Do I need life insurance if I'm young and healthy?

"I'm only 28 and healthy. I'll think about life insurance later."

If you've had this thought, you're not alone. Most people in their 20s and 30s don't spend much time thinking about life insurance—and honestly, that's completely understandable. When you're young, healthy, and just starting your career, life insurance feels like something for "older people" or "people with kids."

But here's what might surprise you: being young and healthy isn't a reason to delay getting life insurance. It's actually the absolute best time to get it.

The counterintuitive truth about timing

Life insurance premiums are based primarily on two factors: your age and your health. The younger and healthier you are when you apply, the lower your rates—and those rates stay locked in for the entire term of your policy.

Consider this real example: When Melissa applied for a 30-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy at age 27, her premium was $38 per month. Her friend Amy, who waited until she was 35 to apply for the same coverage, pays $67 per month.

Over 30 years, Melissa will pay $13,680 in total premiums. Amy will pay $24,120. By waiting eight years, Amy will spend an extra $10,440 for the exact same coverage.

And that's assuming Amy remained perfectly healthy during those eight years. If she had developed any health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety—all increasingly common in your 30s), her rates would be even higher.

What "young and healthy" means for your rates

Insurance companies love insuring healthy young people. Why? Because actuarially, you're likely to pay premiums for decades before making a claim (if ever). This allows them to offer incredibly low rates.

When you're in your 20s or early 30s with no health issues, you're in the absolute lowest risk category. Your premium reflects that minimal risk. But every year you wait, you age into a slightly higher risk category—even if you remain perfectly healthy.

Here's how age affects premiums for a healthy nonsmoker getting $500,000 in 20-year coverage:

Age 25: $25-30/month
Age 30: $30-35/month
Age 35: $40-50/month
Age 40: $60-75/month
Age 45: $95-115/month

The same coverage costs nearly four times as much at 45 compared to 25. And remember, these rates are locked in for 20 years. Getting coverage at 25 means you'll pay that low rate until you're 45. Waiting until you're 35 means you'll pay the higher rate until you're 55.

But I don't have kids yet...

Many young professionals assume they don't need life insurance until they have children. But consider whether anyone depends on your income or would be financially burdened by your debts if something happened to you.

Take Marcus, a 29-year-old single software developer. "I don't have kids, so why would I need life insurance?" he initially thought. But when his financial advisor asked a few questions, his situation became clearer:

He has $45,000 in student loans that aren't discharged at death
His parents co-signed those loans and would be responsible for them
His younger sister depends on his help with her college expenses
He owns a condo with a mortgage

If something happened to Marcus, his parents would inherit both his debt obligations and his final expenses (funeral costs average $7,000-10,000). The small monthly premium for life insurance suddenly felt less like an unnecessary expense and more like responsible planning.

Even without dependents, life insurance makes sense if you have:

Student loans (especially with co-signers)
A mortgage or other significant debt
Business partnerships or obligations
Family members you support financially
Anyone who would bear the financial burden of your final expenses

The health factor: It can change faster than you think

At 25, you probably feel invincible. But health conditions can develop unexpectedly, and when they do, life insurance becomes more expensive—or in some cases, unavailable.

Jessica, a 32-year-old teacher, kept meaning to get life insurance but never got around to it. At her annual checkup, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. When she finally applied for coverage, her premium was 50% higher than it would have been just a year earlier. Some insurers declined to cover her at all.

Common conditions that affect life insurance rates include:

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes or pre-diabetes
Anxiety or depression
Sleep apnea
Elevated BMI

Many of these conditions become more common in your 30s and 40s. By securing coverage while you're healthy, you lock in the best possible rates before any health changes occur.

The real cost of waiting: A case study

Let's look at two scenarios for someone deciding when to get a $750,000, 30-year term policy:

Scenario 1: Apply at age 28 (healthy)

Monthly premium: $48
Total paid over 30 years: $17,280
Locked-in rate until age 58

Scenario 2: Wait until age 38 (still healthy, but older)

Monthly premium: $95
Total paid over 30 years: $34,200
Locked-in rate until age 68

By waiting 10 years, this person pays an extra $16,920—nearly double the total cost. And this assumes they remain healthy during those 10 years, which isn't guaranteed.

Starting a family? The timing is perfect

If you're planning to have children in the next few years, getting life insurance now—before the baby arrives—is strategically smart. Pregnancies can sometimes reveal or trigger health conditions (gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid issues) that affect life insurance rates.

Apply while you're planning for a family rather than during pregnancy, and you'll secure the best rates. Plus, you'll already have coverage in place when your baby arrives and your need for protection increases dramatically.

Life insurance in your 20s and 30s: The affordability factor

One of the biggest misconceptions is that life insurance is expensive. The reality? Term life insurance for young, healthy individuals costs less than most people spend on streaming services.

For most 20-somethings, a $500,000, 20-year term policy costs $25-40 per month. That's less than a weekly takeout dinner, a gym membership, or a couple of lattes. For that price, you're protecting your family from potentially devastating financial consequences.

The question isn't whether you can afford life insurance. It's whether you can afford to be without it if the unexpected happens.

The Evoro Life difference

At Evoro Life, we've built our platform specifically for young professionals like you. Our instant-issue process means no medical exams, no needles, no awkward health screenings. You answer health questions online, and most applicants receive approval in about 18 minutes.

We offer coverage from $100,000 to $2 million with terms of 10, 20, or 30 years, all with transparent pricing and no hidden fees. Because we're digital-first, our overhead is lower—which means we can offer highly competitive rates while making the entire process convenient for your busy life.

Being young and healthy isn't a reason to wait on life insurance. It's the perfect reason to get it now—while you qualify for the absolute best rates and can lock them in for decades.

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