Say Walter is 72. He left the service decades ago, his wife is retired, and he wants to leave something behind. The question is not whether coverage exists. It is which door is still open at his age.
Life insurance for veterans over 70 comes down to this: a veteran with a VA service-connected rating, even 0%, can get VALife with no health questions and no application deadline through age 80. VGLI is open only inside the window after leaving service, or if you already hold it. Private coverage fills the gaps, at a price that reflects your age and health. The VA runs the first two, and the facts below come from va.gov.
What is open at 60, 70 and 80 plus
Here is the age ladder. Each step shows which VA plan fits and what the VA charges, then where private coverage comes in.
| Your age | VALife | VGLI | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60s | Open with any service-connected rating if you are 80 or younger. $50.00 per $10,000 at 60, $62.00 at 65. | Open only inside 1 year and 120 days of leaving service (other cases on va.gov), or if you hold it. $8.50 per $10,000 for ages 60 to 64, $13.80 for 65 to 69. | Widest choice. Term and permanent plans depend on health and carrier limits. |
| 70s | Open with any rating if you are 80 or younger. $78.00 per $10,000 at 70, $99.50 at 75. | Same window rule. Held coverage costs $21.50 per $10,000 for ages 70 to 74, $38.50 for 75 to 79. | Carrier age limits start to matter. Ask the oldest age it accepts an application. |
| 80 and over | No deadline at 80 or younger ($127.50 per $10,000 at 80). At 81 or older, three conditions apply. | Coverage lasts your whole life while you pay. $44.00 per $10,000 at 80 and older. | Guaranteed issue plans set their own top age and amount. Read the terms. |
One rule explains most of the table. VGLI depends on your separation date, not your age, so turning 70 does not open or close it. VALife depends on your rating and your age, which is why it is the plan most older veterans are asking about. For the wider picture, see our guide to life insurance for veterans.
VALife after 70: the price of no health questions
The short answer: VALife is whole life insurance, up to $40,000, with no health questions for any veteran with a service-connected rating, and it costs more per $10,000 each year you wait. The premium is set by your age when you apply and, per the VA, never increases after that.
| Age at enrollment | Per $10,000 | For $40,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | $50.00 | $200.00 |
| 65 | $62.00 | $248.00 |
| 70 | $78.00 | $312.00 |
| 75 | $99.50 | $398.00 |
| 80 | $127.50 | $510.00 |
Read that as “what I lock in on the day I enroll.” At 70, $40,000 of VALife is $312.00 a month. The same $40,000 is $200.00 a month at 60 and $510.00 at 80. Waiting does not make VALife go away if you are 80 or younger, but it does make it cost more. The VA also counts you as 1 year older when more than 6 months have passed since your last birthday, so a birthday that is close can move the rate you lock in.
Two more terms matter at this age. Full coverage begins 2 years after you apply. If you die in those 2 years, your beneficiaries receive the premiums you paid plus interest (the VA lists 4.23% for a death in 2026). And VALife offers no loans and no premium waivers.
At 81 or older it is narrower. The VA requires that you applied for disability compensation before turning 81, received your rating after turning 81, and apply for VALife within 2 years of being notified. A veteran who already has a rating from years ago does not meet the second condition after 81, which is why the deadline-free years at 80 and under matter. Our VALife guide covers the rest.
VGLI after 70: what it costs by age band
VGLI is term coverage from $10,000 to $500,000, and the VA says it lasts your whole life as long as you keep paying. It does not end at 70 or 80. Its price steps up every five years, and the steps get steep.
| Age band | $500,000 coverage | Per $10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 60 to 64 | $425.00 | $8.50 |
| 65 to 69 | $690.00 | $13.80 |
| 70 to 74 | $1,075.00 | $21.50 |
| 75 to 79 | $1,925.00 | $38.50 |
| 80 and older | $2,200.00 | $44.00 |
Take the jump from the 70 to 74 band to the 75 to 79 band. On $500,000 of coverage the VA lists $1,075.00 a month, then $1,925.00. That is $850.00 more a month on the same policy, with nothing about your coverage changed. This is the point where many veterans reread their statement and ask whether the amount still matches the need.
One fact helps here. Coverage increases under VGLI stop at age 60, so what you hold at 60 is generally the most you will have. If the next band looks heavy, the useful question is whether the amount still matches the need. Our guide to whether VGLI is worth keeping walks through that decision, and the VGLI rates page shows every band.
Private term and guaranteed issue
Private coverage is the third route, and the rules are set by each carrier, not by the VA. That means the first question is always the same: what is the oldest age you will accept an application? The NAIC also suggests asking whether you lose the right to renew a policy at a certain age, which matters for term coverage in your 70s.
- Term life insurance for veterans pays only if you die during the term. Ask each carrier whether it still writes new term at your age and how long the term can run.
- Whole life insurance for veterans is permanent. VALife is the VA version, capped at $40,000. Private whole life is an option if your health supports the questions.
- Guaranteed issue is private whole life with no health questions, usually for small amounts. Many carry a waiting period and a higher price, so read the terms before buying. We explain it in our guaranteed issue guide and, for later ages, in life insurance over 80.
The honest point is about the trade. Guaranteed acceptance is a feature you pay for, in price, in a waiting period, or in a low ceiling on the amount. VALife shows it plainly: no health questions, but a 2-year wait, a $40,000 cap, and a monthly rate that rises with every year you put off enrolling. If you can answer a few health questions, a plan that asks them is often the cheaper way to get the same amount. If you cannot, the guaranteed route is doing exactly its job.
The VA mortgage plan that ends at 70
One VA plan has a hard age line. Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) pays up to $200,000 to your lender if you die with a mortgage. The VA says you must have a severe service-connected disability, have received a Specially Adapted Housing grant, own the home, have an active mortgage, and apply before your 70th birthday. If this is you and you are close to 70, it is a conversation to have now. Details are on the VA’s VMLI page.
Do you still need coverage?
The short answer: it depends on the job the money does, not on your age. A small amount often still has a job at 70 or 80. A larger amount often does not.
- Final expenses. A funeral, burial and last bills are the common reason. Check what the VA already offers first on our VA burial benefits page.
- A spouse who relies on your income or pension. If a benefit stops at your death, coverage can replace part of it.
- A debt that outlives you. A mortgage or loan someone else would inherit.
- Nothing depends on it. If the funeral is funded and no one relies on your income, holding less, or none, is a sound result.
When not to call us
You do not need us to apply for VALife or to keep VGLI. Both go through the VA, and the VA publishes its own rate tables. If you hold a plan, the premium fits your budget, and your beneficiary is current, keep it and move on. A review that ends in “you are set” is a successful review.
Call if you want a second set of eyes: your VGLI is about to step up a band, you are unsure whether you still qualify for VALife, or you want to see what a private plan would ask before you decide. It is free, and the decision stays yours. Availability of private products varies by state.
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See what is still open to you, or keep what you have.
A licensed professional will look at your age, your rating and what you hold today, then tell you plainly which options remain. If the VA option is the better one, you will hear that. The call is free and the decision is yours.
- Checking whether VALife or VGLI is still open to you
- Reading a VGLI statement before the next age step
- Beneficiary changes and billing questions
- Comparing private options if you want to see them
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Questions veterans ask about coverage after 60
01Can a veteran over 70 still get life insurance?
Yes. If you have a VA service-connected disability rating, even 0%, VALife is open to you with no health questions, and there is no application deadline if you are 80 or younger. VGLI is open only while you are inside the window after leaving service, or if you already hold it. Private coverage is the third route, and each carrier sets its own age limits, so ask for the oldest age it will accept an application.
02What life insurance can veterans over 60 get?
Veterans in their 60s usually have the widest set of choices. VALife is open with any service-connected rating. VGLI is open if you left service within 1 year and 120 days, or if you already hold it. Veterans in good health can also compare private term and permanent plans. VGLI coverage increases stop at 60, so the amount you hold at 60 is generally the ceiling.
03Is there term life insurance for veterans?
Yes. VGLI is term life insurance, with coverage from $10,000 to $500,000, and the VA says it lasts your whole life as long as you keep paying premiums. Its price steps up with each five-year age band. Private term policies are also available to veterans, with eligibility and age limits that depend on the carrier.
04Is there whole life insurance for veterans?
Yes. VALife is whole life insurance, up to $40,000 in $10,000 steps, for veterans with a service-connected disability rating. The VA says the premium never increases, there are no health questions, and cash value starts to build 2 years after approval. VALife does not offer loans or premium waivers. Private whole life policies are available too, depending on age and health.
05Can a veteran over 80 still apply for VALife?
It depends on your age and when your rating came. At 80 or younger there is no deadline. At 81 or older, the VA requires three things: you applied for disability compensation before turning 81, you received your rating after turning 81, and you apply for VALife within 2 years of being notified of the rating.
06Does VGLI coverage end at a certain age?
The VA says VGLI lasts your whole life as long as you keep paying premiums, and its premium table runs through an 80-and-older band. The price, not the coverage, is what changes. For $500,000 of coverage, the VA lists $1,075.00 a month for ages 70 to 74 and $2,200.00 a month at 80 and older, effective July 1, 2025.
07Should veterans keep life insurance after service?
Keep it as long as someone depends on the money or a cost is waiting for it, such as final expenses, a spouse’s income, or a debt. If nobody does and the funeral and debts are covered, holding less or none can be a sound choice. Decide by the job the coverage does, not by age alone.