Most people in their 30’s don’t have a life insurance policy. Mainly because they think it is too expensive. However, the older you get, the higher the probability you will need a term life insurance policy.
In this post, I’ll help you understand why you need life insurance in your 30’s, what it actually costs year by year, what sets the price and how to get the most affordable rates.
Term Life Insurance Rates for 30 39 Year Olds
Most of us guess term life costs a lot more than it does, so here are real prices instead of a guess.
Here’s how the monthly price of $500,000 of 20-year term moves through your 30s, for a non-smoker in average health:
| Age | Man, average health | Woman, average health |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | $51.92 | $38.58 |
| 31 | $53.17 | $40.25 |
| 32 | $54.00 | $42.33 |
| 33 | $55.25 | $44.83 |
| 34 | $56.50 | $47.33 |
| 35 | $60.67 | $50.67 |
| 36 | $65.25 | $54.00 |
| 37 | $71.08 | $57.75 |
| 38 | $77.75 | $61.50 |
| 39 | $85.25 | $65.25 |
Monthly premiums from our own quote tool, pulled 19 September and 9 October 2026 from one carrier’s partner rate sheet: $500,000 of coverage, 20-year term, non-smoker, Georgia ZIP. That sheet priced 49 of 51 jurisdictions identically when we checked all of them in August 2026 (North Dakota came back lower; New York isn’t offered). These are rate-sheet prices before underwriting, not a final offer.
In your early 30s the price creeps up slowly: a man pays $51.92 a month at 30 and $56.50 at 34. After that it picks up speed, and by 39 he’s paying $85.25, about 64% more than at 30. A woman’s price climbs more steadily, from $38.58 at 30 to $65.25 at 39. So if you’re going to buy in your 30s, sooner really is cheaper.
You don’t have to buy $500,000, either. A $250,000, 20-year policy costs a 35-year-old woman in excellent health $20.46 a month, and a man $22.96. And if you’re wondering what happens when the term runs out, here’s what happens if you outlive your term life insurance policy.
There are far too many stories on the news about young families being hit with two types of unexpected losses.
The first loss comes in the form of losing their loved one and the second comes in losing their financial future.
The amount of people asking for burial help on places like GoFundMe is pretty ridiculous, especially since life insurance is super affordable.
If you had purchased a term policy at 35, knowing you were going to get married that year, everything would be different.
Unfortunately far too many people overestimate the cost of life insurance.
On our quote tool, a 35-year-old woman in excellent health who doesn’t smoke pays $31.92 a month for $500,000 of 20-year term. That’s about a dollar a day!
So if you’re paying for a few subscriptions, there isn’t much of an excuse to skip life insurance.
I’m In My 30’s Why Do I Need Life Insurance?
Now that I am in my 30’s I have been contemplating purchasing additional life insurance because my needs are changing.
My husband and I are working on kids and this also means our need for life insurance and just overall insurance will be changing soon.
It is essential that our kids are taken care of and since we are young now it is the best time to purchase additional coverage so that when they are born, all we need to do is add them as beneficiaries.
The best thing about life insurance is that you can add beneficiaries whenever you want.
There are a ton of reasons why you should buy a term life insurance policy in your 30’s but just think about these few things:
Getting Married
Are you planning to get married in your 30’s or early 40’s?
You are probably going to be taking on debt such as credit cards, a car payment or have an outstanding mortgage
You might even be a two mortgage family.
This can really leave your partner in a financial mess if you die suddenly.
These obligations don’t just go away – they have to be satisfied and your spouse may not be in a situation where they can cover everything.
Having Kids
Having kids is a huge responsibility and they rely on you for everything, just imagine if you were to pass away without leaving them any type of financial security, what would their future look like?
Having A Business
Having a business is like having a kid, in the beginning it will require everything from you, time, money, love, like I said… everything.
If you are a key person in this business you are probably going to need to make sure the financial obligations in your business are covered and a life insurance policy will probably protect you the most.
A Lot Can Change in 30 Years!
Can you imagine right now what your life will look like in 30 years?
When you are in your 30’s, you probably have kids, have already gotten married, and probably have a mortgage.
But what do you think life will look like in 30 Years?
Will you still be alive? Will all your debts be paid down? Will you still be supporting the kids? Hell, will you be living with your kids?
Having a strong insurance plan in motion is critical and no matter what happens, if you have life insurance you can insure that they have a better financial future.
Where Can I Get Fast Life Insurance Quotes For 30 Year Olds?
You can get fast life insurance quotes for 30 year olds right here on Simply Insurance, where you can compare rates and apply online in minutes.
Why Your Health Rating Matters With Term Insurance
One of the largest determining factors in your final life insurance rate will be your health.
The main reason I tell my customers that are in their 30’s to get life insurance is because they are young, healthy and it is much easier to qualify for the best health rating.
The longer you wait to get covered, the higher the chances that some health issues could come up.
Also, the older you get, the more expensive your premiums are going to be.
Just remember, not all companies are going to treat you the same and some will require exams while others won’t.
How Health Ratings Work
When an insurer underwrites you, it puts you in a health class, and that class sets your price. Companies don’t all use the same names. The rate sheet behind our quote tool prices three classes: excellent, above average and average.
Here’s what each class costs a 35-year-old each month for $500,000 of 20-year term, plus what a smoker in average health pays:
| Health class | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | $36.92 | $31.92 |
| Above average | $39.83 | $34.42 |
| Average | $60.67 | $50.67 |
| Average, smoker | $165.25 | $129.42 |
Monthly premiums from our own quote tool, pulled 19 September to 9 October 2026 from one carrier’s partner rate sheet: $500,000 of coverage, 20-year term, age 35, non-smokers except the smoker row, Georgia ZIP. That sheet priced 49 of 51 jurisdictions identically when we checked all of them in August 2026 (North Dakota came back lower; New York isn’t offered). These are rate-sheet prices before underwriting, not a final offer.
Two things jump out. First, most of the saving comes from getting out of the average class: at 35, excellent health costs more than a third less than average, and above average is only a few dollars a month behind excellent. Second, a smoker in average health pays more than two and a half times what a non-smoker does, a bigger gap than in your 20s.
You’ll also hear the classic industry names for health classes, so here’s what they mean.
Preferred Plus Rating
Preferred plus gets you the lowest monthly premium a company offers, and it’s only for people in the best health.
Preferred Rating
Preferred is for people in really good health, and it’s the second most affordable rating.
Standard Rating
Standard is the most common approval in the industry. It’s where you might land if you take a few prescription drugs.
Sub Standard Rating
A table rating, also called sub-standard, is for people with more serious health issues, and it’s one of the most expensive ways to get approved. Smoking on top of it pushes the price higher still. Table ratings are set case by case during underwriting, so our quote tool doesn’t price them, and we’d rather show you no number than a made-up one.
As you can see, an unhealthy lifestyle can really hurt you when it comes to your life insurance premiums.
The numbers don’t lie: staying healthy and not smoking will save you a ton of money.
Figuring out how much life insurance you need is essential, if you don’t get enough coverage it can ruin your family’s financial future.
If you are in your 30’s, you’re probably buying life insurance for income replacement later in life.
It’s important to be very honest about what you think your needs are going to be over the coming decades.
To get a better answer on the amount of life insurance you will need for your family, use our life insurance needs calculator to help you decide!
What If My Employer Offers Life Insurance?
If you are working, one of the first things you probably thought about was the fact that you have life insurance through your job.
However, there are a few things that come with life insurance through an employer and they are:
Only 1X Your Income
One of the major issues that I see from employer offered life insurance is that if it is free, you usually get only 1X (one times) your annual income in coverage.
This isn’t going to be nearly enough to support a growing family if you were to pass away unexpectedly.
If you are in school and your parents co-signed on a loan for you, it wouldn’t be enough to cover your burial and pay off student loans either.
Cost Won’t Be As Affordable
If you have to pay for your life insurance through your job, chances are that you are going to be paying a higher rate for lower coverage.
This is primarily because the insurance company rates your entire staff and comes up with a price based on average health.
Individual life insurance policies only underwrite you and give you the ability to get a much more affordable policy.
It Won’t Come With You
Let’s be honest, you probably aren’t going to be with the same employer from the beginning of your career to the end of your career.
Hell, I have had over 24 jobs and I am in my 30’s, most of us just won’t stay put and it is essential that you consider than when getting life insurance at your job.
A study showed that over 75% of companies expect to retain college graduates for less than 1 year and a survey from Career Builder showed that 45% of all employees expect to be with their employer for less than 2 years.
If you area healthy young adult you are probably going to be able to get life insurance for much cheaper than through your job.
I say take the free insurance if your job offers it and also purchase your own separate policy.
Taking Action
Hopefully you now understand why you need life insurance in your 30’s.
If you don’t have coverage on yourself, you’re putting your family’s financial future at risk. Term life insurance is one of the simplest products out there, and it costs less than most people think.
While it’s fun to think we will live forever, the truth is that we all will eventually pass away, and the best thing we can do is protect our family when it happens.
You can compare no-exam life insurance quotes online or use any of the buttons above to get an instant quote and apply for coverage today.