Can I get life insurance if I have a medical condition?

Do you have a chronic health condition? You’re not alone. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that six in ten American adults have at least one chronic disease.¹ Chronic ailments impact almost every part of your life, including whether you can apply for reliable life insurance.

You might think finding coverage with your health history is impossible. Luckily, this isn’t true. Plenty of providers cover people with chronic conditions, allowing them to get life insurance with health problems. Here are some things to think about when applying for life insurance with a chronic illness.

Is your condition mental or physical?

When most people think about chronic health issues, common physical diseases come to mind. But mental health illnesses, which impacted 57.8 million American adults every year², also fall under “chronic health issues.”

Life insurance rate classes

Insurance companies usually take both types of illnesses into account when figuring out which rate class you should belong to. There are often five rate classes, which are: 

1. Preferred plus

2. Preferred

3. Standard plus

4. Standard

5. Substandard

The better your rating, the lower your monthly payment.

If you have a mental illness that is easier to manage, you might end up in the standard plus or standard class. If you’ve been diagnosed with something more serious, you could pay extra per month.

When it comes to chronic physical conditions, there’s usually less leeway. You’re likely to end up in the substandard class, no matter your condition. This means your insurer will figure out your payment based on the severity of your illness.

Is your condition manageable?

If you’re trying to get life insurance with pre-existing medical conditions, your insurer will look at how manageable your illness is. A condition like Lupus can be managed, meaning you might be able to get a policy if you’ve been diagnosed. HIV and MS, on the other hand, are more aggressive and may prevent you from getting standard coverage options. In either case, you could purchase a guaranteed acceptance policy. It’s a great option for those suffering from chronic illnesses.

Getting life insurance with a chronic illness might be more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Want to know what coverage you can get? Reach out to TruStage™. Our experienced agents can help you find a policy — including guaranteed whole life acceptance option with a locked-in, lifetime rate —  that works for you.

¹About Chronic Diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 21).  https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm

²Mental Illness. National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, March). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness#part_154785