The short answer
Term lengths close one at a time as you age, longest first. On Banner Life's OPTerm, a non-tobacco applicant can buy a 40-year term only through age 45, a 30-year term through 55 and a 20-year term through 70, while 10 and 15 years stay open to 75.[1] State Farm's Select Term closes its 30-year term at 45, its 20-year term at 65 and its 10-year term at 75.[2] Figures checked November 11, 2026.
- Longest length still open at 60
- 25 years at Banner, 20 at State Farm
- Stated by
- Banner consumer spec sheet and State Farm product page
On this page
Which lengths can you still buy at your age?
Insurers publish an issue-age range for each length. The top of that range is the last age at which they will start that policy. The table puts four insurers' consumer documents side by side. Ages are insurance ages, which at Banner means age nearest birthday, so the real cutoff can arrive about six months before the birthday itself.[1]
| Insurer and product | 10 yr | 15 yr | 20 yr | 25 yr | 30 yr | 35 yr | 40 yr | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banner Life OPTerm, non-tobacco | 75 | 75 | 70 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | Spec sheet [1] |
| Banner Life OPTerm, tobacco | 75 | 75 | 65 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | Spec sheet [1] |
| William Penn OPTerm, New York, non-tobacco | 75 | 71 | 65 | 58 | 51 | 50 | 45 | Spec sheet [1] |
| State Farm Select Term | 75 | Not offered | 65 | Not offered | 45 | Not offered | Not offered | Product page [2] |
| Ethos, term through its carriers | Term available at 69 or younger, coverage kept until age 80 | Home page [3] | ||||||
| Fidelity Life Association | Term and permanent plans available up to age 70, by length not stated | Home page [4] | ||||||
Checked November 11, 2026. Oldest issue age for each length, from consumer documents only. Banner's youngest issue age is 20 and State Farm's is 18. Not offered means the insurer's consumer page lists no such length.
- Ages at which the length can be bought, Banner 20 to the top age, State Farm 18 to the top age
- Banner tobacco cutoff, 65 for 20 years, 55 for 25, 50 for 30, 45 for 35, 40 for 40
- Grey bars, Ethos to 69 and Fidelity Life to 70, lengths not broken out
What does term to 80 mean?
The phrase covers two different products, and the price path is the whole difference between them.
- A term that ends at age 80 and reprices every year. Northwestern Mutual sells Term 80, its longest term, and its own footnote describes the premium as "increasing annually".[5] AccuQuote notes that in the United States the label most often means annual renewable term to 80.[6]
- A level term whose length lands on your 80th birthday. At 50 that is a 30-year term, at 60 a 20-year term, at 70 a 10-year term. The premium stays level for the whole length, and the issue-age table above decides whether you can still get it.
- Coverage capped at 80 by the seller. Ethos says term is available at 69 or younger and can be kept until age 80.[3]
Sample price, checked November 11, 2026
- Female 35, Northwestern Mutual premier class, $500,000 Term to Age 80 with waiver of premium, first year
- $253 a year
- Male 35, same policy and class, first year
- $306 a year
Northwestern Mutual's own footnoted example on its term life page, no date shown. The premium rises every year after the first, and the page does not publish the later years. Assumes the profile shown. Not a quote. Your price depends on your health and the insurer.
Matching a level term to age 80
If the need runs to 80, the cleanest fit is one level length that ends there. The catch is that the length you need is often already closed. This table runs the arithmetic against the two insurers whose ages by length are public.
| Age when you apply | Length that ends at 80 | Banner OPTerm, non-tobacco | State Farm Select Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 35 years | Yes, open to 50 | No 35-year length |
| 50 | 30 years | Yes, open to 55 | Closed after 45 |
| 55 | 25 years | Yes, open to 60 | No 25-year length |
| 60 | 20 years | Yes, open to 70 | Yes, open to 65 |
| 65 | 15 years | Yes, open to 75 | No 15-year, 20 years still open |
| 70 | 10 years | Yes, open to 75 | Yes, open to 75 |
Checked November 11, 2026. Issue ages from the sources in the first table. A tobacco rating at Banner closes each length five years sooner, except 10 and 15 years.
Example. A 55-year-old who needs cover until 80
- One 25-year level term from 55, AccuQuote model
- About $30,900
- 20-year term from 55, then a new 10-year term at 75, dropped at 80
- About $50,900
- Extra cost of the two-step route
- About $20,000
AccuQuote's own scenario for a healthy 55-year-old man buying $250,000, from midpoints of its calculator estimates, published October 30, 2026.[6] The two-step route also assumes he still qualifies in excellent health at 75, which AccuQuote calls unlikely. Not a quote.
Who sells a 35-year term?
The 35-year length is rare. Insuranceopedia, one of the few pages written about it, says only a handful of insurers offer it and that some cap applicants at around 45 to 50, but it names no insurer.[7] Banner's OPTerm 35 is one named example. It can be issued from 20 to 50 for non-tobacco classes and 20 to 45 for tobacco classes, with premiums level for 35 years and rising each year from year 36.[1] State Farm's Select Term stops at 30 years.[2]
What happens when you age out of a length?
Nothing happens to a policy you already own. The cutoff only stops a new application for that length. Three things do run on your own policy's calendar.
- The level period ends. On OPTerm 20, premiums increase every year from year 21.[1] On State Farm Select Term, coverage can continue on an annually renewable basis to 95 with premiums that rise each year, capped at the maximum premium stated in the policy.[2]
- The conversion right closes. Banner allows conversion for the level period or up to attained age 70, whichever comes first, and only for the first five policy years when the policy was issued at 66 or older.[1] State Farm says conversion options vary by state.[2] Our conversion deadline tracker lists more insurers.
- Coverage itself stops. Banner's OPTerm coverage expires at age 95.[1]
How old is too old for term?
Choice Mutual puts the edge at 80. If you are exactly 80 you might qualify for a 10-year term and nothing longer, and after 81 it says companies no longer offer term.[8] Among the insurers above, the last door is 75 for a 10-year term at both Banner and State Farm. If a need is likely to outlast 80, a term policy is the wrong tool for that part of it, and permanent cover is the honest comparison.
Waiting has a second cost besides age. Each birthday can take a length off the menu, which our cost of waiting calculator prices out, and our term length picker greys out lengths that are already closed at your age.
Lengths shorter than 10 years
None of the insurers above list a level term under 10 years on these consumer pages. Shorter needs, like a bridge loan or the last few years before a pension starts, are covered in short-term life insurance. To see the lengths that are still open to you with prices from several insurers, start a quote.
More on term lengths
Questions people ask
What is the oldest age to buy a 30-year term?
It depends on the insurer. Banner's OPTerm 30 closes at 55 for non-tobacco classes and 50 for tobacco classes. State Farm's Select Term 30 closes at 45.
Is term to 80 the same as a 30-year term bought at 50?
Not always. Northwestern Mutual's Term 80 starts low and rises every year. A 30-year level term bought at 50 also ends at 80, but its premium stays level for the 30 years.
Can I buy a 20-year term at 66?
At Banner, yes for non-tobacco classes, which stay open to 70. At State Farm, no, because Select Term 20 closes at 65. Banner policies issued at 66 or older are convertible only during the first five policy years.
Does smoking change which lengths I can buy?
At Banner it does. Tobacco classes close each length from 20 years upward five years earlier, so a 30-year term closes at 50 instead of 55.
Last updated November 13, 2026. Found an error? Call (305) 699-5857 and it goes in the corrections log.
Sources (8)
- Banner Life, OPTerm Level Premium Plans product information for individuals, form CN04022026-2, no date shown. Opened November 11, 2026. bannerlife.com
- State Farm, Select Term Life Insurance, no date shown. Opened November 11, 2026. statefarm.com
- Ethos, home page and FAQ, no date shown. Opened November 11, 2026. ethos.com
- Fidelity Life Association, home page, modified April 30, 2026. Opened November 11, 2026. fidelitylife.com
- Northwestern Mutual, Term Life Insurance, no date shown. Opened November 11, 2026. northwesternmutual.com
- AccuQuote, Term to 80 Life Insurance, Who Should Consider Extended Coverage, October 30, 2026. Opened November 11, 2026. accuquote.com
- Insuranceopedia, 35-Year Term Life Insurance, updated June 7, 2026. Opened November 11, 2026. insuranceopedia.com
- Choice Mutual, Life Insurance Age Limit, updated June 8, 2026. Opened November 11, 2026. choicemutual.com
