My father had two heart attacks, the last taking his life. So, unfortunately, I have more experience with heart disease and heart attacks that I would like.
In any economy, it is a struggle to pay for medical, funeral, burial, and regular expenses all at the same time, as well as the enormous amount of stress and grief the family will be going through.
Table of Contents
Heart Disease and Life Insurance
Having a heart attack can be a frightful experience. It can cause various problems, and one of those problems is with your life insurance.
You are unsure of your future and, if you have no life insurance, what your family will do without you.
After a heart attack, many people begin to realize their risks of death and the fact that they need life insurance. (Hopefully, you already have it!)
The problem, though, is when people actually try to get life insurance with a heart disease history. This is a red flag for many companies so some people shy away from trying. If you’ve had a heart attack or other cardiovascular complications, you may have heard that you can’t get life insurance, or that your policy will be too expensive, but neither of these is true. There are still plenty of life insurance options for you to get affordable coverage.
Life Insurance Approval for People With Heart Disease
The good news about this is that you can get life insurance with heart disease, you just have to take the right steps. There is a high chance of you not getting approval for the bigger and best rates but you can still get something simple that does pay for what you need it to.
To better your chances of being approved, you can also work on everything for yourself. Take medication, do what your doctor says you should do, and choose a healthy diet along with exercising. When you show that you are taking the proper steps to control your heart disease and give yourself a better life then they will be more inclined to help.
Diet and exercise can help you on several different fronts. Of course, diet and exercise are great for your health, but as this improves your longevity, it improves your life insurance rates. Because premiums are directly tied to risk and mortality, keeping yourself in proper health can directly impact your wallet, as far as insurance goes.
Considerations of People With Heart Disease to Get Insurance
Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions
They want to lead you to a better life and, if you plan on getting life insurance or living a longer life, that will help you. If they provide medication and instructions, like diet, exercise, and/or lifestyle changes, then accept them and try your best to keep up with those changes. They will not only have you living a stronger, longer life but also the life insurance companies will be more willing to approve you.
While medication exists for some issues that cause heart disease, there is nothing to replace a better diet and lifestyle. Those who give out life insurance want to see that you have been changing your life for the better, not just living the same life that brought you into the predicament to start with.
Similarly, you’ll need to cut any tobacco out of your life. Using smoking or chewing tobacco drastically raises your risk of having several health complications, and that’s going to be reflected in your life insurance premiums. Realistically, a person who does not quit smoking, or smokes too much to be considered a non-smoker, will likely pay increases of 200-300%.
You will appear to be a better customer for life insurance if you are taking the necessary steps to live, something they absolutely do look for.
Write Down Every Little Thing You Do
You want affordable life insurance companies to look at your health records and think of you as the perfect customer, somebody who pays attention to his or her own health and wants to lower the risk of death. With all of the knowledge in front of them, they will see you as somebody they can get behind.
Optimizing Health for Life Insurance: Key Considerations and Actions
| Consideration | Description |
|---|---|
| Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions | Adhere to Medical Advice for a Healthier Life and Increased Life Insurance Approval, Including Medication, Diet, Exercise, and Lifestyle Changes |
| Prioritize Diet and Lifestyle Changes | Transform Your Life With Improved Diet and Lifestyle Choices, Boosting Your Chances of Life Insurance Approval |
| Quit Tobacco for Lower Premiums | Eliminate Tobacco to Reduce Health Risks and Potentially Lower Life Insurance Premiums by 200-300% |
| Document Your Health Journey | Maintain Detailed Health Records to Demonstrate a Proactive Approach, Making You a More Appealing Candidate for Life Insurance |
Guaranteed Acceptance or Simplified Life Insurance for Heart Disease
If you get declined for term life insurance, all is not lost. There are still some carriers that may approve you. These types of policies are often referred to as Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance or Simplified Life policies.
These types of policies may cost more, have a graded death benefit and not provide as much coverage as you would like, but at least you have some life insurance coverage to protect your family.
Because the insurance company doesn’t get a clear picture of your health, they are taking a much higher risk by insuring you. The only way for them to offset that risk is by charging you more every month.
Most guaranteed issue policies contain some type of graded death benefit clause, which means that if you were to pass away within the first two years after buying the policy, they wouldn’t pay you the full amount of the plan. They would only refund your premiums, sometimes with interest.
Additionally, these plans have a much lower ceiling for their maximum coverage amounts. Every company is different, but most of them have coverage limits of around $400,000, which isn’t enough for most families. If you want more life insurance coverage, you’ll have to apply for a medically underwritten policy or purchase more than one plan.
The Bottom Line
Getting life insurance with a heart disease history may seem like an impossible task but it really can be easy if you think about your life. Wait a year or two and, in that time, work on your own health and get yourself in a better condition. If those who work in the life insurance field see that you have done remarkably well since the incident and are working to improve yourself every day then they will be happy to sign you up.
Perhaps one of the highest recommendations we can make, we suggest sticking to independent agents, like us, rather than a captive agent. Captive agents can only help you if you buy from their company. Independent agents are brokers, providing you access to all the best carriers.
Your time is valuable, don’t waste it talking on the phone to receive quotes.
If this is something you’d like to get more information on, or an area you’d like to go ahead and make a purchase, feel free to reach out to us at your earliest convenience. You can get a quote on this page, but, please understand a person with a heart risk may not be eligible for the rates shown. If you still want to get an estimate, mark yourself as “regular” when getting your quote.
Otherwise, we look forward to assisting you in your life insurance purchase, no matter what type of life insurance you truly need.
Related posts:
- Life Insurance After a heart attack
- Irregular Heart Beat
- Atrioventricular Blocks
- Heart Murmur
- Athletes Heart
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- After bypass surgery
- Mitral Valve Disorders
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiomyopathy
- Enlarged Heart
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Living with a Defibrillator
- Cardiac Catheterization
I 46 male, no heart attack but had 2 stents placed17 and12 years ago.Can you help me finding an insurance company that would cover me for 470000 euros. I need the life insurance in order to get a loan from the bank that is already approved.
Thanks
My dad has heart disease but id still like life insurance on him
It will depend on the severity of his heart condition and what medications he’s currently on.