Life Insurance for Pre‑Existing Medical Conditions
Have a pre-existing medical condition and wondering if it’s possible to get life insurance? Don’t worry – you have options.
Can you get life insurance with a pre-existing condition?
More than one in four (27%) of American adults under the age of 65 currently live with a pre-existing health condition. Living with a chronic health issue often means adjusting to a new normal, but one thing that doesn’t have to change is your ability to qualify for life insurance.
Fidelity Life offers a wide range of life insurance policies, including plans for those with less-than-perfect health. Learn more about your options and how to get covered.
What is considered a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition includes any health issue or condition that existed before you applied for insurance coverage. Some of the illnesses that life insurance companies look for include:
- Heart disease
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Depression and other mental health concerns
- Cancers
- Autism
- Epilepsy
- Obesity
The list of qualifying pre-existing health conditions can vary depending on the life insurance policy you’re interested in. If you’re wondering about your own eligibility for life insurance with pre-existing conditions, give one of our agents a call to talk about your options.
What medical conditions affect life insurance?
When you apply for life insurance with Fidelity Life, we’ll talk to you about your current health, history of health issues, and your family’s medical history . Some of the things we’ll look at when it comes to pre-existing conditions include:
- Type of condition. The severity and life expectancy for your condition can impact your eligibility and the rates you’ll pay. For example, someone with arthritis is at less risk and may have more life insurance options than someone with heart disease.
- Current health condition. If your condition is under control and you’re in good health otherwise, you can often still qualify for traditional life insurance. Explore our term life insurance policies.
- How long it’s been since your diagnosis. In general, the longer the illness, the greater risk there is for complications, which can mean higher rates.
- Age and lifestyle. If you’re younger and relatively healthy, you may qualify for lower rates. Lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking can also factor into your eligibility and the price you’ll pay for coverage.
Depending on the policy you apply for, you may also have to take a medical exam to confirm your health status and determine eligibility and rates. The exam is free to you and usually includes height and weight checks, basic tests, and a health questionnaire. At Fidelity Life, we can often get you covered while you wait to take a medical exam, and in some cases can waive an exam altogether. Learn more about taking a medical exam.
Find a policy that works for you
There are a range of affordable Fidelity Life products to choose from based on your situation and financial responsibilities.
What’s the best type of life insurance for pre-existing conditions?
Fidelity Life offers a broad range of policies to help meet your exact needs. If you’re living with a chronic illness, explore some of the options available to you here.
Term Insurance
The most popular and cost-effective type of life insurance, term life insurance offers coverage for a set period of time, typically 10-30 years. That means you can lock in protection for your family exactly when you need it. If your pre-existing condition is under control, you may be able to qualify for term life. Fidelity Life offers a variety of term life policies, including:
- finalexpensedirects Life : Get coverage from day one so you don’t have to wait, with six months to go through the underwriting process for maximum coverage. Coverage amounts range from $50,000 to $2 million.
- finalexpensedirects Senior Term : Designed for people between the ages of 50 and 70 with coverage up to $100,000, we offer partial coverage immediately with no medical exam required.
Permanent Insurance
Permanent plans offer lifelong protection that never expires. These policies are more expensive than term life, but can be a good fit if you’re providing for a special needs child or have other lifelong financial needs. Fidelity Life offers:
- finalexpensedirectSenior Whole Life : Designed for seniors aged 50-85 with coverage up to $150,000, no medical exam, and guaranteed level premiums. You also accumulate cash value and get final expense protection.
Final Expense
Final expense is designed to help cover end-of-life expenses, like a funeral or medical bills. These policies don’t require a medical exam and could be a good fit if you have a chronic illness.
Learn More About Final Expense
Guaranteed Issue
Not eligible for traditional options? Guaranteed issue provides dependable coverage with level premiums, and you can never be turned down for health reasons by a life insurance company.
Learn More About Guaranteed Issue
Life Insurance Riders
Riders are additional features you can purchase to adapt your current policy to specific needs. These riders can be especially helpful for pre-existing conditions and chronic illness, including:
- Long-term care rider. Offsets or completely covers long-term nursing home or assisted living care costs.
- Accelerated death benefit rider. Allows your beneficiaries to collect your death benefit early if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness.
- Living benefit rider. Allows you and your family to collect a living benefit if you have a qualifying medical condition, a crucial benefit if you become unable to work.
Talk to an agent about adding a rider to your life insurance policy.
How does Fidelity Life know if I have a pre-existing condition?
We walk through your health history during your application and may ask you to take a medical exam. It’s important to be upfront about your health so Fidelity Life can help you find the best option for you. If you don’t disclose a health condition and it is discovered later by your insurance company, it could prevent or stop your coverage completely.
I was denied life insurance. What should I do?
Don’t worry, you may still have options. You can try to make lifestyle changes to improve your overall health and apply again in six months. If that’s not possible, consider alternatives that don’t rely on your health, like guaranteed issue insurance.
