Can you get life insurance if you have health problems

Q: What can you do if you cant get life insurance?

If youve been denied coverage before and would still like to get life insurance, heres what you can do..

What questions will insurers ask?

When you apply for life insurance, the provider will ask you about how much cover you’d like, your general info (like your date of birth and address), and whether you smoke.

But, they will ask you a few questions about your medical condition:

Are you taking any medication?
Have you been admitted to hospital recently? Why? How are you now?
Is it an on-going issue?

Will I be over charged because I’m ill?

If you have a condition that's considered curable or manageable it’s against the law to charge you more for life insurance because of it.

Equality Act 2010

What policy might I be offered if I have a medical condition?

If you qualify for cover, any life insurance deal you’re offered will depend on the nature of your condition and your individual circumstances. Policies can be offered with or without exclusions.

Policies without exclusions
This is sometimes called a ‘loaded’ premium, as you end up paying a bit more for your life insurance to include your pre-existing medical condition - you're asked to pay an increased price to cover the increased risk.

It could be offered to you if, for example, you have high blood pressure. The cost of the premium is likely to increase with the severity of a condition, but each insurer can categorise medical conditions differently.

Policies with exclusions

Insurers might not be willing to cover more serious conditions, so you might be offered policies that exclude your pre-existing medical condition from the cover.

For example, if you’ve suffered from cancer, you could arrange life insurance that wouldn’t pay out if you died from that cancer but would if you died from another cause.

Make yourself aware of what is and isn’t covered, like when a death might be considered to have been a result of a pre-existing condition.

Are there alternative options?

You could contact a charity or support group that specialises in the medical condition you have; for example, a cancer charity might be able to offer more specific help about arranging life insurance if you're a cancer survivor.

Life insurance without medical checks

If you’re young and healthy, you’re unlikely to need a medical check. However, if you’re a bit older and a smoker, for example, your insurer might request one.

Policies specifically offering ‘guaranteed acceptance with no medical check’ are a certain type of life insurance, known as over 50s lifelong protection.

While this might be a suitable option for some, there are downsides, such as you could end up paying in more than your estate gets as a payout.

Also, there will be an initial wait period, typically 12-24 months; if you die in this time, your estate will only get back the premiums you’ve paid in.

Getting the best price for your life insurance

Comparing life insurance gives you an idea of the sort of pricing and policy options you have available to you.

You can also speak to our specialist team when you’re getting quotes.[1] They could help you find providers specialising in life insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions.

You can request a call back when you’re getting quotes with us.

Compare life insurance quotes and make sure you declare any medical conditions so that you get the best policy for your needs

Compare life insurance

Cutting the cost of life insurance with medical conditions

If you’re not sure about any aspect of a life insurance policy, call the insurer and ask. Otherwise, you risk wasting money on insurance that doesn’t cover what you need.

Here are a few things you can do to get a good price on your life insurance for those with medical conditions:

Compare your options
As ever, weighing up different policies will help you find the right cover for a good price
Switching isn’t always right
Life insurance premiums increase with age, so if a new policy is the same as your current one, consider whether switching policies is really worth the potential cost
Adopting a healthier lifestyle
If you tell your insurer about the change, quitting smoking, for instance, could see your premiums lowered

Guides to life insurance

What can cause life insurance to be denied?

A life insurance application may be denied if you have high-risk medical conditions, dangerous hobbies, or if you left important information off your application. You may also be ineligible for certain policies due to advanced age. It depends on the reason you were denied and the insurance company.

What can you do if you can't get life insurance?

If you've been denied coverage before and would still like to get life insurance, here's what you can do..

Work with a licensed insurance agent. ... .

Apply with a different insurer. ... .

Look into a workplace life insurance plan. ... .

Try again later. ... .

Consider a different life insurance policy..

What is considered high

However, typically, life insurance companies may consider you to be a high-risk applicant if you have a dangerous occupation, engage in risky hobbies like skydiving, smoke, have below-average health and/or have underlying health conditions.