Term life insurance for pre existing conditions

Any medical condition that you have before signing up for a policy is considered a pre-existing condition by insurance providers. While most companies are flexible on pre-existing conditions, your eligibility for a policy will depend on what type of pre-existing condition you have. Nationwide and Mutual of Omaha offer the cheapest life insurance for pre-existing illnesses at an average annual cost of $254 and $265, respectively.

• Cheapest Life Insurance Companies That Cover Pre-Existing Conditions
• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions & Life Insurance
• Types of Coverage Available
• How to Get Cheaper Life Insurance With Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
• Methodology

Key Takeaways

A pre-existing condition is any medical condition you have before signing up for a life insurance policy.

Since pre-existing conditions might cause early death, insurance companies consider it risky to insure individuals that have them.

If you don’t want to sign up for a term life policy, simplified issue, guaranteed issue and instant life insurance policies are alternatives.

Cheapest Life Insurance Companies That Cover Pre-Existing Conditions

MoneyGeek researched the most affordable rates for life insurance for individuals with pre-existing conditions. However, please note that we did not include the price increase for having pre-existing conditions in the quote data below. These rates are term life insurance quotes from companies that are flexible when it comes to pre-existing conditions.

Some of Mutual of Omaha’s whole life insurance policies require minimal or no medical exam at all. These policies may be an excellent fit for people with severe pre-existing conditions.

AAA offers guaranteed issue whole life insurance to its customers. This type of policy does not require a medical exam, so it may be a great option if you have any pre-existing conditions and are between the ages of 45 and 85.

Prudential offers dynamic underwriting with fewer requirements and has credits available for more than two dozen impairments.

Cheapest Providers for Those With Pre-Existing Conditions

Scroll for more

The quotes above are based on a term life insurance policy with $500k coverage and a 20-year term length for a 30-year-old.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

When applying for a life insurance policy, you must let your insurance provider know if you have any pre-existing medical conditions because this can affect your life insurance premiums.

What Are Pre-Existing Medical Conditions?

Any health condition, illness or injury that exists before you sign up for a life insurance policy can be considered a pre-existing medical condition. Since a pre-existing condition can lower your life expectancy and cause early death, insurance providers consider it risky to insure these individuals.

Below are some examples of pre-existing medical conditions.

EXAMPLES OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• HIV
• Obesity
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Mental health conditions
• Epilepsy
• Autism
• Neurological disorders

MONEYGEEK DICTIONARY

If you have had symptoms of a disease or have received medical care for any illness before opting for life insurance coverage, that disease or illness would be considered a pre-existing condition by the insurance company.

How Do Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Affect Life Insurance?

If you have pre-existing medical conditions, some insurance providers will consider you a risky individual, resulting in higher life insurance premiums. If you decide to opt for no-exam life insurance, coverage amounts are usually limited compared to medically underwriting life insurance.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.

Types of Life Insurance that Include Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Major insurance providers offer simplified issue, guaranteed issue and instant issue life insurance policies that are good for people with pre-existing conditions. You can also buy a term life policy, but the price may be higher than life insurance without pre-existing conditions.

Insurance providers generally classify applicants into risk tiers based on their overall health. Each tier has different thresholds for pre-existing conditions.

• Preferred Plus — If you’re in excellent health, not a smoker, do not have any pre-existing medical conditions or participate in risky activities, including occupation, you will qualify for this category. However, very few people are eligible for this health rating.
• Preferred — People qualify for this category who are generally in excellent health but have a few minor health conditions — like being slightly overweight — and minimal history of family diseases.
• Standard Plus — If you have qualified for Standard Plus, you are in better-than-average health but have a few health issues that require medications and some family history of diseases.
• Standard — This is the most common category. With a Standard health rating, you are in average health, might be on multiple medications and may have a family history of severe health conditions.
• Substandard — Individuals in this category may have poor overall health, a recent serious health issue or a complicated family medical history. These factors make people in this category riskier to insure.

Life Insurance Types That Cover Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

• Type

  Description

• Instant Life Insurance

  Due to accelerated underwriting, you can have life insurance coverage in a matter of minutes without completing a medical exam.

• Simplified Issue

  This type of policy does not require a medical exam. Instead, you just have to answer minimal health questions.

• Guaranteed Acceptance

  You do not have to pass a health exam or answer any questions with guaranteed acceptance insurance. However, this type of policy usually has a waiting period.

How to Get Cheaper Life Insurance With Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

While having pre-existing medical conditions can significantly increase your life insurance rates, finding affordable life insurance policies is still possible. The steps below can make finding comprehensive coverage at a reasonable rate is more manageable.

1

If possible, improve your health.

Some pre-existing medical conditions can make it extremely difficult to follow conventional routes to improve overall health. However, if you can, working out, eating clean and quitting smoking may help you reduce your life insurance rates. Improving your health may make you eligible for a rate reconsideration. However, keep in mind that you may be required to undergo a medical exam to get this lower rate.

2

Apply at the right time.

If you apply right after being diagnosed with a severe health condition, the chances are that your life insurance rates will be higher. You may even be denied if you don’t have an established history of controlling the condition or a treatment plan in place with your physician.

3

Talk to an agent.

With the help of a qualified agent, you can learn which companies offer affordable rates for your condition.

The best way to get more affordable life insurance rates is by improving your overall health and applying at the right time. If you’re in good health, you will not be considered a risky individual by insurance providers and will get more affordable life insurance rates. Speaking with an insurance agent can also help you find a carrier that will approve you for life insurance with a pre-existing condition.

While finding affordable life insurance with pre-existing conditions can be challenging, flexible companies are available that offer lower rates. It’s best to shop around and compare quotes to find the best deal.

Compare Life Insurance Rates

Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your life insurance. Compare quotes from top providers to find the most affordable life insurance coverage for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a pre-existing condition, choosing the right life insurance policy can be difficult. MoneyGeek gathered answers to the following frequently asked questions to help you make the best decision for your situation.

Methodology

MoneyGeek manually collected and averaged term life insurance quotes from 13 of the biggest life insurance companies to obtain average cost data. The quotes shown in this article are from companies that offer flexibility for pre-existing medical conditions. They're based on a term life insurance policy with $500k coverage and a 20-year term length for a 30-year-old in excellent health.

About the Author

Can you get life insurance if you have a condition?

What is a pre