U.S. life insurance application activity saw growth in January 2026 compared to January 2025, with Year-over-Year (YOY) activity up +9.5%, the highest YOY growth rate for any January on record. When comparing January 2026 to the same month in prior years, activity was up +11.1% compared to 2024 and was up +15.9% compared to 2023. On a Month-over-Month (MOM) basis, January 2026 was up +11.7% compared to December 2025, representing the fourth year in a row with double-digit MOM growth in January. 

⁠For January 2026, ages 40+ saw double-digit YOY growth, while ages 30-39 saw flat activity, and ages 0-29 saw declines. January YOY activity for ages 0-29 was down -7.5%, ages 30-39 flat at +1.4%, ages 40-49 up +10.6%, ages 50-59 up +18.5%, ages 60-69 up +23.9%, and ages 70+ up +38.6%.

When examining YOY activity for January 2026 by face amounts, based on information reported to MIB by our members, we saw double-digit YOY growth for face amounts from $100K up to but not including $2.5M, triple-digit growth for amounts from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, and flat activity for amounts from $1 up to but not including $100K, and from $5M and over. 

When including age bands for January 2026, ages 0-29 saw double-digit growth for face amounts from $1M up to but not including $2.5M and amounts $5M and over, triple digit growth for amounts from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, flat activity for amounts from $250K up to but not including $500K and declines for all other face amounts, in the double digits for amounts over $1 up to but not including $100K. Ages 30-39 saw growth for face amounts $1M and over, in the double digits for amounts from $1M up to but not including $2.5M and in the triple digits for amounts from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, flat activity for amounts from $250K up to but not including $500K, and declines for all other face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $100K. Ages 40-49 saw growth for face amounts from $100K up to but not including $5M, in the double digits for amounts from $500K up to but not including $2.5M, and in the triple digits for amounts from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, and declines for amounts from $1 up to but not including $100K and $5M and over. Ages 50-59 saw double-digit growth for face amounts from $100K up to but not including $500K, triple-digit growth for amounts from $500K up to but not including $5M, flat activity for amounts from $1 up to but not including $100K, and declines for amounts $5M and over. Ages 60-69 saw growth for amounts from $1 up to but not including $5M, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $250K and amounts from $500K up to but not including $2.5M, and in the triple digits for amounts from $250K up to but not including $500K and amounts from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, and declines for amounts $5M and over. Ages 70+ saw growth for face amounts from $1 up to but not including $2.5M, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $100K and amounts from $250K up to but not including $500K, in the triple digits for amounts from $100K up to but not including $250K, and declines for amounts $2.5M and over, in the double digits for amounts $5M and over.

January 2026 saw double-digit YOY growth across all product types, where this information was provided to MIB by our members. Term Life was up +26.4% YOY, Whole Life was up +15.6%, and Universal Life was up at +34.7%. Term Life saw YOY growth for all age bands, in the double digits for ages 30-69 and in the triple digits for ages 70+. Whole Life saw YOY growth for ages 30+, in the double digits for ages 40-49 and 60+ and flat activity for ages 0-29. Universal Life saw YOY growth for all age bands, in the double digits for ages 40-69, and in the triple digits for ages 70+. 

Methodology Change for 2026:
⁠MIB has revised our methodology to fine tune our age and face amount bands to better meet industry needs, while also incorporating more precise filtering to isolate new business application activity and define applicant country. Please see the main MIB Life Index page on our website for details on our methodology change. All historical data in this report has been restated based on our new methodology, however, historical reports archived on our website reflect the methodology in place at the time of publication.