Life Insurance Guide for Unmarried Couples (2023)

Many people think you have to be married to obtain life insurance for your partner but coverage from the best insurance companies is available for unmarried couples. Understanding life insurance for unmarried couples will help you determine if you qualify for coverage.

For those interested in life insurance rates for unmarried couples, enter your ZIP code to find the best life insurance quotes in your area.

Why do you need life insurance for unmarried couples?

There are various reasons why a couple might cohabitate before marriage. They might be waiting to create a stronger financial situation or want to try living together before making a longer commitment. However, the living situation might be similar to being married.

Many couples share a mortgage, car payments, and other bills over a period of time. Should one of the partners unexpectedly die, it would force the surviving partner to cover these payments on their own. Life insurance provides funds to help the unmarried partner cover these unexpected payments.

Being proactive in your financial decisions is a good way to protect yourself from unforeseen situations. If you’re still unsure if you need a life insurance policy, a life insurance guide can help.

How much is life insurance for unmarried couples?

The amount you pay for life insurance for unmarried couples depends on your age and the type of insurance you purchase. The following charts show the difference between a $500,000 20-year term life and whole life plan based on age and gender.

Average Annual Life Insurance for the Unmarried Couples Rates: Male $500,000 20-Year Term Life and Whole Life Policies

Age	Average Annual Whole Life Insurance Rates	Average Annual 20-Year Term Life Insurance Rates
30	$4,015	$228
40	$6,042	$341
50	$9.432	$842

The following chart features the same information for females.

Average Annual Life Insurance for the Unmarried Couples Rates: Female $500,000 20-Year Term Life and Whole Life Policies

Age	Average Annual Whole Life Insurance Rates	Average Annual 20-Year Term Life Insurance Rates
30	$3,558	$193
40	$5,413	$289
50	$8,440	$654

As you can see, term life rates are lower than whole life rates, and female rates are lower than male rates.

What is needed to buy life insurance for unmarried couples?

The most important factor in obtaining couple life insurance coverage is an insurable interest. This means that a person’s financial situation will be significantly impacted by the absence of their partner. Most life insurance companies will require evidence of this hardship.

Examples of insurable interest that can help you obtain life insurance for unmarried couples include:

• Both individuals being named on a lease
• Jointly owning home or business
• Debts naming both individuals
• Having children

The second consideration is the consent of the other partner. The person being covered must consent to life insurance before a purchase can be possible. For this reason, it’s usually easier to cover both people and name the other person as the beneficiary.

If you’re not sure who you would like to be the beneficiary of a policy, the Insurance Information Institute provides information on who is eligible to be a beneficiary.

While it’s more difficult for an unmarried couple to obtain coverage than a married couple, it’s much easier than it once was. Life insurance providers understand that many couples prefer to remain unmarried while being financially dependent on each other.

What are the life insurance for unmarried couples categories?

The best way to determine if you’re eligible for affordable life insurance for unmarried couples is to identify which category you fit into. There are four different unmarried partnership categories used by life insurance companies to determine eligibility.

Registered Domestic Partnership

A registered domestic partnership is a legal agreement between two partners in a relationship that awards legal rights to married couples without getting married. This includes insurance coverage and guardian designations.

Most life insurance companies treat a registered domestic partnership as a marriage. If you qualify, life insurance for domestic partners is a an important investment to consider. However, it’s important to note that this designation differs by state, so a lawyer’s assistance is often needed to determine what benefits can be obtained.

Couples That Live Together but aren’t Domestic Partners

A domestic partnership is defined as a legal agreement between the two people in a relationship. Many couples live together but are not legally in a domestic partnership. However, this doesn’t mean that they can’t obtain life insurance coverage on each other.

A life insurance company for unmarried couples will require that those in this type of relationship prove insurable interest. This can be a shared mortgage, rent, car payments, or other bills.

Couples That Don’t Live Together and Aren’t Engaged

In most cases, a couple needs to live together to purchase life insurance for unmarried couples because they need to be financially dependent on one another. Those who don’t live together will find it hard to obtain coverage because they must prove financial obligation together.

Insurance companies don’t consider future plans to be financial reliability so plans to become engaged won’t factor in the decision.

Engaged to be Married

Life insurance companies consider a couple married once they’re engaged with a wedding date set. Virtually every life insurance provider will cover these couples, making them the most likely to receive life insurance for unmarried couples.

Life Insurance for Unmarried Couples: The Bottom Line

The most important factor in determining life insurance eligibility for an unmarried couple is financial dependence. The couple needs shared debt or a relationship that implies they have shared debt. Those that depend financially on each other will qualify for life insurance for unmarried couples.

To find life insurance quotes for unmarried couples, enter your ZIP code to discover the best life insurance rates in your area.