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Life insurance for over 70

As you approach the latter parts of your life, you may start thinking about what you’re going to leave behind. If you want to provide a legacy for those you love, then life insurance may be an important consideration.

Posted: 1/6/2022 | By Gulay Yildirim

Two elderly men sat on a park bench, one with his hand on others shoulder, smiling at each other

Reaching the ‘autumn years’ might cause you to reflect and look back over your life. Alongside the achievements and fond memories, you may also have practical thoughts about the future.

If life insurance has been on your mind, then you may want to make arrangements as soon as possible. You might have friends who have taken out policies or family who have asked whether you’ve bought any, or you might simply have turned your mind to your family’s life after you’ve gone.

Many policies have a cut-off point for customers at 80 years old, and you may want to try and get the most affordable premiums you can while you are still eligible. Naturally, the earlier you do this, the better.

Taking out life cover lets you move your focus from the future to the present, and helps to take the worry out of day-to-day living.

If you believe you need life insurance, then consider a life cover policy from the Post Office.

Why do I need life insurance at 70?

Although you may have been careful with money over the years, your spouse or chief carer may find life more difficult without your financial contribution. In particular, if you currently provide care for them, your absence might require adjustments to be made to their care or care arrangements.

The average cost of a funeral in 2016-2021 was around £5,631+. Being able to contribute towards the cost of your funeral may be a relief to your family as well as give you peace of mind.

Other common motivations for buying life insurance later in life are to help pay for outstanding debts or to leave a gift for loved ones.

What are my options for life cover over 70?

Some insurers offer term life insurance at 75, 80 or, in rare cases, 85, however the older you get, the greater your risk of illness, and this type of cover could become expensive.

Another option for life cover for over 70s is whole of life cover which is offered by most providers. This means that your policy will last until you die, with no fixed end-date. It offers the security of knowing that, provided your premiums are kept up, your family can receive a payout whenever you pass on – even if that is decades after taking out your policy.

What life insurance is right for me?

It’s natural that as we age, our health isn’t quite what it used to be. If you have had health problems, then you may be more aware than others of the need for life insurance over 70. Yet if you hadn’t, your mind may still be turning to what you can do to help your family when you’re no longer around. You may not qualify for term life policies, or you may have to pay higher premiums.

Life insurance for over 70s with no medical exam is readily available, and policies are usually whole-life as opposed to fixed-term. These policies have fewer acceptance criteria than term life policies. For example, Post Office Over 50s Life Insurance requires you to be a UK resident aged 50 to 80. Your payout amount will be determined by your age and how much you want to pay in premiums, rather than focusing on health concerns.

Use our over 50 life insurance calculator to find out what cover you could get for your family.

Does life insurance cover coronavirus?

Learn about life insurance with coronavirus cover.

+ Source: British Seniors Funeral Report 2021

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