27-Year Term Life Insurance
Jason Stolz CLTC, CRPC
27-Year Term Life Insurance is a timeline-driven approach to coverage—built for people who want protection to end on a very specific date, not just a standard 20-, 25-, or 30-year benchmark. If your mortgage payoff, retirement plan, or children’s education timeline lands closer to 27 years, a 27-year term life insurance strategy can help you avoid coming up short or paying for years you don’t need.
At Diversified Insurance Brokers, our advisors help you compare a 27-year coverage goal against nearby options like 25-year term life insurance and 30-year term life insurance, then structure the best fit based on carrier availability, underwriting rules, and total long-term cost.
Get a Term Life Insurance Quote
Compare 27-year term life insurance goals with 25- and 30-year options to find the best value.
What Is 27-Year Term Life Insurance?
27-year term life insurance refers to level-term coverage designed to keep a fixed premium and death benefit in place for 27 years. If the insured dies during the 27-year term, the policy pays a death benefit to beneficiaries. If the term ends and the insured is still living, the coverage typically expires unless the policy offers renewal (usually at higher attained-age rates) or the insured converts to permanent coverage during the conversion window.
Since 27-year term life insurance is not as commonly advertised as standard terms, it’s often handled as a coverage timeline: we either find a carrier option that matches it closely or structure the plan using nearby terms and smart layering.
Why a 27-Year Term Life Insurance Timeline Can Make Sense
Most people choose 27-year term life insurance because a real deadline drives the decision:
- Mortgage payoff alignment: You want term life insurance protection until the home is fully paid off.
- Children’s dependency window: You want coverage until kids are financially independent (often past college).
- Income replacement plan: You want a death benefit in place until retirement assets, pensions, or Social Security are expected to cover the household.
- Business obligations: You want coverage that matches a long loan amortization, buy-sell timeline, or key-person risk period.
27-Year Term Life Insurance vs 25-Year Term Life Insurance
If you need 27-year term life insurance, the closest standard comparison is usually 25-year term life insurance. The key difference is risk of “ending early.” Two years can matter when:
- Your mortgage payoff is truly 27 years away (or you want a cushion against refinancing or slower payoff).
- Your youngest child’s dependency window stretches beyond 25 years.
- You want income protection into a specific retirement year.
If obligations last longer than 25 years, buying a shorter term can push you into buying another policy later—at an older age, potentially with worse health, and at higher rates. That’s why we treat the 27-year term life insurance goal as a timeline problem first, not a “term menu” decision.
27-Year Term Life Insurance vs 30-Year Term Life Insurance
A 30-year term life insurance policy is widely available and often the cleanest long-term solution for younger families. If you’re deciding between a 27-year term life insurance timeline and a full 30-year policy:
- 30-year term may be only slightly more expensive and provides extra runway.
- 27-year term life insurance can be more efficient if the premium difference is meaningful and you have a hard stop date.
- If you expect coverage needs to decrease over time, laddering can approximate a 27-year term life insurance plan while optimizing cost.
How We Structure a 27-Year Term Life Insurance Plan
Because 27-year term life insurance is less common as a standard offering, we typically approach it with one of these solutions:
Option 1: Locate a carrier that supports a 27-year term life insurance duration
Some insurers offer flexible level-term durations or niche term contracts that can match a 27-year timeline more closely than standard terms. Availability varies by state and underwriting profile, so we confirm this during the quote process.
Option 2: Use the nearest standard term and plan ahead
Sometimes a 30-year term life insurance policy is the simplest way to protect a 27-year responsibility window—especially if the price difference is small. On the other hand, a 25-year term life insurance option can work if you have other assets or coverage that begins before year 26 and 27.
Option 3: Ladder term life insurance to match a 27-year coverage timeline
Laddering uses multiple term policies with different end dates so coverage steps down as debts and responsibilities decrease. A laddered plan can align well with a 27-year term life insurance goal when your highest needs are early (mortgage + childcare) and your later needs are smaller (final years of tuition or remaining mortgage balance).
Rates & Underwriting for 27-Year Term Life Insurance
Whether you buy a direct 27-year duration or build a 27-year term life insurance strategy using standard terms, pricing is driven by the same underwriting factors:
- Age: The younger you are when you lock in term life insurance, the lower the premium tends to be.
- Health history: Medical conditions, medications, blood pressure trends, and lab history influence rate class.
- Build: Height/weight and build can affect underwriting outcomes.
- Tobacco/nicotine: Nicotine use can significantly increase term life insurance cost.
- Face amount: Higher death benefits cost more, but per-$1,000 pricing may be more efficient at larger amounts.
- Underwriting path: No-exam vs fully underwritten can change approval odds and pricing.
No-Exam 27-Year Term Life Insurance vs Fully Underwritten Options
Many carriers offer accelerated underwriting that can approve term life insurance without a paramed exam for eligible ages and amounts. For a 27-year term life insurance buyer, the right underwriting route depends on the full profile:
- No-exam term life insurance: Faster approvals using application data, Rx history, and digital underwriting checks.
- Fully underwritten term life insurance: May deliver stronger pricing for certain applicants and higher coverage amounts.
We’ll compare both paths and guide you toward the route that improves approval odds and overall rate value.
Convertibility & Renewability for a 27-Year Term Life Insurance Plan
Most quality term life insurance policies include a conversion option, allowing you to exchange term coverage for permanent coverage (with the same insurer) without new medical underwriting during a defined conversion window. That conversion feature can be valuable if you develop health issues later or decide you want lifetime coverage.
Many term policies can also be renewed after the level term ends, but renewals usually become expensive because the premium is based on attained age. We typically plan your 27-year term life insurance coverage so renewal is a backup—not the primary plan.
Common Riders for 27-Year Term Life Insurance
Rider availability varies by carrier and state, but common term life insurance riders include:
- Accelerated death benefit: Access a portion of the death benefit for qualifying terminal illness.
- Waiver of premium: Premiums may be waived if you meet the policy’s disability definition.
- Child rider: Low-cost coverage for eligible children, often convertible later.
- Return of premium (where available): Refunds premiums at term end on select policies and term lengths.
Compare Real-Time Term Life Quotes
Use our calculator to compare term life insurance pricing for 25-, 30-, and nearby terms while we match a 27-year timeline.
Life Insurance Quoter
Comparison: 25-Year vs 27-Year Term Life Insurance Goal vs 30-Year
| Feature | 25-Year Term | 27-Year Term Life Insurance Goal | 30-Year Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage Duration | 25 years | 27 years (or structured to match) | 30 years |
| Premium Level | Level | Level | Level |
| Availability | Common | Less common (often structured) | Very common |
| Best For | Standard long-term protection | Exact deadlines (mortgage, tuition, retirement) | Maximum long-term runway |
Case Example: 27-Year Term Life Insurance for a Mortgage Timeline
A 31-year-old couple wanted life insurance that would protect their household until the mortgage was scheduled to be paid off—about 27 years away. We compared 25-year term life insurance and 30-year term life insurance, then modeled an option that matched their timeline without forcing them to reapply later. The result provided long-term stability, predictable premiums, and a clear end date aligned with their financial plan.
How Much Coverage Do You Need for 27-Year Term Life Insurance?
- List obligations: Mortgage payoff needs, tuition goals, debts, and years of income replacement.
- Subtract resources: Savings, existing coverage, spousal income, and other assets.
- Choose a premium you can keep: The best term life insurance plan is one you’ll maintain for the full term.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with a 27-Year Term Life Insurance Plan
- Ending coverage too early: If you truly need 27 years, don’t assume 25 will be “close enough.”
- Overpaying for unnecessary years: If responsibilities end in 27 years, a 30-year term may be more than you need.
- Planning to “buy more later”: Future health and future rates are unknown—lock what you need now if possible.
- Ignoring conversion rules: Convertibility can protect insurability if health changes later.
Why Work With Diversified Insurance Brokers?
Since 1980, Diversified Insurance Brokers has helped families match term life insurance to real deadlines—not generic defaults. Our advisors shop 75+ carriers, compare underwriting rules, and structure uncommon timelines like a 27-year term life insurance goal so you can get the right amount, the right length, and the best overall value.
Learn more about our life insurance services, explore burial insurance, and see why clients trust us.
Related Pages
- 25-Year Term Life Insurance
- 30-Year Term Life Insurance
- 20-Year Term Life Insurance
- Convert Term to Permanent Life Insurance
- Life Insurance Laddering Guide
- What Is a Life Insurance Exam?
Request a Life Insurance Quote
Get personalized options from 100+ carriers—compare rates, riders, and term life insurance lengths side by side.
Prefer to talk? Call 800-533-5969
Compare Term Life Insurance Lengths
Explore different term periods to find coverage that best matches your timeline and budget.
Talk With an Advisor Today
Choose how you’d like to connect—call or message us, then book a time that works for you.
Schedule here:
calendly.com/jason-dibcompanies/diversified-quotes
Licensed in all 50 states • Fiduciary, family-owned since 1980
FAQs: 27-Year Term Life Insurance
Do insurance companies offer a true 27-year term?
Sometimes, but it’s uncommon. Most carriers stick to standard terms like 20, 25, and 30 years. In many cases, we match a 27-year goal by using a nearby term or building a laddered plan.
Is 25-year or 30-year term usually better for a 27-year need?
It depends on pricing and your timeline. If you truly need coverage beyond 25 years, a 30-year term may be the safer fit. If the extra five years feels unnecessary, a 25-year policy or laddering can be more cost-efficient.
What is laddering and why does it help?
Laddering means stacking multiple term policies so coverage is higher during peak obligation years and then steps down later. It’s a common way to match a specific deadline without overpaying for extra years.
Can I convert the policy to permanent life insurance later?
Often yes. Many term policies allow conversion to permanent coverage without a new medical exam, as long as you convert within the carrier’s conversion window.
Will I need a medical exam?
Not always. Some applicants qualify for accelerated/no-exam underwriting based on age, health history, and face amount. Others may receive better pricing with full underwriting.
What happens when the term ends?
Coverage usually ends. Some policies allow renewal at higher attained-age premiums, or you may be able to convert before the conversion deadline.
How much coverage should I choose?
Start with income replacement plus debts and future goals (mortgage, tuition, childcare), then subtract existing savings and other coverage. We’ll model a few face amounts to keep the premium comfortable.
Is 27-year term better than buying a shorter term now and another later?
One long plan can lock pricing and insurability, while buying a new policy later may be cheaper today but exposes you to future health and rate risks. We can compare both approaches side by side.
About the Author:
Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, is a senior insurance and retirement professional with more than two decades of real-world experience helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their income, assets, and long-term financial stability. As a long-time partner of the nationally licensed independent agency Diversified Insurance Brokers, Jason provides trusted guidance across multiple specialties—including fixed and indexed annuities, long-term care planning, personal and business disability insurance, life insurance solutions, and short-term health coverage. Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains active contracts with over 100 highly rated insurance carriers, ensuring clients have access to a broad and competitive marketplace.
His practical, education-first approach has earned recognition in publications such as VoyageATL, highlighting his commitment to financial clarity and client-focused planning. Drawing on deep product knowledge and years of hands-on field experience, Jason helps clients evaluate carriers, compare strategies, and build retirement and protection plans that are both secure and cost-efficient.
