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Full Market Rates for a $1 Million Term Life Insurance Policy for a 36-Year-Old Male
- mattmims
- Nov 24
- 8 min read
When you shop for life insurance, the most important factor isn’t one company’s price — it’s the entire market. Rates can vary by as much as 60% between carriers for the same coverage, age, and health profile.
The data below shows every price available for a 36-year-old male (non-nicotine) shopping for a $1,000,000 term life insurance policy, across 10-year, 20-year, and 30-year terms. This is real, raw market data directly from carrier rate sheets.
This article breaks down the trends, the pricing differences, and what these numbers mean for someone trying to choose the right policy.
What the Data Shows (Quick Takeaways)
Across all three term lengths:
The lowest prices cluster tightly, but the middle and upper tiers spread out fast.
Symetra, Protective, Corebridge, Pacific Life, Principal, and Banner Life repeatedly appear among the most competitive options.
Longer terms multiply cost — a 30-year term is roughly 2x the cost of a 20-year term, even though the death benefit is the same.
A.M. Best ratings across these carriers remain strong, ranging from A- to A++, which helps confirm financial strength and long-term stability.
Now let’s break it down by term length.
10-Year Term — $1,000,000 for a 36-Year Old Male - Full Market Price
Carrier / Product | AM Best | Monthly |
Symetra – SwiftTerm Instant Issue | A | $20.49 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term | A | $21.05 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term (SimpliNow Choice) | A | $21.05 |
Pacific Life – Promise Term | A+ | $21.23 |
Principal National – Term Non-Convertible | A+ | $21.48 |
Principal National – Term Convertible | A+ | $22.36 |
Protective – Classic Choice Term | A+ | $22.88 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite Select | A+ | $24.20 |
Nationwide – Guaranteed Level Term (Brokerage) | A+ | $24.06 |
Nationwide – Intelligent Underwriting | A+ | $24.06 |
Principal National – Term Convertible w/ Extension Rider | A+ | $24.22 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite Select w/ ECA | A+ | $24.93 |
Prudential – Essential Term Value | A+ | $25.82 |
Symetra – SwiftTerm w/ Conversion Rider | A | $25.35 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Brokerage) | A+ | $26.02 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Agent) | A+ | $26.02 |
Banner Life – OPTerm | A+ | $25.81 |
North American – ADDvantage Gen 9 | A+ | $26.84 |
Lincoln – TermAccel | A | $26.34 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (eTicket) | A | $26.89 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (Full App) | A | $26.89 |
Prudential – Essential Term Plus | A+ | $27.57 |
Foresters – Your Term | A | $28.01 |
John Hancock – Protection Term | A+ | $28.26 |
MassMutual – Term | A++ | $29.15 |
Prudential – Term Essential (Long App) | A+ | $29.32 |
John Hancock – Vitality Term | A+ | $29.12 |
Protective – Classic Choice w/ CER | A+ | $28.83 |
National Life Group – LSW 10-G | A+ | $30.36 |
Cincinnati Life – Termsetter | A+ | $30.84 |
Assurity – Term Life | A- | $39.15 |
The 10-year term is the cheapest way to lock in short-term coverage. Perfect for covering temporary debts, income gaps, or short financial windows.
According to the report (page 1–2), pricing runs from $20.49 to $39.15 per month, with over 30 carriers represented.
Key trends from the 10-year market:
Symetra offers the lowest price at $20.49.
Corebridge, Pacific Life, and Principal fall just behind — all within a $1 range.
Even A++-rated companies like MassMutual appear competitively, though at higher premiums.
Pricing stays under $30/month until the upper tier of companies.
What this tells you: If you only need short-term protection, 10-year pricing is extremely efficient and cost-effective. But if you need more permanent coverage, moving up to a 20-year term gives you far more value per dollar.
20-Year Term — $1,000,000 for a 36-Year Old Male - Full Market Price
Carrier / Product | AM Best | Monthly |
Symetra – SwiftTerm Instant Issue | A | $34.93 |
Protective – Classic Choice Term | A+ | $34.93 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term | A | $35.07 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term (SimpliNow Choice) | A | $35.07 |
Principal National – Term Non-Convertible | A+ | $35.71 |
Pacific Life – Promise Term | A+ | $35.33 |
Banner Life – OPTerm | A+ | $36.06 |
Principal National – Term Convertible | A+ | $36.98 |
Symetra – SwiftTerm w/ Conversion Rider | A | $37.01 |
Principal National – Term Convertible w/ Extension Rider | A+ | $41.22 |
Lincoln – TermAccel | A | $41.41 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite Select | A+ | $42.63 |
Nationwide – Level Term (Brokerage) | A+ | $42.44 |
Nationwide – Intelligent Underwriting | A+ | $42.44 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite w/ ECA | A+ | $43.91 |
Cincinnati Life – Termsetter | A+ | $43.52 |
North American – ADDvantage Gen 9 | A+ | $45.32 |
John Hancock – Vitality Term | A+ | $44.52 |
John Hancock – Protection Term | A+ | $45.36 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (eTicket) | A | $45.29 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (Full App) | A | $45.29 |
National Life Group – LSW 20-G | A+ | $47.08 |
Prudential – Essential Term Value | A+ | $46.82 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Brokerage) | A+ | $46.66 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Agent) | A+ | $46.66 |
Protective – Classic Choice w/ CER | A+ | $46.83 |
MassMutual – Term | A++ | $48.29 |
Foresters – Your Term | A | $49.01 |
Prudential – Essential Term Plus | A+ | $50.32 |
Prudential – Term Essential (Long App) | A+ | $52.94 |
MassMutual – Term ECP | A++ | $58.72 |
Assurity – Term Life | A- | $60.03 |
This is the most popular term length for families and professionals. It locks in cost during peak earning years and covers the most important financial obligations (mortgage, income replacement, children, etc.).
Rates in the file range from $34.93 to $60.03 per month, depending on the carrier.
Key observations from the data:
Symetra and Protective tie for the lowest 20-year rate at $34.93/month.
Corebridge, Pacific Life, and Principal continue to show consistent competitiveness.
The biggest jump happens around the middle of the list — once you move past the top 10–15 carriers, premiums climb noticeably.
Even well-known brands like Prudential, John Hancock, and MassMutual compete, though often at higher price points.
Why this matters: For most people, 20 years is the sweet spot — long enough to cover life’s major financial responsibilities, but still very affordable. The data strongly supports that this term length delivers the best value per year of coverage.
30-Year Term — $1,000,000 for a 36-Year Old Male - Full Market Price
Carrier / Product | AM Best | Monthly |
Banner Life – OPTerm | A+ | $66.83 |
Symetra – SwiftTerm Instant Issue | A | $66.84 |
Protective – Classic Choice Term | A+ | $66.85 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term | A | $66.53 |
Corebridge – Select-a-Term (SimpliNow) | A | $66.53 |
Pacific Life – Promise Term | A+ | $67.37 |
Symetra – SwiftTerm w/ Conversion Rider | A | $69.30 |
Principal National – Term Non-Convertible | A+ | $72.24 |
Nationwide – Level Term (Brokerage) | A+ | $76.56 |
Nationwide – Intelligent Underwriting | A+ | $76.56 |
Prudential – Essential Term Value | A+ | $76.57 |
Principal National – Term Convertible | A+ | $75.40 |
North American – ADDvantage Gen 9 | A+ | $77.88 |
Cincinnati Life – Termsetter | A+ | $75.63 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite Select | A+ | $78.77 |
Minnesota Life – Advantage Elite w/ ECA | A+ | $81.13 |
Protective – Classic Choice w/ CER | A+ | $78.75 |
Lincoln – TermAccel | A | $79.75 |
Principal National – Term Convertible w/ Extension Rider | A+ | $81.25 |
Prudential – Term Essential (Long App) | A+ | $82.69 |
Foresters – Your Term | A | $83.13 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (eTicket) | A | $81.91 |
Lincoln – LifeElements (Full App) | A | $81.91 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Brokerage) | A+ | $81.92 |
United of Omaha – Term Life Answers (Agent) | A+ | $81.92 |
Prudential – Essential Term Plus | A+ | $83.57 |
Assurity – Term Life | A- | $88.74 |
National Life Group – LSW 30-G | A+ | $91.08 |
MassMutual – Term | A++ | $90.05 |
John Hancock – Vitality Term | A+ | $94.22 |
MassMutual – Term ECP | A++ | $97.01 |
John Hancock – Protection Term | A+ | $99.06 |
A 30-year term protects income through nearly an entire working career. It’s designed for people who don’t want to risk re-applying at older ages — especially those who have long mortgages or want protection until retirement.
The report shows 30-year pricing ranging from $66.53 to $99.06 per month.
Key insights from the 30-year data:
Banner Life, Symetra, and Protective offer nearly identical pricing at the very top, all around $66–67/month.
Corebridge, Pacific Life, and Principal follow close behind.
As with other terms, well-known legacy carriers like MassMutual and John Hancock sit toward the higher end — still competitive but priced at the premium tier.
A 30-year term costs roughly twice the price of a 20-year term, which mirrors the much longer guaranteed risk for the insurer.
Takeaway for buyers: If you want long-term protection until age 65–70, locking in a 30-year term early in life is one of the smartest moves you can make — especially given how tightly priced the top carriers are.
Carrier Strength & Why Prices Differ So Much
Even though every quote here is for the same person (36-year-old male, non-nicotine, healthy profile), the prices vary dramatically. That’s because:
Some carriers specialize in younger, healthy applicants.
Some offer accelerated underwriting, which sometimes prices more aggressively.
Certain companies build policies with broader conversion privileges.
Financial ratings (A to A++) impact long-term risk modeling.
Carriers change rates frequently based on mortality studies.
This is why relying on just one company — or even comparing only 3–5 — almost always leads to overpaying.
Which Companies Perform the Best Across All Terms?
Looking across 10-, 20-, and 30-year quotes, several companies consistently deliver top-tier pricing:
Most competitive across all term lengths
Symetra
Protective
Corebridge (AIG)
Pacific Life
Principal
Banner Life
Strongest financial ratings (A+ to A++)
Pacific Life
Protective
MassMutual
Principal
Nationwide
These companies tend to balance competitive premiums, policy flexibility, and financial safety.
What This Means if You’re Shopping for Life Insurance
Based strictly on the market data:
If price is your top priority: you should compare Symetra, Protective, Corebridge, Pacific Life, Principal, and Banner Life.
If financial strength matters most: consider MassMutual, Pacific Life, Protective, Nationwide, Principal.
If you want long-term protection: 30-year term is still very affordable at age 36, but expect about 2x the price of a 20-year.
The best policy isn’t just the cheapest — it’s the one that matches your risk tolerance, health profile, underwriting preferences, and long-term financial goals.
FAQ Section for a $1 Million Life Insurance Policy (36-Year Old Male)
How much does a $1,000,000 term life insurance policy cost for a 36-year-old male? Based on the full market data, a healthy 36-year-old male can expect to pay $20–$39 per month for a 10-year term, $34–$60 per month for a 20-year term, and $66–$99 per month for a 30-year term. These prices come directly from more than 30 national life insurance carriers.
Why do prices vary so much between life insurance companies? Carriers use different risk models, underwriting philosophies, and mortality assumptions. Some specialize in younger, healthier applicants, while others price more conservatively or offer richer policy features such as conversion privileges. Even with identical coverage, premiums can differ by over 50%.
Which carriers are most competitive for a 36-year-old buying $1,000,000 of coverage?Across all three term lengths, the most consistently competitive companies are Symetra, Protective, Corebridge (AIG), Pacific Life, Principal, and Banner Life. These carriers repeatedly appear near the top of the price lists in the market data.
Is a 20-year or 30-year term the better value? For most people, 20-year term provides the best balance of price and long-term protection. However, if you want guaranteed coverage through your entire working career or until retirement age, a 30-year term eliminates the risk of re-applying at older ages when rates are higher.
Does A.M. Best rating affect the price I pay? Indirectly. Higher-rated carriers (A or A+) may price more conservatively because they maintain larger financial reserves. Lower-rated carriers may price slightly more aggressively. But all carriers in the data set maintain strong financial ratings from A– to A++.
What health class do these quotes assume? All rates in the report assume a healthy, non-nicotine profile. If you use nicotine pouches, vape, smoke occasionally, or use tobacco in any form, your rates will differ — sometimes slightly, sometimes significantly, depending on the company.
How much more does life insurance cost if I use nicotine? Nicotine use can increase your rate by 2x to 4x, depending on the carrier. Some companies are more lenient with nicotine pouches or occasional vaping, while others treat all nicotine the same. This is why shopping the full market matters.
Should I pick the cheapest company on the list? Not always. The cheapest carrier may not offer:
strong conversion options
fast underwriting
flexible riders
customer service that matches your needs
The best choice is usually one of the top 5 lowest-priced carriers that also fits your underwriting profile.
Do I need a medical exam for these rates? Not always. Several companies on the list — like Symetra, Lincoln, Corebridge, and Protective — offer accelerated or instant underwriting for qualified applicants. Approval speed varies widely, which is why comparing companies matters.
How can I see my own exact price? Your exact price depends on your health, build, nicotine use, prescription history, and lifestyle factors. The fastest way to know your actual rate is to run your details through a multi-carrier comparison, the same way the data in this report was generated.
Matt Mims
CEO/Owner of LifeStein.com
(601)-218-7854 (call/text)