Life insurance with heart condition

Life insurance for people with heart problems

Do you suffer from a heart condition and are looking to secure life insurance?

Then an FCA registered broker, such as Reassured, could be the best method of finding suitable cover.

Even with a heart condition, you have multiple policy options:

• Term life insurance, (level or decreasing term)
• Whole of life insurance, (guaranteed pay out)
• Over 50s plan, (no medical questions)
• Funeral plan, (prepay your funeral, avoid rising costs).

The cost of life insurance for someone with a heart condition can vary between insurers, which is why it’s important to compare quotes.

Been declined cover in the past?

Our specialist impaired risk team have helped secure cover for more than 45% of applicants declined elsewhere.

Use the expertise of our award-winning team to find the best life insurance with heart condition.

Contact us today for your free quotes. We don’t charge you a fee for our award-winning service…

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Heart condition life insurance

Obtaining life insurance with a heart condition is certainly possible, but not without it’s obstacles.

It’s to be expected that monthly premiums will be more expensive for someone with a heart condition.

Even so, we believe that most people would benefit from having some form of life protection.

Especially if you have dependants who’d struggle with mortgage repayments and/or living costs if you were no longer around.

Arranging cover could be all the more necessary if you suffer from a serious health problem that could become potentially life-threatening, such as heart disease.

If you have a minor heart condition that’s managed well, you may be able to secure a standard policy, such as term-based life insurance.

But you’re more likely to be offered a lower sum assured (pay out amount), over a shorter period of time (term) if applicable.

If your condition is very severe, you may be declined standard cover, but there’s still hope through our impaired team.

There’s also the option of over 50s life insurance, which doesn’t require any medical information, (acceptance is guaranteed for applicants aged 50-85).

Get in touch and we’ll provide all the information you need, answer any questions and discuss your options.

Life insurance with heart condition cost

The cost of life insurance for people with heart problems will depend on the circumstances of each applicant.

Monthly premiums are calculated from the level of risk you pose to the insurer, (based on the likelihood of claim).

The key factors taken into consideration when assessing the level of risk may include:

• Your personal circumstances – Age, health, medical history and smoking status
• Details of the policy you need – Type of policy, term length and cover amount
• Details of your condition – Date of diagnosis, current symptoms, severity of symptoms, treatment and/or medication and other heart-related conditions.

An applicant with a heart condition may experience loaded premiums (more expensive premiums), depending on the individual circumstances.

The cost of life insurance with a heart condition can vary significantly between insurers.

Contact our award-winning team, who can do exactly this on your behalf (for free).

Life insurance with us starts from just 20p-a-day and with our specialist insurers just 50p-a-day.

Life insurance with heart condition application

Applications for life insurance with a heart condition tend to be assessed on a case by case basis and may require manual underwriting.

Manual underwriting is when the insurer requests to see copies of your medical records, speak with your GP or require you undergo a medical exam – in support of your application.

In some cases, they may need to see all of this information before providing you with a quote.

If your condition is severe, you may be referred to a specialist insurer.

They’re able to offer standard policy terms, but at heightened premiums.

Our dedicated team have the knowledge and experience to understand the requirements of each of our standard and specialist insurers.

We’ll do our best to match you with the insurer most likely to accept your application.

Compare Life Insurance Quotes after Heart Attack »

Being dishonest in your application (non-disclosure)

It can be tempting to withhold the truth on your application for life insurance, particularly if you’ve been declined previously. 

In the first instance, you could be offered a cheaper quote and you may even achieve lower premiums.

However, non-disclosure can cause your policy to be invalid; which would result in a claim being declined and your investment wasted.

Even if you were to pass away from an illness unrelated to your heart condition, and non-disclosure is discovered, the insurer could still deny a pay out.

If you’re concerned about your application, then there are other options available that don’t require your medical details, such as an over 50s plan or funeral plan.

Get in touch with one of our friendly team today who’ll be able to answer any questions you have.

Assessing the risk

For all heart conditions, the date of diagnosis, your age, smoking status and lifestyle are some of the factors that’ll suffer most scrutiny from the insurer.

Date of diagnosis

A recent diagnosis is usually perceived as a higher risk to the insurer than that of a previous diagnosis.

This is because during the early stages of a heart condition it’s difficult to determine how the illness will develop, or how it will affect your long-term health.

Particularly as the risk factors pertaining to one heart condition place you at greater risk of developing other heart conditions.

Your age

It goes without saying that the older you are, the more you’ll pay for life insurance cover.

Ageing also lowers our immune system and so the older you are, the more likely you’ll develop medical problems and the harder it is to recover.

Therefore, someone who’s in their 70s or 80s with a life-threatening condition such as heart disease can be much more difficult to insure (or their premiums will be sky high).

This may be where an over 50s plan could be the best solution, as this type of cover doesn’t require any medical information and can guarantees acceptance.

Smoking status

Harmful chemicals from smoking not only causes many heart-related problems but also brings an increased risk of many other medical conditions.

A smoker with a heart condition could pay a premium loading of up to 75% more than a non-smoker.

Insurers also class vapers and e-cigarettes users as smokers.

Quit today and after 12 months of being smoke-free, you could save significantly on your premiums.

Your lifestyle

Leading a healthy lifestyle lowers your risk of developing other health conditions and will be looked upon favourably by the insurer.

A healthy lifestyle is a combination of regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, positive mental wellness, not smoking and limited alcohol consumption.

Life insurance with heart condition (no medical)

It’s always possible to arrange some form of financial protection for your loved ones.

There’s life insurance with no medical and there’s also the option of a funeral plan.

Choosing this route will sidestep any long application forms and medical questions.

Over 50s life insurance

An over 50s plan guarantees acceptance to all UK residents aged 50-85 with no medical questions.

Only your age and the level of cover required will determine the cost of your premiums.

As a form of life assurance, an over 50s plan guarantees a cash pay out to loved ones after you pass away.

Over 50s policies don’t pay out in the first 12 or 24 months of taking out the policy. This is called the waiting period and varies by insurer.

The sum assured goes up to £25,000 which tends to be significantly lower than most other policies.

Due to this, many people take out an over 50s plan predominately to cover their funeral costs.

Funeral plan

A funeral plan allows you to plan and pay for your funeral in advance.

Many people take out a funeral plan to avoid rising funeral costs, (which have risen 130% in the last 16 years^[1]).

Acceptance is guaranteed with a funeral plan regardless of your health or age.

At Reassured, we can compare quotes on your behalf for multiple funeral plans and/or over 50s plans.

Simply get in touch with our award-winning team today for your no-obligation quotes.

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Can I get life insurance after a heart attack?

It’s still possible to secure life insurance for heart attack victims, even if you’ve been declined cover in the past.

Although it may be sensible to wait a period of time after the event before applying for a policy.

This provides a recovery period during which your symptoms may improve, you’re able to be more active and you’re at lower risk of having another episode.

The likelihood you’ll be accepted for life cover is determined by your individual circumstances.

The factors taken into consideration when assessing your application may include:

• When the heart attack occurred
• If there are any ongoing symptoms
• Treatment, surgery, and/or medication
• Current blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Other episodes/dates of previous episodes
• Family history of heart conditions
• Other heart-related conditions.

Based on this information the underwriter will be able to asses the level of risk you pose and calculate the cost of your premiums.

They’ll also take into account your age, smoking status, lifestyle and policy terms during this process.

If you’ve previously had a heart attack, you’re at a higher risk of having another heart attack, or a stroke.

An insurer must be cautious of this and will require further details of your condition.

This may include a conversation with your doctor and possibly a medical exam.

In many cases, a heart attack victim will be considered an impaired risk and will be referred to a specialist insurer.

Not to worry though, as our team at Reassured are experienced with handling impaired risk applicants.

They’ll do their very best to match you with the insurer most likely to accept your application.

Get in touch to arrange your life insurance after heart attack.

Can you get critical illness after a heart attack?

It’s possible to obtain critical illness cover (CIC) even after a heart attack.

However, the insurer will exclude your heart condition and any severe cardiovascular diseases from the cover.

CIC will then provide a tax-free lump sum payment if you’re diagnosed with another serious, yet non-life-threatening illness.

The pay out could be used for private medical treatment, private care, adaptations to your home and/or family living costs.

Life insurance heart attack pay out

A pay out is made for life insurance or critical illness cover after a heart attack as long as:

• A heart attack is one of the conditions included in your cover
• Premium payments are up to date
• Full disclosure has been made of your condition and personal circumstances.

Life insurance pay out rates vary depending on the insurer, but overall 99.6% of all UK life insurance claims result in a successful pay out^[2].

The majority of insurers Reassured arrange policies on behalf of, achieve a pay out rate of approximately 99%.

Providing you with peace of mind that your loved ones will receive the financial protection they need when the time comes.

Life insurance after a stroke

Life insurance is often available after a stroke, depending on the severity of the stroke.

For some people, the effects of a stroke are fairly minor, while others can be left with life-changing health complications.

The recovery process is different for everyone too.

It’s sensible to wait a period of time after the event before applying for life insurance after suffering a stroke.

Your application will be assessed and your premiums calculated based on the following information:

• Your age
• When the stroke occurred
• Cause of the stroke
• Type of stroke (transient ischaemic, ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke)
• Ongoing symptoms
• Any long-term health problems
• Treatment, surgery, and/or medication
• Other episodes/dates of previous episodes
• Family history of heart conditions
• Other heart-related conditions.

One major factor that’ll affect your life insurance application is whether you’ve had a full stroke or a mini-stroke, (transient ischemic attack – TIA).

It’s much easier to underwrite an application for someone who’s suffered a mini-stroke; on the basis that you’re making efforts to reduce your risk of having another (full) stroke, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Another major factor is the cause of the stroke.

For example, if you suffer from high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation, your application may be much more difficult to accept.

In any case, our dedicated team at Reassured will do their utmost to help you find a suitable insurer.

Compare quotes and secure life insurance for stroke victims using our FCA registered brokerage today.

Compare Life Insurance Quotes for Stroke Victims »

Life insurance heart disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart disease and stroke, is one of the main causes of death in the UK^[3].

The insurer will require the details of your particular condition to be able to assess your application and calculate your premium.

These may include:

• Date of diagnosis
• Ongoing symptoms
• Severity of symptoms
• Treatment, surgery, and/or medication
• Current blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Family history of heart conditions
• Other heart-related conditions.

They may also request an up to date blood pressure reading and a blood test to check your current cholesterol level.

Death from heart disease is preventable with effective treatment and/or medication and by leading a healthy lifestyle.

Efforts to improve your heart health (thus extending your life expectancy) will bode well for heart disease life insurance applications.

Although, someone with heart disease may be considered as high risk and may be referred to a specialist insurer.

A specialist insurer can help find life cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Our impaired risk team have the knowledge and the experience to understand the requirements of each specialist insurer.

Compare multiple quotes for life insurance for heart disease patients using our FCA registered service.

Life insurance high blood pressure (hypertension)

It’s possible to secure standard life insurance if you have well managed high blood pressure, with or without medication.

Most insurers will assess your application and calculate your premiums based on your current blood pressure readings, in correlation to your age and how you’re responding to treatment.

They’ll take into account:

• Date of diagnosis
• Weight (BMI)
• Treatment, surgery, and/or medication
• Family history of heart conditions
• Any underlying related health conditions.

An insurer will also take into account your age and smoking status, before providing a quote.

What is considered high blood pressure for life insurance?

A normal blood pressure reading will show systolic and diastolic readings under 140/90 mmHg.

If you have high blood pressure, your reading will show between 140/90 and 180/110 mmHg.

In regards to high blood pressure and life insurance, an applicant with a reading of less than 142/88 and not taking any medication is likely to secure cover on standard rates.

If your blood pressure is anything over 177/106 mmHg it’s most likely your application will be declined and you may be referred to a specialist insurer.

Either way, get in touch with our award-winning team and they’ll do their best to find you suitable cover.

Can I get life insurance if I have heart failure?

It may be very difficult to secure standard life insurance if you have heart failure.

Along with other heart diseases, heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in the UK.

An applicant with heart failure may be considered high risk or impaired risk and may be referred to a specialist insurer.

A specialist insurer is more likely to accept your application for life insurance, but at a heightened premium.

There’s also the option of an over 50s plan, in which your medical information isn’t taken into account.

Acceptance is guaranteed for UK applicants aged between 50 – 85 and the cost of premiums are determined by your age and cover amount.

Get in touch with our award-winning team who’ll be happy to explain your options.

Life insurance after heart bypass surgery

You can still secure life insurance even after receiving heart bypass surgery.

As mentioned previously, it’s best to wait a period of time to recover before applying for life insurance.

The insurer will take into account the factors that have led to your heart surgery.

These may include your:

• Type of heart condition
• Smoking history
• Weight (BMI)
• Cholesterol and/or blood pressure levels
• Family’s history of heart disease.

Making positive lifestyle changes to improve your health may affect the success of your surgery and can lower your risk of developing further heart complications.

This will improve your chances of securing the cover you need, at a premium you can afford.

Compare quotes for life insurance after heart bypass surgery with Reassured.

Terminal illness cover

Terminal illness cover comes as standard with most life insurance policies arranged through Reassured.

If you’ve managed to secure your life insurance with a heart condition, you could also receive this benefit.

Terminal illness cover allows you to make an early claim on your policy if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness and predicted to pass away with 12 months.

The pay out could be used as you wish, whether that be to pay off the mortgage or to enjoy with your loved ones.

Life insurance for child with heart condition

Obtaining life insurance for a young child with a heart condition may not be beneficial.

This is because if they were to become unwell, it’s unlikely to result in any loss of income, (unless one parent has to take time off work to care for them).

Your children will able to obtain their own life cover from the age of 18, possibly 17 with some insurers.

Even with a heart condition, they should be able to achieve fairly low premiums at this age.

Many adult critical illness policies also provide a certain level of cover for your children.

However, please note that the child isn’t underwritten so any pre-existing conditions will be excluded.

So, if your child is diagnosed with a new critical illness, you can make a claim on your policy.

The amount you receive will often be capped, (usually at either £50,000 or 50% of the overall policy total) – although this will vary between insurers.

Support services for people with heart conditions

For more information on life insurance with heart condition or for any support or information in regards to your condition, use the following links;

• British Heart Foundation – Life insurance with a heart or circulatory condition
• NHS – Coronary heart disease recovery
• Stroke Association – Support for stroke victims

Compare life insurance with heart condition quotes

Ultimately, it’s possible to secure life insurance even with a heart condition, though premiums could be more expensive.

Comparing multiple quotes for the cover you need is the most-effective way of securing the best possible price.

As an FCA registered broker, Reassured can do exactly this on your behalf.

Even if you’ve been declined in the past, why not use the expertise of our specialist impaired team to help you find a suitable insurer?

What’s more, we can help you write your policy into a trust to avoid/minimise 40% inheritance tax.

Our award-winning service is completely free for you to use.

Get in touch today to secure your life insurance with a heart condition.

Compare Life Insurance for Heart Conditions »

Sources:

[1] SunLife (2020), Cost of Dying Report, sunlife.co.uk/costofdying2020

[2] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/long-does-take-life-insurance-pay/

[3] https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research/heart-statistics

[4] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-cardiovascular-disease/

[5] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/

[6] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/

[7] https://www.livescience.com/35908-aging-lowers-your-immunity.html

[8] https://www.yourlifeprotected.co.uk/conditions-we-cover/stroke/

[9] https://www.the-insurance-surgery.co.uk/medical-conditions-life-insurance/heart-disease-life-insurance/

[10] https://www.stroke.org.uk/effects-of-stroke/physical-effects-of-stroke

[11] https://www.onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk/life-insurance/high-blood-pressure-life-insurance/