California Life Insurance for Seniors
Life insurance for seniors in California: Options at 50, 60, 70 and Beyond
It isn't too late. A caring look at life insurance for people over 50, 60 and 70, including term, whole life and final expense, and what limits to know in California.
It isn't too late
Many people assume that after a certain age, life insurance is off the table. That's not true. Your options do change as you get older, and the price goes up with age, but there are real policies for people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.
Here is an honest look at what's available to seniors in California, and what to watch for.
Life insurance for seniors in California
We help people across California, including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose. The right life insurance for seniors for you depends on your age, your health and what you want it to do, and a licensed agent can walk through the options available in California today.
Most states give you a free-look period after a policy is delivered, so you can review it and cancel for a refund if it isn't what you expected. The length varies by state and product, so ask to see it in writing.
California insurance questions and complaints can go to California Department of Insurance (CDI) (www.insurance.ca.gov). That is a separate resource from GetFastRates.com. Every state also has a guaranty association that backs policyholders up to limits set by state law.
The main kinds of coverage for seniors
- Term life: often available into a person's 60s and sometimes 70s, at a higher price than for younger people, and it needs health questions
- Whole life: designed to last for life, with a premium set when you buy
- Final expense: smaller whole life policies aimed at funeral and end-of-life costs, often with simple enrollment
- Guaranteed issue: no health questions, usually with a waiting period and a smaller benefit
Why seniors buy life insurance
- To keep funeral and final costs from landing on their children
- To leave something behind for a spouse or grandchildren
- To pay off a remaining mortgage, loan or medical bills
- To replace income a spouse would lose, such as part of a pension or Social Security
- To leave a gift to a church or charity
What to weigh (the honest part)
Approval, price and the amount of coverage depend on your age, health and the carrier. We will not promise a result before you have applied, and we will tell you plainly if a policy isn't the right fit.
- Premiums rise with age and health, so waiting usually costs more
- Some conditions limit which policies are open to you
- Guaranteed issue plans usually have a waiting period, often two years, and pay only your premiums back, sometimes with interest, for natural death in that time
- A low premium alone doesn't make a plan the right fit. Read the waiting period and limits before you decide
If you're on Medicare
Medicare and life insurance do different jobs. Medicare helps with health care costs. Life insurance pays a benefit to the people you name. Some people on Medicare also look at a hospital indemnity plan for extra cash toward hospital costs. We can talk through all of it in one call.
How we can help
- Talk through what you want the coverage to do, with no pressure
- Look at your health and age to see which kinds of policy are open to you
- Compare options available to seniors in California
- Put waiting periods, limits and exclusions in writing before you decide
Want to talk through your California options?
Leave your number and a licensed agent will call to talk through where you are and what fits in California. It's free, and there's no pressure.
More life insurance help in California
Common questions
Can I get life insurance at 70 or older?
Often, yes. Availability depends on the carrier, the type of policy and your health. Final expense and guaranteed issue plans are commonly open into a person's 80s. A licensed agent can tell you what fits.
Do I need a medical exam?
Many senior policies don't require an exam. Some ask a few health questions, and guaranteed issue plans ask none but usually have a waiting period.
Is it more expensive after 60?
Generally yes, because premiums rise with age and health risk. That is a reason not to wait, but it's also worth comparing several types of policy.
Can I have life insurance and Medicare?
Yes. They do different jobs. Medicare pays for many health care costs, and life insurance pays a benefit to your beneficiaries.
Is it available in California?
Life insurance for seniors is sold in every state, but the carriers and plans available to you depend on your age, health and where you live. A licensed agent can tell you what's available in California today.
Does it cost anything to talk to an agent?
Talking through your options is free and comes with no obligation. Any policy you choose has its own premium, set by the carrier.
You don't have to figure this out alone.
Call to talk with a licensed agent who helps people in California and will be honest about what fits and what doesn't.
- Licensed insurance help
- No guaranteed eligibility, pricing, or availability
- Educational starting point
Information on this site is educational and does not guarantee eligibility, enrollment, pricing, or availability. It is not a recommendation to buy any specific plan or policy.