life insurance prices  is a way to help ensure the financial well-being of loved ones after you die. It can also provide peace of mind during your lifetime and cover debts and final expenses. Regardless of your situation, life insurance is often less expensive than you might expect.

Policygenius’ life insurance prices are based on a number of factors, including age, gender, smoking status, health and family medical history. These factors are evaluated during the underwriting process, which includes a questionnaire and a medical exam. We also consider supplemental riders—which are provisions added to a policy that give additional coverage or benefits—to determine an overall price.

Securing Your Legacy: Exploring Life Insurance Options for Individuals Over 60

During the underwriting process, insurers use mortality tables to estimate how many people will die in a given year. They then multiply that number by the cost of a life insurance policy to determine an average premium. These rates aren’t publicized, though, as the process involves gathering private health data—releasing averages could jeopardize the privacy of life insurance policyholders.

Other variables that can affect life insurance prices include occupation (miners, firefighters and exterminators, for example) and activities, such as scuba diving or drug or alcohol use. In addition, the type of policy purchased can impact costs. No-medical-exam policies, for instance, are typically more expensive than fully underwritten policies. However, they can be a great option for applicants who need life insurance quickly due to a financial crisis or natural disaster. And, in general, younger applicants tend to pay lower premiums because they have longer life expectancies than older applicants.