For a $10,000 final-expense policy in November 2026, a healthy 70-year-old man pays roughly $75 to $100 a month and a woman about $60 to $80, based on published illustrative rates. A 65-year-old pays less, an 80-year-old pays roughly double. Your exact price depends on age, sex, state, tobacco use and health. Use the calculator below for your range.
By Orafyn Editorial Team · Last verified: November 2026
—
—
Premiums are illustrative ranges, not a quote. Your carrier, health answers, state rules and exact age all change the price. State availability varies — for example, some carriers cap coverage at $15,000 in South Dakota and cap the issue age at 75 in New York.
Final expense insurance is a small whole-life policy — usually $5,000 to $25,000 — bought to pay for a funeral, burial and small final debts, so the family does not have to. Premiums never rise, the benefit never falls, and the policy builds a small cash value. There is no medical exam: you answer a few health questions (simplified issue) or none at all (guaranteed issue).
It is not the same as term life insurance. Term cover is larger and cheaper per dollar, but it ends — and if you outlive it, you get nothing. Final expense cover is smaller and dearer per dollar, but it lasts for life as long as premiums are paid.
Start with the funeral. The National Funeral Directors Association median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $9,995 in 2023, including a vault — and prices have risen since. Add any debts you want settled (a small credit-card balance, a medical bill) and a few thousand for the costs around the funeral itself, then round up. For most people that lands at $10,000 to $15,000; $20,000 leaves comfortable room.
| Age | Male / month | Female / month |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | $55–$75 | $45–$60 |
| 70 | $75–$100 | $60–$80 |
| 75 | $105–$140 | $85–$110 |
| 80 | $150–$200 | $125–$165 |
| 85 | $200–$260 | $170–$220 |
Illustrative monthly premiums for $10,000 of cover, non-tobacco, simplified issue. Source: ranges compiled from published carrier and comparison guides (including DG Life and Ethos, 2026). Prices vary widely by source — published rates for a 70-year-old man at $10,000 range from about $75 to $99 a month. Last verified November 2026. Not a quote.
Simplified issue asks a few health questions — heart disease, cancer, diabetes, smoking — and is cheaper if you can answer them well. It usually gives day-one cover: the full benefit pays from the start. Guaranteed issue asks no health questions at all, so almost anyone from 50 to 85 can get it, but it costs roughly 25% more and usually has a 2-year graded waiting period, during which a natural death pays back premiums plus interest instead of the full benefit.
It depends on the policy type. Simplified-issue policies usually have no waiting period — the full benefit applies from day one if you are accepted. Guaranteed-issue and graded policies usually wait 2 years for natural causes; accidental death is covered in full from day one on most of them. The waiting period is the main trade-off for "no questions asked" cover, and it is why the calculator above prices guaranteed issue higher.
Yes, in most states, if you have an insurable interest — you would suffer financially from their death — and they consent and sign the application. You can usually be the owner and payer while they are the insured. Some carriers cap the issue age (for example, 75 in New York) and some cap the amount (for example, $15,000 in South Dakota), so check the state rules in the calculator above before you apply.
James is 70, lives in Texas, does not smoke, and wants $10,000 of simplified-issue cover. The table gives $75 to $100 a month — about $1,050 a year at the midpoint of $87.50. If he pays until 85, that is 15 years, or about $15,750 in total premiums for a $10,000 benefit — $5,750 more than the benefit itself. That is the honest trade-off of final-expense cover: you are buying certainty that the funeral is paid for, not an investment. His $10,000 covers the $9,995 NFDA median funeral cost with a burial vault (2023) — by $5. A $15,000 policy would leave $5,005 of room.
Method. The calculator takes the nearest age row in the table above, scales it by coverage ÷ $10,000, then applies ×1.5 for tobacco use and ×1.25 for guaranteed issue (illustrative adjustments). Total paid by age 85 = midpoint monthly premium × 12 × (85 − age). The funeral check compares cover with the $9,995 NFDA median with a burial vault (2023).
Sources. National Funeral Directors Association, median funeral cost with viewing and burial $9,995 including a vault (2023). Premium ranges compiled from published carrier and comparison guides (DG Life, Ethos, 2026) — prices differ by source, so the table shows ranges, not single prices. State caps are illustrative examples (Gerber max $15,000 in South Dakota; max issue age 75 in New York). Last verified November 2026 — get a quote before relying on any figure.
Last verified: November 2026
More tools: Gig True-Pay & Cover Calculator — true hourly pay after gas, tax and insurance · First-Credit Timeline Estimator — how long until your first credit score · All free finance calculators · Read the blog