Tools in This Collection
Health Insurance Plan Comparison
Model total annual cost across plans based on your expected usage
Life Insurance Coverage Calculator
Estimate how much life coverage your family needs
COBRA Cost Calculator
Calculate your exact COBRA continuation premium
Disability Insurance Calculator
Estimate income replacement coverage needs for disability
Long-Term Care Cost Calculator
Nursing home, assisted living, and in-home care costs by location
Pet Insurance Cost Calculator
Estimate annual pet insurance premiums and claim scenarios
Health and Life Insurance Planning
Insurance decisions are some of the most consequential financial choices most people make — and they're often made without running the actual numbers. These calculators help you estimate coverage needs, compare plan total costs, and understand trade-offs before talking to an agent or choosing during open enrollment.
Health Insurance Plan Comparison
The plan with the lowest premium is often not the lowest total annual cost. A high-deductible plan at $300/month with a $3,000 deductible costs $6,600 annually before hitting full coverage. A higher-premium plan at $450/month with a $500 deductible costs $5,900 annually after three significant medical visits. The right choice depends on your expected healthcare utilization.
The Health Insurance Plan Comparison models total annual cost — premium plus expected out-of-pocket — across multiple plans based on your typical healthcare usage. Use it during open enrollment to compare actual plans, not just monthly premium quotes.
Life Insurance Coverage Needs
The standard rule of thumb for life insurance is 10-12x annual income, but this oversimplifies. The Life Insurance Coverage Calculator personalizes coverage needs based on income replacement years needed, existing savings and assets, outstanding debts (mortgage, student loans), and dependent expenses. A 35-year-old with $80K income, two children, and a $300K mortgage typically needs $700K-1M in coverage.
COBRA, Disability, and Long-Term Care
COBRA continuation coverage costs 102% of the full group premium — the employer's share plus yours plus a 2% administrative fee. The average COBRA cost is about $650/month for individual coverage and $1,850/month for family coverage. The COBRA Cost Calculator shows your exact premium based on your employer's plan.
Disability insurance should replace 60-70% of pre-disability income. Most employer plans cover 60% with a 90-day elimination period and 2-year benefit period. Long-term disability with a 5-year or to-age-65 benefit period provides significantly more protection. The Disability Insurance Calculator estimates how much coverage you need. For aging planning, the Long-Term Care Cost Calculator shows average nursing home ($5,000-8,000/month), assisted living ($3,000-5,000/month), and in-home care costs by location. The Pet Insurance Cost Calculator estimates annual premiums and typical claim scenarios for pet coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much life insurance do I need?
A common rule of thumb is 10-12x annual income, but the actual amount depends on your situation. Key factors: years of income replacement needed (until youngest child is independent), outstanding debts (mortgage, student loans), existing savings and investments, and any existing life insurance through work. A 35-year-old with $80K income, two young children, and a $300K mortgage typically needs $700K-$1M in term coverage.
How much does COBRA insurance cost?
COBRA costs 102% of the full group premium — your previous share plus your employer's share plus a 2% administrative fee. For employer-sponsored plans, employers typically cover 70-80% of the premium, so COBRA can be 3-5x what you were paying as an employee. Average COBRA costs are roughly $650/month for individual coverage and $1,850/month for family coverage nationally, though your actual cost depends on your employer's plan.
What does long-term care insurance cover?
Long-term care insurance covers nursing home stays, assisted living facilities, adult day care, and in-home care when you need help with 2 or more of the 6 activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, continence, toileting). The average nursing home cost is $5,000-8,000 per month. A typical long-term care policy has a 90-day elimination period (you pay out of pocket for the first 90 days) and a 2-3 year benefit period.