If you’re married or in a committed partnership, you and your spouse probably depend on each other financially in more ways than you realize. Life insurance for spouses makes sure that if one of you passes away, the other can keep the home, cover the bills, and stay on track with the plans you made together.
This guide explains why both spouses usually need coverage, how much each of you should carry, the main ways to buy it, and the common mistakes couples make. Here’s what to know first.
Key takeaways
- Both spouses usually need life insurance, including a spouse who stays home or earns less.
- Separate policies offer the most flexibility, while spouse riders and joint policies can cost less but have trade-offs.
- Each spouse’s coverage should reflect the income, care, and debts the other would need to replace.
- You can buy a policy on your spouse, but they must know about it and consent.
- Review beneficiaries after any major life change, especially marriage, divorce, or a new child.
Do both spouses need life insurance?
In most households, yes. If either spouse earns income, cares for children, or shares responsibility for a mortgage, losing that person would create a financial gap. Many couples insure only the higher earner, then discover too late how much the other spouse contributed.
The cushion is often thin. Only 29% of consumers say they could stay financially secure for more than two years if their primary wage earner died, according to the 2026 Insurance Barometer Study from LIMRA and Life Happens. Covering both spouses closes that gap from either direction.
Working spouses
If you both work, your household budget likely depends on both paychecks. Coverage on each of you lets the surviving spouse keep paying the mortgage, childcare, and everyday bills without draining savings.
Stay-at-home spouses
A stay-at-home spouse doesn’t bring home a paycheck, but they provide childcare, transportation, meals, and household management. If they passed away, the working spouse might need to pay for full-time childcare or cut back on work. Coverage sized to those costs keeps the family steady.
Couples without children
Even without kids, a shared mortgage, joint debts, or a lifestyle built on two incomes can leave the surviving spouse in a tough spot. Coverage can also pay for final expenses so grief doesn’t come with a bill.
Ways to buy life insurance for spouses
There are three main approaches. Most couples do best with the first.
Separate individual policies
Each spouse buys their own policy, usually term life insurance. Each of you can choose the amount and term you need, and if one spouse passes away, the other keeps their own coverage. Separate policies also stay in place if you divorce, which keeps things simpler.
Spouse term rider
Some policies let you add a rider that covers your spouse for a smaller amount under your policy. It’s convenient and can cost less than a second policy, but coverage is usually limited and may end if the main policy lapses or you divorce.
Joint life insurance
A first-to-die joint policy covers both spouses and pays once, when the first spouse passes away. The surviving spouse is then left without coverage. A second-to-die, or survivorship, policy pays after both spouses die and is mainly used for estate planning.
| Separate policies | Spouse rider | First-to-die joint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pays out | For each spouse | For each covered spouse | Once, at the first death |
| Survivor keeps coverage? | Yes | Usually no, if main policy ends | No |
| Flexibility | Highest | Limited | Limited |
| Cost | Moderate | Often lowest | Often lower than two policies |
General comparison. Features vary by policy and carrier.
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Get our free quotesHow much life insurance does each spouse need?
Each spouse’s coverage should match what the other would need to replace. Work through these for each of you:
- Income. About 75% of their income for the years the family would need support.
- Unpaid work. For a stay-at-home spouse, the yearly cost of childcare and household help, multiplied by the years it’s needed.
- Shared debts. The mortgage, car loans, and any debts in both names.
- Children’s education. About $65,000 per child for four years at a public college, based on College Board net cost data.
- Final expenses. About $10,000 for a funeral and final bills.
- What you already have. Subtract savings and coverage through work.
Spouses rarely need the same amount. A higher earner might need $1 million while a stay-at-home spouse needs $500,000. Run the numbers for each of you with the life insurance calculator.
How much does life insurance for spouses cost?
Covering both spouses is usually affordable, especially in your 30s and 40s. Here’s what $500,000 of 20-year term coverage might cost each spouse.
| Age | Men | Women | Both spouses (combined) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $20–$30 | $16–$25 | $36–$55 |
| 35 | $22–$34 | $18–$28 | $40–$62 |
| 40 | $31–$47 | $25–$38 | $56–$85 |
| 45 | $46–$69 | $38–$57 | $84–$126 |
Illustrative monthly estimates from AccuQuote’s calculator model for non-smokers in excellent health. Not a quote.
Some carriers offer a household discount when both spouses buy policies at the same time. An AccuQuote agent can check which carriers do.
Can you buy life insurance on your spouse?
Yes. Spouses have what insurers call an insurable interest in each other, because each would suffer a financial loss if the other died. But your spouse must know about the policy and consent to it. They’ll typically sign the application and take part in underwriting, such as answering health questions or completing an exam.
If you own a policy on your spouse, you control it: you pay the premiums, name the beneficiary, and can make changes. That arrangement can be useful for estate planning, but it’s a decision you should make together.
Naming your spouse as beneficiary
Most married people name their spouse as the primary beneficiary and their children, or a trust for them, as contingent beneficiaries. The death benefit is generally free of federal income tax, according to the IRS.
A few things to keep in mind. In community property states, your spouse may have rights to a policy bought with marital income, and some carriers require spousal consent to name someone else. After a divorce, beneficiary designations don’t always update automatically, so review them right away. Our guide to how life insurance beneficiaries work covers the details.
Common mistakes couples make
- Insuring only the higher earner. The other spouse’s contribution is often bigger than it looks.
- Relying only on work coverage. Group life usually ends when you leave the job and is often only one or two times your salary.
- Choosing joint coverage by default. A first-to-die policy leaves the survivor uninsured, often at an age when new coverage costs more.
- Forgetting to update beneficiaries. Marriage, divorce, and new children all call for a review.
- Waiting too long. Premiums rise with age, and a health change can make coverage harder to get.
The NAIC notes that many term policies can be converted to permanent coverage later, which can be useful if one spouse develops a health condition.
Life insurance for spouses at every stage
What you need changes as your life together changes. Here’s how coverage typically shifts over time.
Newlyweds
If you’ve just married and share a lease or mortgage, a modest term policy for each of you protects against being left with joint debts on one income. Rates are at their lowest, so it’s a good time to lock them in.
New parents
This is when most couples need the most coverage. Each spouse’s policy should cover income or childcare, the mortgage, and future education costs, with a term long enough to last until your youngest child is independent.
Empty nesters
Once the kids are grown and the mortgage is smaller, you may need less coverage. If your term policies are ending, consider whether you still need protection for a spouse who depends on your pension or Social Security.
Retirement
In retirement, a smaller permanent policy can cover final expenses, replace a pension that stops at death, or leave a legacy. Guaranteed universal life and final expense insurance are common choices.
Is spousal coverage through work enough?
Many employers let you add a spouse to your group life plan. It’s convenient, but coverage is often limited to a small flat amount or a fraction of your own benefit. It usually ends if you leave the job, and it may not be portable. Treat it as a bonus, not your family’s main protection. A personal term policy for each spouse stays with you no matter where you work.
Life insurance for spouses FAQs
Should my spouse and I get separate life insurance policies?
For most couples, yes. Separate policies let each of you choose the right amount and term, and the surviving spouse keeps their own coverage. They also stay in place if you divorce.
Does a stay-at-home spouse need life insurance?
Yes. If a stay-at-home spouse passed away, the family would likely need to pay for childcare and household help. Coverage sized to those costs keeps the working spouse from having to cut back.
Can I take out a life insurance policy on my spouse without them knowing?
No. Your spouse must know about the policy and consent to it, usually by signing the application. They’ll also take part in the underwriting process.
Is joint life insurance cheaper than two policies?
A first-to-die joint policy can cost less than two separate policies, but it only pays once. After the first death, the surviving spouse has no coverage. Two separate policies usually offer better protection.
How much life insurance should a married couple have?
Each spouse should carry enough to replace what the other would lose: income, unpaid work like childcare, shared debts, and education costs. A common starting point is 10 to 15 times each earner’s income.
What happens to life insurance after divorce?
Your policy stays in force, but your ex-spouse may still be the beneficiary unless you change it. Some states revoke an ex-spouse as beneficiary automatically, but not all do, so update your designation right away.
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