Health Insurance Premium Estimator

Estimate health insurance premiums by age, plan tier, and household size.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated September 2026 · Source: KFF — Average Marketplace premiums by metal tier (40-year-old)

Plan Type
Tobacco Use

Estimated Monthly Premium

$575.10

Annual Cost

$6,901.20

Age Factor

1.278x

Premium Breakdown

Monthly Premium$575.10
Annual Cost$6,901.20

Plan Tier Comparison

Bronze Plan$6,900 - $8,700 deductible
Silver Plan$3,000 - $5,000 deductible
Gold Plan$1,000 - $2,000 deductible
Platinum Plan$0 - $500 deductible

Out-of-Pocket Maximums

Bronze$8,700 - $10,600
Silver$8,700 - $10,600
Gold$8,700 - $10,600
Platinum$2,000 - $4,000

Use the Health Insurance Premium Estimator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Knowing roughly what health coverage will cost each month makes planning far less of a guessing game. This estimator projects that monthly premium so you can budget ahead and compare your options before open enrollment opens. Prices moved sharply for 2026: KFF found the average benchmark silver premium for a 40-year-old on the ACA Marketplace rose from $497 a month in 2025 to $625, and the enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025.

Each plan tier starts from a fixed monthly base premium for a 21-year-old: $300 for Bronze, $450 for Silver, $550 for Gold and $700 for Platinum. That base is multiplied by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) federal default age factor for the primary policyholder, which runs from 1.000 at 21 to 3.000 at 64 and older (the ACA allows adult premiums to vary by age no more than 3:1), and by 1.5 if you use tobacco. A second adult then adds 80% of that amount and each child 30%; those are fixed shortcuts rather than each person's own age factor, and nothing is adjusted for where you live.

Treat the output as an estimate rather than a quote, since your actual premium shifts with your exact location, the insurer you choose, and any subsidies or tax credits you qualify for. Household income is easy to overlook and yet it can move net costs substantially through subsidies; this tool reports gross premiums only. Before settling on a plan, confirm the final number straight from the insurer during open enrollment.

Example: A 40-Year-Old Buying a Silver Plan

  1. 1 Input: Age = 40, Household Size = 1 (Individual), Plan Type = Silver, Tobacco Use = No. These are the calculator's defaults.
  2. 2 Age factor: the CMS federal default age curve sets 1.278 at age 40, against 1.000 at 21, so the $450 Silver base becomes $450 × 1.278 = $575.10 a month.
  3. 3 Annual cost: $575.10 × 12 = $6,901.20, before any premium tax credit.
  4. 4 Tobacco: switching Tobacco Use to Yes multiplies the premium by 1.5, to $862.65 a month, and the breakdown shows the $287.55 monthly surcharge. A real Marketplace quote for your county can differ in either direction, since the tool does not price by location.

Source: KFF — Average Marketplace premiums by metal tier (40-year-old) · Last updated: September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does health insurance cost per month in 2026?
On the ACA Marketplace, KFF puts the 2026 average benchmark (second-lowest-cost silver) premium for a 40-year-old at $625 a month before tax credits, up from $497 in 2025. Employer coverage averaged $9,325 a year for a single worker and $26,993 for a family in 2025, of which workers paid $1,440 and $6,850 on average (KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey). Premium tax credits cut Marketplace costs for people earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level.
What is the cheapest health insurance option?
Catastrophic plans (for people under 30 or with a hardship or affordability exemption) and Bronze plans have the lowest premiums; KFF puts the 2026 average lowest-cost Bronze premium for a 40-year-old at $456 a month. The trade-off is a high deductible, although preventive services from an in-network provider come without a copay or coinsurance, and catastrophic plans also cover at least 3 primary care visits a year before the deductible.
Do I qualify for ACA subsidies in 2026?
Premium tax credits are available on the ACA marketplace if your income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. For a family of 4, that is roughly $32,000 to $128,000 in 2026. Some states extend subsidies further.

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