Key takeaways
- The federal fatal injury rate for welding is 6.9 per 100,000 workers — twice the all-worker average, and about one seventh of roofing.
- Shop welding and general fabrication are commonly written at standard rates, with no flat extra.
- The rating, when it comes, follows the environment: underwater work, structural height, confined spaces, pipeline and offshore.
- Where a flat extra applies it runs $2.50–$7.50 per $1,000 a year — $52 to $156 a month on $250,000.
- How you describe the work on the application decides which of those two outcomes you get.
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The number most welders have never seen
Welding carries a reputation at the kitchen table that it does not carry at the underwriting desk. The federal fatal injury rate for welding, soldering and brazing workers is 6.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. That is roughly twice the all-worker rate of 3.3 — and about one seventh of roofing.
| Occupation | Fatal injuries per 100,000 | Deaths in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Logging workers | 110.4 | 51 |
| Fishing and hunting workers | 88.8 | 24 |
| Roofers | 48.7 | 104 |
| Structural iron and steel workers | 37.8 | 14 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors | 37.4 | 36 |
| Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | 36.7 | 73 |
| Helpers, construction trades | 35.8 | 18 |
| Driver/sales workers and truck drivers | 25.7 | 950 |
| Welding, soldering and brazing workers | 6.9 | 42 |
| All workers | 3.3 | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries — rate and number of fatal work injuries in selected occupations, 2024 reference year, released 19 February 2026. Rates are per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. Source.
Twice the average sounds significant until you see what the genuinely hazardous trades look like. Logging runs at 110.4, roofing at 48.7, truck driving at 25.7. Welding sits closer to the ordinary workforce than to any of them, and most carriers price it accordingly: shop welding and general fabrication are commonly written at standard rates, with no flat extra at all.
Where welding does get rated
The rating, when it comes, attaches to the environment rather than the skill. Four situations move a welding application out of standard:
- Underwater and commercial diving welding. This is a different occupation to an underwriter, and it is rated as diving, not as welding. Expect a substantial flat extra or a decline at some carriers.
- Structural work at height. Ironwork rates at 37.8 per 100,000 — five times welding. If you weld structural steel on a frame, you will be underwritten closer to the ironworker figure.
- Confined space entry. Tanks, vessels and pipelines carry oxygen displacement and ignition risk that open-shop work does not.
- Pipeline and offshore work. Remote location, rotation schedules and travel often bring their own questions, sometimes including foreign travel.
Where a flat extra does apply, published ranges put it at $2.50 to $7.50 per $1,000 of cover a year — $52 to $156 a month on a $250,000 policy, added to the ordinary premium.
Source: Experian, Life Insurance for High Risk Applicants, updated 8 September 2026 — flat extra charges of $2.50 to $7.50 per $1,000 of coverage a year. Source.
Find out whether your work rates at all
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How to describe your work on the application
Because the rating follows the environment, the description you give decides the outcome. “Welder” on its own is an invitation for the underwriter to assume the worst case. Be specific instead:
- Where you work: shop, field, structural, pipeline, marine.
- Maximum working height, and how often you are at it.
- Whether you enter confined spaces, and how often.
- Any certifications — they signal training and controlled process, which helps.
A shop welder who writes “welder, 100% shop-based fabrication, no height work, no confined space entry” gets underwritten as what he is. One who writes “welder” may get the structural assumption and the flat extra that goes with it. Neither is dishonest; one is simply complete.
What it costs
For most welders this is the ordinary market rate, with nothing added:
| Age | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | $20 | $23 |
| 40 | $28 | $35 |
| 50 | $59 | $77 |
| 60 | $157 | $215 |
Source: MoneyGeek, How Much Does a $250,000 Life Insurance Policy Cost?, updated 16 September 2026 — market-wide averages, 20-year level term, non-smoker of average health. Source.
A 40-year-old man at $35 a month for $250,000 of 20-year term is the same figure an office worker of the same age and health pays. If a quote comes back materially above that with no health reason behind it, the occupation description is worth revisiting before you accept it. Full $250,000 rate tables.
Frequently asked questions
Do welders pay more for life insurance?
Usually not. Shop welding and general fabrication are commonly underwritten at standard rates. The federal fatal injury rate for welding is 6.9 per 100,000 workers against 3.3 across all occupations — well below the trades carriers genuinely surcharge, such as roofing at 48.7 or logging at 110.4.
Which welding work does get rated?
Underwater and commercial diving welding, structural work at height, confined space entry, and pipeline or offshore work. The rating follows the environment rather than the welding itself, so describing your actual working conditions on the application matters more than the job title.
How much is a flat extra if it applies?
Published ranges put hazardous-occupation flat extras at $2.50 to $7.50 per $1,000 of cover a year. On a $250,000 policy that is an additional $52 to $156 a month on top of the ordinary premium. It is charged for the occupation and can usually be reviewed off if the work changes.
Will I need a medical exam?
Not necessarily. $250,000 sits well inside the no-exam limits several carriers publish, and a welder in good health with no height or confined space work is a straightforward accelerated underwriting case. See no medical exam life insurance.