Written by · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver — licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Last updated 2026-10-20

Life insurance options after age 75

New life insurance after 75 is limited in New Zealand. Momentum Life takes no new applicants over 75: its Funeral Insurance accepts ages 40 to 75 and Quick Life accepts 18 to 65. Other insurers publish funeral cover to 79 or 80 and two life products with health questions (to 79 and 80). A licensed adviser can tell you what is on offer for your health, and for some people the answer is to plan the funeral and estate rather than buy cover.

In short

What is still sold after 75?

These are the entry ages the insurers publish, read on 20 October 2026. An entry age is a limit, not an offer, and the limits change.

Product Published entry age How you are assessed
Momentum Life, Funeral Insurance 40 to 75 Not open over 75
Momentum Life, Quick Life 18 to 65 Not open over 65
NZ Seniors and OneChoice, funeral cover 18 to 79 Guaranteed acceptance; accident-only for 12 months
AA Life, Funeral Cover 50 to 79 Guaranteed acceptance; accident-only for 24 months; premiums refunded for another cause in that time
Chubb Life, Funeral Cover 50 to 80 Guaranteed acceptance; accident-only for 24 months
NZ Seniors Life 45 to 79, cover to 85, $10,000 to $200,000 Eight health questions by phone
Golden Insurance 40 to 80 Health and lifestyle questions; a waiting period may apply
Fidelity Life, life cover 16 to 75, no expiry age Full application; not open over 75

Two points from the table. First, guaranteed acceptance is not the same as cover from day one: each funeral policy pays only for accidents in an early window. Second, cover with health questions is available to some people in their late 70s, so health, not only age, decides the answer.

Why Momentum has no product open to you after 75

Momentum's Funeral Insurance wording sets entry ages at 40 to 75, and its Quick Life wording sets 18 to 65. Those are Momentum's own entry limits. If you already hold a Momentum policy, it carries on under its own terms. Funeral Insurance premiums are fixed each year until the 89th birthday and then stop, and the cover continues for life; in its first 24 months it pays only for accidental death. Quick Life excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide for the first 2 years. Quick Life premiums rise each year until 75 and are then fixed; at 75, $20,000 of the benefit becomes free and the policyholder can elect a free $20,000 funeral benefit or continue Quick Life with the free component. For the financial strength of the insurer, see Momentum's financial strength page: its A.M. Best rating is B (Fair).

What a licensed adviser can do after 75

A licensed adviser can ask insurers on your behalf, explain the health questions and compare the terms offered. They cannot make an insurer accept you. Where an insurer does offer cover despite a health condition, Asteron says it can do so by adding a stand-down period, raising the premium, or excluding the condition permanently or for a set time (Asteron). Whatever you are asked, answer completely. IFSO case notes show insurers avoiding or reducing claims for non-disclosure, and a policy bought on incomplete answers may not pay (IFSO).

Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner, and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission on Momentum products; see how we are paid. Momentum has no product open at your age, so this page has no Momentum button. If you use an adviser for any insurer, ask how they are paid: the FMA says most insurance advisers receive commission from the insurer, built into the premium (FMA: Insurance advice).

What higher age does to cost

Stepped premiums rise every year with age. The Financial Markets Authority says cover that is cheaper at first can cost more over time, and that most premiums rise annually with age or inflation (FMA). IFSO's published case of a policy that was "level to age 80" shows what can happen at a conversion point: the monthly premium went from $49 to $190, and the complaint was not upheld (IFSO). QuoteHub's Premium Index prices ages 25 to 65 only, so we publish no range for 75 or over. Independent sites show funeral insurance prices roughly doubling between 50 and 70 (Moneyhub).

Premiums for a funeral policy can add up to more than the benefit, and the benefit may not meet the whole cost of a funeral. See stepped versus level premiums for how the structures differ.

A checklist: is life cover after 75 worth the cost?

Work through these in order. The point is to find out what a payout would actually do for someone.

1. Does anyone depend on your income or care? A partner who relies on your income or pension will lose it. Work and Income says payments to a person who has died may continue for up to 28 days in some cases, then end (Work and Income). If a partner could not manage that loss, that is a reason to keep or buy cover. If not, go on.

2. Are there debts in your name? Debts in your name alone are paid from your estate (Administration Act 1969, s 26; legislation.govt.nz). A joint bank account passes to the other owner and is not part of the estate (Community Law). Debts held jointly are different, so check with the lender. If the estate has enough assets, insurance is not needed to clear debts in your name alone.

3. Could the funeral be paid for without cover? A bank can release money from the deceased's account to pay for a funeral, without the family waiting for probate (govt.nz). FDANZ's 2026 report gives an average of $11,700 for a full funeral for 50 guests with cremation and $14,300 with burial. The Funeral Grant maximum is $2,697.43 (Work and Income page updated 24 June 2026), and prepaid funeral cover can stop you getting it. See paying for a funeral.

4. Could the estate pay the first bills? Many banks, KiwiSaver providers and insurers may release money without a court order if the amount they hold is under $40,000 each, but they may choose not to (Ministry of Justice). A High Court order is usually needed if the estate includes land or a house. The probate fee is $275 (Ministry of Justice), and a lawyer's fee is extra. How long a grant takes varies: the Ministry of Justice guide gives a typical 15 working days if nothing more is needed, while govt.nz says it usually takes 6 to 8 weeks (govt.nz). See probate in New Zealand.

Your answers What it suggests
Someone depends on you, and you have little cash Ask an adviser what is on offer for your health
No dependants, and the estate has cash or a prepaid plan Cover is likely optional; saving may do the job
No dependants, little cash, and a funeral to pay for Funeral cover or a set-aside account; compare the totals
An existing policy you are thinking of cancelling Do not cancel until a licensed adviser has looked at it

Alternatives to buying new cover

For how funeral products work, see our funeral insurance hub, and use the guaranteed acceptance eligibility checker to test product age limits. For the age band below this one, read life insurance over 70; for the next one up, read life insurance over 80.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get life insurance at 76?

Some insurers publish entry ages above 75: NZ Seniors Life to 79 and Golden Insurance to 80, both with health questions, and guaranteed acceptance funeral cover to 79 or 80 from NZ Seniors, OneChoice, AA Life and Chubb Life. Acceptance for cover with health questions is the insurer's decision, and Momentum Life is not one of these options.

Is there any guaranteed acceptance cover after 75?

NZ Seniors, OneChoice and AA Life publish funeral cover with no health questions to age 79, and Chubb Life to 80. Check the early window in each wording, because the policy may pay only for accidents at first.

What if I already have a Momentum policy?

It continues under its terms. Momentum Funeral Insurance premiums stop at the 89th birthday, and its A.M. Best rating is B (Fair).

References

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