U.S. life insurance application activity saw double-digit Year-over-Year (YOY) growth in September of +15.2%, achieving the highest YOY growth rate a on record for the month of September, and ending Q3-2026 at +15.6% growth Year-to-Date (YTD). When comparing activity through Q3-2026 YTD to prior years, activity was up +20.9% compared to 2024 and up +22.0% compared to 2023. On the quarterly basis, activity during Q3-2026 (July through September) was up +15.9% compared to activity during Q3-2025, achieving the highest growth rate for any Q3 on record.

September 2026 saw YOY growth for ages 30+, in the double digits for the ages 40+, following a pattern seen throughout the year where growth increases as age increases. The pattern of double digit growth for ages 40+ has also been seen throughout the year, with May being the exception showing double digit growth for ages 50+. For September 2026, ages 0-29 was flat YOY at -1.3% YOY, ages 30-39 up +3.4%, ages 40-49 up +12.3%, ages 50-59 up +21.5%, ages 60-69 up +31.8%, and ages 70+ up 50.1%. YOY growth for Q3-2026 (compared to Q3-2025) also reflected the continuing patternof growth increasing as age increase, with ages 0-29 flat at +0.0%, ages 30-39 up +3.6%, ages 40-49 up +12.1%, ages 50-59 up +21.7%, ages 60-69 up +32.9%, and ages 70+ up +52.5%. Additionally,. When examining activity through September 2026 YTD, ages 30+ saw growth, in the double digits for ages 40+ and ages 0-30 saw YTD flat activity.

Based on data reported to MIB by our members, September 2026 saw YOY flat activity for amounts from $250K up to but not including $1M, and growth for all other face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $250K and from $1M up to but not including $5M. When comparing Q3-2026 to Q3-2025, all face amounts saw growth, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $250K, and for amounts from $1M up to but not including $5M. When examining YTD activity through the end of Q3-2026, we also saw growth for all face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $250K, and 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.

When including age bands comparing Q3-2026 to Q3-2025, ages 0-29 saw growth for amounts $1M and over, in the double digits for amounts $2.5M and over, flat activity for amounts from $100K up to but not including $250K and from $500K up to but not including $1M and declines for all other face amounts. Ages 30-39 saw growth for amounts from $100K up to but not including $250K and $1M and over, in the double digits for amounts $2.5M and over and declines for all other face amounts. Ages 40-49 saw growth for all face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $100K up to but not including $250K, and for amounts from $1M up to but not including $5M. Ages 50-59 saw double-digit growth for amounts from $1 up to but not including $500K and from $1M up to but not including $5M, flat activity for amount from $5M and over, and declines for amount from $500K up to but not including $1M. Ages 60-69 saw growth for all face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $1M, and from $2.5M up to but not including $5M, and in the triple digits for amounts from $1M up to but not including $2.5M. Ages 70+ saw growth for all face amounts, in the double digits for amounts from $1 up to but not including $500K, and from $2.5M up to but not including $5M.

When examining product type as submitted to MIB by our members, September saw double-digit YOY growth in Term and Whole Life, and flat activity for Universal. Whole Life was up +22.2%, Term was up +23.2%, and Universal Life was flat at +1.1%. When comparing Q3-2026 to Q3-2025, patterns were similar with Whole Life up +22.2%, Term Life up +23.6%, and Universal Life up 4.5%. When examining YTD activity through the end of Q3, Term Life was up +26.2%, Whole Life was up +23.0%, and Universal Life was up +13.4%.

When including age bands and comparing Q3-2026 to Q3-2025, Term saw double-digit growth for all age bands, while Whole Life and Universal Life saw growth for ages 40+, in the double digits for ages 50+, and declines for ages 0-39.