Are less people buying life insurance?

Asked by: Lurline Will  |  Last update: March 24, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (29 votes)

U.S. life insurance ownership has remained relatively steady since 2021, with about half of adults reporting having coverage. The latest study, now in its 14th year, finds a record-high number of American adults (42%) — representing 102 million adults — saying they need (or need more) life insurance.

Why are less people buying life insurance?

There are likely many reasons for that drop-off. For one, younger generations are deferring big financial and life milestones such as getting married, buying a home and having kids relative to older generations. Each of these events generally acts as a key trigger to buy life insurance, experts said.

Why don't millennials buy life insurance?

Millennials may perceive life insurance as expensive, especially when burdened with student loan debt, housing costs, and other financial obligations. For example, federal student loan debt totals over $1.6 trillion, and millennials hold over one-third of this debt.

Do people still buy life insurance?

Many Americans Know the Basics of Life Insurance, Yet Nearly 60% Either Don't Have Coverage or Are Unsure If They Do.

Is there a high demand for life insurance?

The study reveals that 42 percent of American adults either need to obtain life insurance or increase their existing coverage. This persistent need-gap includes about 102 million adults, blending those who are uninsured and those who are underinsured.

Martin Lewis' Guide to Life Insurance - Different Types | This Morning

27 related questions found

Is the life insurance industry saturated?

Saturated Market: The insurance market can be highly competitive, with many agents vying for the same clients. This makes it difficult to stand out and close deals.

Do people make a lot of money selling life insurance?

Annual income for a life insurance agent can vary from as little as $28,000 per year to as much as $125,000 per year. How much money you can make selling life insurance will depend on a variety of factors, including your own ability to convert leads to customers, as well as the area in which you live.

At what age should you stop buying life insurance?

Many people in their 60s and 70s may no longer need life insurance. They may have already paid off the house, stopped working, sent the kids off to care for themselves or accumulated enough assets to offset the need for life insurance. But sometimes buying or maintaining a life insurance policy over age 60 makes sense.

At what point is life insurance not worth it?

The point of life insurance is to replace your income when you die. If you don't have anyone who'll need that income when you die, then you don't need life insurance. Or if you're doing so well financially that you're self-insured, you're still good to go without it.

Do wealthy people buy life insurance?

High-net-worth individuals often use life insurance to support charitable causes while preserving their wealth for future generations. By naming a charity as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, individuals can leave a substantial gift to a cause they care about without diminishing their estate.

Is it OK to not have life insurance?

If you have no financial obligations at your death, have no spouse or dependents that rely on your income now or in the future, or you own no property or business that would need to be purchased at your death by your business partners or liquidated for income needs, then you may not need life insurance.

Why are millennials not saving for retirement?

Millennials are twice as likely as any other age band to cite childcare as a reason for not saving for retirement. The life events millennials face can have a huge disruption on their ability to save. These include parental leave, childcare commitments, becoming a homeowner and career change or break.

Is 65 too old for life insurance?

Some may think that older people over the age of 65 cannot get new life insurance coverage because of age and pre-existing health conditions. This is not true, though. Life insurance at the age of 65 is attainable and affordable if you know where to look.

Why is life insurance not a good investment?

The cash value is slow to grow

Eventually, a higher percentage of your premium will go toward your cash value. But this takes a while, so it can take 10 to 15 years (or even longer) for you to build up enough cash value to borrow against.

What is the average life insurance payout?

The average US life insurance payout is approximately $160,000. This figure can vary widely depending on the policy type, with term life insurance policies typically offering short-term lower death benefits and larger sums for whole-life universal life insurance.

What is the downside of life insurance?

Cons of life insurance

One disadvantage of life insurance is that the older you are, the more you'll pay for a policy. This is because you're more likely to pass away during the policy period than a younger policyholder and will, in turn, cost the life insurance company more money.

What age is life insurance worth it?

Generally, the younger and healthier you are when buying life insurance, the more money you'll save. As we age, we're at increased risk of developing health conditions, which can result in higher mortality rates and higher life insurance rates. You'll typically pay less for life insurance at age 25 than at age 40.

What percentage of life insurance never pays out?

Term life insurance payout statistics

99% of all term policies never pay out a claim. This is due to most people letting their policies lapse.

What's better, whole life or term life insurance?

Choosing between term and whole life insurance comes down to how long you want coverage and how much you can afford. Term life is more affordable but lasts only for a set period of time. On the other hand, whole life insurance tends to have higher premiums but never expires.

What does Dave Ramsey recommend for life insurance?

Core Ramsey Teaching: You only need life insurance while you have people depending on your income. Buy a 10–20-year term policy worth 10–12 times your annual income. Since life insurance is only for the short-term, you should only buy term life insurance. (Hence the name.)

Do you get money back if you outlive term life insurance?

Can you get your money back after your term life policy expires? Once your policy ends, you can't get back the premiums you paid unless you have a return of premium rider. This optional add-on lets you receive a refund of premiums if you outlive your policy term.

How much a month is a $500,000 whole life insurance policy?

How much does whole life insurance cost? A $500,000 whole life insurance policy costs an average of $451 per month for a 30-year-old non-smoker in good health. If you get whole life insurance, the premiums you'll pay may vary based on factors like your age, health, gender, and the type of policy you get.

Why is life insurance so hard to sell?

Why Is Life Insurance So Hard To Sell? It's hard to sell because it deals with the topic of death. That's something many people find difficult to consider or discuss. Furthermore, it's hard to keep trying to sell because agents find that they can't make enough money to support themselves.

What is the most lucrative insurance to sell?

Life insurance is the most profitable—and the hardest—type of insurance to sell. With the highest premiums and the longest-running contract, it brings in cash over a long period of time. In the first year, agents make the largest annual sum on a policy, bringing in anywhere from 40–120% of the policy premium.

How much commission do life insurance agents make?

Typically, a life insurance agent receives anywhere from 30% to 90% of the amount paid for a policy (also known as the premium) by the client in the first year. In later years, the agent may receive anywhere from 3% to 10% of each year's premium, also known as "renewals" or "trailing commissions."