At age 70, final expense insurance for $10,000 typically costs about $47 to $105 per month for a non-tobacco female and about $58 to $130 per month for a non-tobacco male, as an illustrative range from multiple 2026 carrier illustrations. Women pay roughly 20% to 35% less than men.
What final expense insurance is
Final expense insurance is a small whole life insurance policy designed to cover the costs that remain after a death, most often a funeral, burial or cremation, and small final bills. Coverage is typically $5,000 to $25,000, although some carriers offer up to $35,000 or $40,000. The premium is level for life, which means it does not increase as you age, and the death benefit never decreases as long as you pay the premiums.
It is different from term life insurance, which covers a fixed period such as 10 or 20 years and then ends. Final expense is whole life, so it stays in force for your entire life if you keep paying. It is also different from a large life insurance policy meant to replace income or pay off a mortgage. Final expense is meant to be a modest, predictable benefit that your family can use quickly, without a long medical exam or a large monthly cost.
Most policies are simplified issue — a short health questionnaire, no full medical exam. Guaranteed-issue policies cannot turn you down for health reasons, but they cost more and often have a graded benefit period.
How much does $10,000 cost at age 70?
The range in this article is illustrative, not a quote. Final expense prices vary by carrier, health class, state, tobacco use and the exact policy type. The range below is compiled from multiple 2026 carrier illustrations for a non-tobacco applicant at age 70 seeking $10,000 in coverage.
| Source and date | Female, age 70, $10,000 | Male, age 70, $10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| PolicyOcean averages, October 2026 | $47.41 per month | $58.27 per month |
| Mutual of Omaha simplified-issue level, via Asurgo, 2026 | $53 per month | $75 per month |
| LifeQuotesWeb level class, 2026 | $56 per month | $72 per month |
| Choice Mutual, March 2026 | $53 per month | $70 per month |
| Illustrative range compiled from multiple 2026 illustrations | About $47 to $105 per month | About $58 to $130 per month |
Source: PolicyOcean, Mutual of Omaha via Asurgo, LifeQuotesWeb and Choice Mutual figures as compiled for this article, November 2026. All figures are illustrative, not quotes, and your price will depend on your health, carrier and state.
The lower end of the range reflects a healthy non-tobacco applicant in a preferred or level health class. The upper end reflects a standard or higher-risk health class, or a policy with a graded benefit or a guaranteed-issue design. A healthy 70-year-old woman might pay near $47 to $56 per month, while a 70-year-old man with health issues might pay near $100 to $130 per month for the same $10,000. Women pay less than men at the same age and coverage amount. The figures above show a gap of roughly 20% to 35%, with men paying a median of about 26% more. That gap reflects life expectancy: women live longer on average, so the insurer expects to collect premiums for longer before paying a claim.
What changes the price
Tobacco use is the largest single factor after age and sex. Tobacco users typically pay 30% to 50% more than non-tobacco users for the same coverage. A man who smokes could pay $75 to $195 per month for $10,000 at age 70, depending on the carrier and health class, compared with $58 to $130 for a non-tobacco man. If you quit tobacco, ask the carrier how long you must be tobacco-free to qualify for non-tobacco rates. Some carriers require 12 months, others require longer.
Health class is the second factor. A simplified-issue level policy for a healthy applicant costs less than a graded-benefit policy for an applicant with serious health issues. Graded-benefit policies run 40% to 80% higher than standard policies, because the insurer takes on more risk. In a graded policy, the full death benefit may not be paid if death occurs in the first two years, except for accidental death. Instead, the beneficiary may receive a return of premiums plus interest. Read the graded period carefully before you buy.
Coverage amount is the third factor. A $10,000 policy costs roughly twice as much as a $5,000 policy from the same carrier, but the relationship is not always exact because some carriers have minimum premiums or fees. Get quotes from at least three carriers for the same coverage amount, health class and benefit type, so you are comparing like with like.
A worked example: a couple at age 70
Robert and Maria are both 70, non-tobacco users, and in good health for their age. They want $10,000 each in final expense coverage, so their family will have $20,000 in total to cover funeral and final costs.
Using the PolicyOcean averages from October 2026, Maria would pay $47.41 per month and Robert would pay $58.27 per month. Their combined cost is $105.68 per month, or $1,268.16 per year. Over 10 years, if they both live to age 80 and keep paying, they will have paid $12,681.60 in total premiums for $20,000 in coverage.
Using the Mutual of Omaha simplified-issue level figures from 2026, Maria would pay $53 per month and Robert would pay $75 per month. Their combined cost is $128 per month, or $1,536 per year, or $15,360 over 10 years for the same $20,000 in coverage.
Using the upper end of the illustrative range, Maria might pay $105 per month and Robert might pay $130 per month if they are in a higher-risk health class or choose a graded-benefit policy. Their combined cost would be $235 per month, or $2,820 per year, or $28,200 over 10 years, which is more than the $20,000 death benefit. That example shows why health class and policy type matter so much: at the upper end, the total premiums paid over a long life can exceed the benefit. That does not automatically mean the policy is a bad choice, because the benefit is paid whenever death occurs, even if it is in the first year, but it does mean you should compare a level policy with a graded policy carefully.
If Robert smokes and pays 40% more than the non-tobacco average, his $58.27 would become about $81.58 per month, or $979 per year — $9,790 over 10 years for $10,000 in coverage. Use a final expense calculator to run your own age, sex and coverage amount.
What does a funeral actually cost?
Final expense insurance is sized to funeral costs, so it helps to know what those costs are. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, or NFDA, 2023 General Price List Study, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300, and the median cost of a funeral with viewing and cremation was $6,280.
Those medians do not include everything. Cemetery costs, flowers, obituaries, transport, a burial plot or a cremation urn, and other extras are often separate. Total costs often reach $10,000 or more once cemetery, flowers and extras are added. That is why $10,000 is a common coverage amount: it covers the NFDA median for burial or cremation, plus a buffer for the extras that are not in the median.
Add a burial vault, which many cemeteries require, at a median of $1,695, and the burial figure becomes $9,995 (NFDA, 2023). The $8,300 and $6,280 figures in this article are the NFDA medians from the 2023 General Price List Study, and the $10,000-plus total reflects the additional costs that are not included in those medians. Use the NFDA medians as the baseline, and budget for extras on top. If you live in a high-cost city, or you want a burial with a plot, headstone and service, $10,000 may not be enough. If you prefer a simple cremation with no viewing, $10,000 may be more than enough. If you are comparing other insurance costs, read our guide to rideshare insurance costs for Uber drivers in California and delivery insurance costs for DoorDash drivers in Florida. Our tools hub has calculators for final expense, gig pay and credit timelines in one place.
FAQ
How much is final expense insurance at age 70 for $10,000?
For a non-tobacco applicant, the illustrative range is about $47 to $105 per month for a female and about $58 to $130 per month for a male, compiled from multiple 2026 carrier illustrations. Your price will depend on health class, carrier and state.
Why do women pay less than men for final expense insurance?
Women live longer on average, so insurers expect to collect premiums for longer before paying a claim. Women pay roughly 20% to 35% less than men, with men paying a median of about 26% more at the same age and coverage.
Does tobacco use affect final expense cost at age 70?
Yes. Tobacco users typically pay 30% to 50% more than non-tobacco users for the same coverage. Ask the carrier how long you must be tobacco-free to qualify for non-tobacco rates.
What is the difference between level and graded final expense insurance?
A level policy pays the full benefit from day one. A graded policy pays a limited benefit, often a return of premiums plus interest, if death occurs in the first two years, and the full benefit after that. Graded policies run 40% to 80% higher than standard policies.
Is $10,000 enough for a funeral?
It is often enough for the NFDA median funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300 or with viewing and cremation at $6,280, from the 2023 General Price List Study. Total costs often reach $10,000 or more once cemetery, flowers and extras are added, so consider your local costs and your wishes.
Does the premium increase as I age?
No, for a whole life final expense policy, the premium is level for life and the death benefit never decreases, as long as you pay the premiums on time.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only and is not financial or insurance advice. Prices in this article are illustrative ranges compiled from multiple 2026 carrier illustrations, not quotes. Your price will depend on your health, age, sex, tobacco use, carrier and state. Get a quote from a licensed agent or insurer before you buy, and read the policy to confirm the benefit type, graded period and premium.
Last verified: November 2026
