

Term life insurance does not:

• build cash value
• pay dividends
• if you surrender the policy, it doesn’t pay you back anything (unless you buy a return of premium policy)

Term life insurance offers guaranteed level premiums and death benefit for a set period of time such as 10, 20 or 30 years.  After the initial term expires, the premiums tend to increase dramatically. (10-20x the original premium)

That’s why we always say you should lock in your coverage for as long as you need life insurance.

For example, a 54 year old male buys a 15 year term life insurance policy.  His premiums are guaranteed to stay level until he’s 69. Many people in their early fifties may only need a 10 or 15 year term life insurance policy because they are nearing retirement and no longer need the coverage.  But if he needs it longer, the premiums will increase in policy year 16 substantially.  But that’s ok because this individual can let his coverage go at this point if he no longer needs it.  There are no penalties for surrendering your policy at any time.

Renewal Options

I speak badly about the renewal option (what happens after the level term), but it can be helpful.

Let’s say a 51 year old purchases a 10 year term policy.  At the end of the 10 year term, the policy does not just cancel itself.  The 51 year old, now 61, will be offered a renewal rate, which will probably be too high to pay. He’ll probably let the policy go, but at least he will have the option to keep it without proof of insurability.

So if at 61 he has a terminal illness, he’ll be glad to pay the increase premium.

Overall, though, you want to try to match your coverage needs with your term length.

That’s why it doesn’t matter if you’re 51 or even 57 years old; you should buy a term policy for a length that matches the amount of time you’ll need coverage.  You don’t want to buy a 15 year term policy at age 53 if you just refinanced your home and need coverage for the next 30 years to cover your mortgage.

In order to find the best quotes for life insurance at 50, you need to understanding the different types of policies available to you. Which type of life insurance is best at age 50? In my experience, 90% of individuals only need 10, 15, or 20 years of term life insurance coverage.

3. How Much Can a 50 to 59 Year Old Expect to Pay for Life Insurance?

Remember that life insurance in your fifties isn’t as easy as pulling a quick quote and seeing who offers the best “quoted rate.”

… you still have to qualify.

That’s why you want to work with an independent agency like Huntley Wealth… because we know which company will approve you at the best heath rating, and that is the key to the lowest rate.

Having said that, it’s still a good idea to see ballpark rates.

Here are some sample life insurance rates for a healthy male age 50, non-smoker for 10, 20 and 30 year term life insurance with $100,000 to $1 Million in coverage.

Term	$100,000	$250,000	$500,000	$1 Million
10 Year Term	$14.15	$23.80	$41.73	$74.82
15 Year Term	$18.99	$33.19	$60.28	$110.20
20 Year Term	$22.89	$42.58	$77.99	$145.95

 

*Updated for 2020 – Monthly rates based on a male, in “preferred plus” health, non smoker for age 50.  Rates vary based on your situation and are subject to change. Click here for correct rates based on your situation. 

Factors That Can Affect Premiums in Your 50s

If the insured is a woman and all else is equal, the premium would be a bit less expensive.

If the man, age 50, takes some medication for well-controlled blood pressure, cholesterol or mild anxiety the quote may be more expensive. For a 50 year old, standard non smoker seeking term life insurance, select “regular” on our instant quote form.

Some common high-risk medical issues that could drop the applicant even further down in terms of ratings could be type 2 diabetes, obesity, a history of heart disorders such as a replaced valve, coronary artery disease or the need for a pacemaker.

Please be aware that life insurance for cigarette smokers is also more expensive.

How Do I Get The Cheapest Life Insurance For Over 50?

Ten year term policies are an affordable option in your 50s. Here are some sample 10 year rates.

10 Year Term Life Insurance Quotes: Ages 50 – 59 Years Old

AGE	$100,000	$200,000	$300,000	$400,000
50 Years Old	$14.15	$25.43	$28.56	$37.75
51 Year Old	$15.06	$27.19	$31.43	$40.92
52 Year Old	$16.05	$29.30	$34.57	$44.79
53 Year Old	$17.13	$31.59	$38.00	$49.37
54 Year Old	$18.31	$34.41	$41.75	$55.65
55 Year Old	$19.60	$38.63	$45.83	$60.28
56 Year Old	$21.01	$40.74	$49.94	$65.91
57 Year Old	$22.54	$44.44	$54.40	$71.90
58 Year Old	$24.20	$48.66	$59.23	$78.98
59 Year Old	$26.28	$52.56	$65.29	$87.06

*Updated for 2020 – 10 Year Level Term Monthly rates based on a male, in “preferred plus” health, nonsmoker.  Rates change often and differ based on your personal health, family health history, & state of residence. Click here for correct rates based on your situation. 

Keep in mind that rates constantly change and vary a lot based on your health, so it is best to get a customized quote for an accurate rate.

If you do need insurance for longer than 10 years, try to lock in your term for as long as you possibly can. This way, you can avoid trying to get a new policy in your 60’s or 70’s, as we discussed above.

Long terms cost more.

Why Buy Life Insurance in Your Fifties?

Check out these 7 reasons why you may need life insurance.  This will help you match the type of coverage with your specific need. The typical life insurance purchaser is buying it for income replacement – money for his or her spouse to replace lost income.  Here are a few more:

1. Income Replacement – You’re still working and want to leave your spouse, partner or children a death benefit.
2. Estate Planning – You may need to add liquidity to an estate filled with real estate or business holdings, or you may need the insurance to pay for estate taxes.  For estate planning, click here.
3. Inheritance Purposes/Invest in Yourself – You don’t care how old you are when you pass. You want to leave something to your family, and can do it in a tax-efficient, low-cost way using life insurance.
4. Business Insurance – You may want to cover outstanding business expenses, responsibilities and obligations.  For business cases, click here.
5. Trust Planning – Common uses are to fund an AB or Bypass trust, or an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.
6. Long Term Care Needs – As we age, we start thinking ahead to the possibility of needing some sort of assisted care as we get older.  Many of us look into long term care and find the cost is outrageous.  But did you know that many life insurance policies offer the ability to take money from your death benefit early for long term care expenses?  … and this is so much cheaper than traditional long term care.
7. Leaving Money for Charity or Religious Organizations – Let’s say you have $10,000 earmarked in your will for the Salvation Army.  If you’re a 57 year old male in good health, do you know you could use that $10,000 to buy a $30,000 life insurance policy and leave the Salvation Army as the beneficiary?  Yep, that’s triple what you had planned to leave them.  (this is a permanent policy, not term.)

Simply put, we need to avoid the old grim reaper and the destruction he’ll do to our family or business if we don’t have life insurance.

RELATED: Check Sample Life Insurance Rates by Age (No Personal Info Required)

3 Savings Tips Over Age 50

Here are some great savings tips to help you find the most affordable life insurance coverage.

I have already stated that one of your problems in applying for life insurance in your 50’s is you may have a few health concerns. So, my first tip is to:

1. Find the Best Life Insurance Company for Your Health History

If you’re looking for low-cost life insurance with health impairments, you need to apply for coverage with the company that will be most understanding of your unique health history.

Not sure who the best company is for your unique conditions?

Of course, you don’t! That’s why you need an independent agent.

Don’t use a “captive agent” who only has access to one company.  These are agents like Farmers, State Farm and New York Life.  You need an agent who knows the marketplace and can shop for the best deal for YOU.

2. Purchase 2 Policies

My second tip is to consider buying 2 policies instead of one.

“Excuse me?” you say.

“Wouldn’t that be more expensive?”

What I mean is you can actually save 10-15% by splitting up your coverage into 2 policies at different term lengths.

For example, if you needed $1 million of coverage, and want to save money on it, instead of buying 1 policy for 30 years, instead buy a $500,000 policy with a 15 year term and a $500,000 policy with a 30 year term.

3. Use an Income Provider Option

My third tip is to use an Income Provider Option.

Very few companies offer this, but we have one who does, and it can save you 5-40%.

You’re probably familiar with the fact that life insurance pays out a one-time lump sum upon the death of the insured.

Well… If your goal is to provide income to your spouse or perhaps a child, why not provide that death benefit to them over a period of 5, 10, 15, or even 20 or 30 years?

We have a carrier that allows you to do this and substantially reduces the premium.

For example, it costs about 15% less to have $50,000 paid out per year for 10 years than to have a $500,000 lump sum paid out!

How To Find the Best Policy After Age 50

Life insurance is an important decision and we, at Huntley Wealth, can help you find the best possible rates into your 50’s. We can access and research dozens of the best life insurance companies.

If you have health concerns, don’t let that dissuade you. We can give you valuable advice and help you to find a policy that suits your individual needs.

To request a quote, simply fill out the form on the right or call us at 888-603-2876.

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