Work coverage often ends
Group life through an employer commonly stops or shrinks at retirement. A policy you own doesn’t retire with you.
Who we serve · Retirees
Life insurance for retirees
Retiring changes your paycheck — and often your life insurance. Here’s how retirees keep a spouse protected, the final bills handled, and a legacy in place on a fixed income.
Why it matters
What life insurance does for retirees
Almost everyone needs life insurance, and retirement is when many people discover they no longer have it. Coverage through work often ends at retirement or drops to a small amount, and term policies bought decades ago are reaching the end of their terms. Yet the reasons to be covered haven’t gone anywhere: final expenses, medical bills, any remaining mortgage or debts, and a spouse who still depends on the household’s income.
That last one surprises people. When one spouse passes, household income often falls. A married couple collecting two Social Security checks will receive only one going forward — the survivor generally keeps the larger of the two, not both. A pension may stop entirely or continue at a reduced amount, depending on the option chosen at retirement. Meanwhile, most of the bills stay the same. Life insurance can bridge that drop so the surviving spouse can stay in the home and keep their footing.
On a fixed income, the right answer is usually practical. Final expense whole life is sized for the funeral and final bills, with level premiums and usually no medical exam. If you still have a term policy, converting part of it before the deadline or keeping it in force can make sense. We lay out the options plainly and help you choose a premium you can comfortably keep for life.
The case for owning your coverage
Why retirees keep coverage in place
Protect a spouse’s income
When one spouse passes, a Social Security check goes away and a pension may shrink or stop. Coverage can bridge the gap.
Final bills, handled
Funeral costs, medical bills, and leftover debts arrive fast. A policy with a named beneficiary generally pays outside probate.
A legacy on your terms
Leave something specific to children, grandchildren, or a cause you care about — generally income-tax-free to your beneficiaries.
Coverage that fits
Options worth comparing
Age and health decide the real options — a few basic questions let us quote you accurately and keep the premium comfortable on a fixed income.
Final expense
Simplified-issue whole life sized for the funeral and final bills — level premiums and usually no medical exam.
Learn more →Term life expiring?
Your five real options before an old term policy ends — including the conversion deadline most people miss.
Learn more →Final expense calculator
See what final expense coverage could cost at your age.
Learn more →Seniors over 60
In your 60s, nearly every type of coverage is still on the table — here’s how to choose.
Learn more →Seniors over 70
The honest picture of what’s available in your 70s — and what to skip.
Learn more →Seniors over 80
Yes, coverage still exists in your 80s. Here’s what it looks like.
Learn more →Questions we hear
Retirees life insurance FAQ
What happens to my work life insurance when I retire?
It depends on your employer’s plan, but group life commonly ends at retirement or is reduced to a small amount. Some plans let you convert to an individual policy within a short window after coverage ends. Check your plan documents before your last day — and ideally have a policy you own in place first.
Doesn’t Social Security pay for funerals?
Only a little. Social Security’s one-time lump-sum death payment is $255, and only certain surviving spouses or children qualify for it. Medicare doesn’t pay funeral costs. A final expense policy sized to the real cost keeps that bill off your family.
My term policy is about to expire. What should I do?
Look at your options before it ends. Many term policies can be converted to permanent coverage without new health questions, but only before a deadline set in the policy. You may also be able to renew at a much higher price, replace it with a new policy, or move to a smaller final expense policy. Our guide to expiring term insurance walks through all five options.
Is life insurance affordable on a fixed income?
Often, yes — especially final expense coverage sized to a specific need. Premiums depend on your age, health, and the amount you choose, and are set by the carrier. We’ll help you find coverage with a premium you can comfortably keep for life, because a policy that lapses doesn’t protect anyone.
Can I get coverage with health problems?
Often, yes. Many final expense policies ask a short set of health questions and offer level coverage to those who qualify, with graded options for some conditions. Options that ask no health questions exist at many ages, usually with a waiting period before the full benefit applies. Tell us your situation and we’ll compare carriers for you. Final approval is always subject to underwriting.
No-pressure quote
See what coverage looks like for your family
Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll reach out with honest options — no obligation, no jargon.
- Independent — we compare multiple carriers
- Plain answers, no pressure
- Coverage built around your real needs