Epilepsy Life insurance

Q: Can I get life insurance with epilepsy?

Yes, it could be possible to arrange life insurance if you have epilepsy. It’s often believed that having epilepsy automatically results in increased premiums, restricted protection or the risk of being declined. However, this may not always be the case. Epilepsy is a complex condition, therefore your individual circumstances will be taken into consideration during the application process to establish the right option for you. Over 630,000 people in the UK are living with epilepsy, with 80 people being diagnosed with the condition everyday [1] . With this in mind, insurers are used to receiving applications from people with epilepsy.

Q: What is life insurance for epilepsy?

Officially, there’s no such product as epilepsy life insurance . This simply refers to a life insurance policy taken out by a person diagnosed with epilepsy. Life insurance can provide your loved ones with a lump sum payment after your passing, which could be used to help cover: Mortgage or rent Household bills & utilities Family living costs Funeral costs Unpaid debts or loans An inheritance While life insurance can be beneficial for everyone, having a pre-existing medical condition (where the risk of developing other conditions is increased) can highlight the importance of having the right cover in place.

Q: What if I have been declined previously?

If you’ve previously been refused for life insurance , you could still have options. Just because one insurer declined you, may not mean they all will. You could secure cover through a specialist insurer, these are providers who specialise in offering cover to non-standard applicants (such as those with medical conditions). Alternatively, if you’re aged 50 - 85, you could secure an over 50s plan where you won’t need to provide any medical information. At Reassured we have a specialist impaired risk life insurance team who have a great track record of securing some form of cover for those who have previously been declined. Simply get in touch to find out about your options.

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Epilepsy life insurance

Can I get life insurance with epilepsy?
Getting life insurance with epilepsy (defining seizure types)
What is life insurance for epilepsy?
Is epilepsy a pre-existing medical condition?
Does epilepsy affect life insurance?
What’s the best life insurance for epilepsy?
How much is life insurance for someone with epilepsy?
Can an insurer decline you if you have epilepsy?
Will I need to undergo a medical exam?
Life insurance & epilepsy - Top tips

We work with some of the UK’s leading insurers:

Can I get life insurance with epilepsy?

Yes, it could be possible to arrange life insurance if you have epilepsy.

It’s often believed that having epilepsy automatically results in increased premiums, restricted protection or the risk of being declined. However, this may not always be the case.

Epilepsy is a complex condition, therefore your individual circumstances will be taken into consideration during the application process to establish the right option for you.

Over 630,000 people in the UK are living with epilepsy, with 80 people being diagnosed with the condition everyday^[1].

With this in mind, insurers are used to receiving applications from people with epilepsy.

If you have concerns about securing life insurance, why not contact Reassured?

We can guide you through the application and compare quotes from multiple insurers, free of charge.

We also have a specialist team who have a great track record of finding cover for those who have struggled to secure protection in the past.

All quotes are fee-free and no-obligation, simply get in touch.

Compare Life Insurance with Epilepsy Quotes »

Getting life insurance with epilepsy (defining seizure types)

One of the main factors insurers will consider is the type of seizure you experience and how severe/frequently you experience them.

Insurers would once consider whether seizures were ‘grand mal’ or ‘petit mal’. However, due to advancements in the understanding of epileptic seizures, there are now different classifications:

Absence seizures (previously referred to as petit mal)
Focal aware seizures
Focal impaired awareness seizures
Mylonic seizures
Tonic and atonic seizures
Tonic clonic seizures (previously referred to as grand mal)^[2]

If you’ve been living with epilepsy for a while and are more used to using older definitions, this isn’t an issue.

What is life insurance for epilepsy?

Officially, there’s no such product as epilepsy life insurance. This simply refers to a life insurance policy taken out by a person diagnosed with epilepsy.

Life insurance can provide your loved ones with a lump sum payment after your passing, which could be used to help cover:

Mortgage or rent

Household bills & utilities

Family living costs

Funeral costs

Unpaid debts or loans

An inheritance

While life insurance can be beneficial for everyone, having a pre-existing medical condition (where the risk of developing other conditions is increased) can highlight the importance of having the right cover in place.

Speaking with an expert to find out about your options can allow you to establish what’s right for you.

At Reassured we can provide you with all the information you need to know to make a fully informed decision.

How much life insurance do you need?

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Is epilepsy a pre-existing medical condition?

Yes, if you have epilepsy at the point of application, this will be considered pre-existing.

This means you’ll need to disclose your diagnosis and you’ll likely need to answer additional questions about your personal circumstances.

If you have any other medical conditions alongside epilepsy, you’ll also need to provide details of these.

Rest assured, you could still be able to secure some form of cover. This could be through an over 50s plan (where no medical information is required) or through a specialist insurer.

It’s essential that you provide all the necessary information regarding your health when asked. Insurers need to know this information to find you suitable cover.

Withholding information or providing false details could lead to your cover becoming invalid, meaning no pay out will be issued when the time comes.

Read our comprehensive life insurance with pre-existing medical conditions article for more information »

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Does epilepsy affect life insurance?

Yes, depending on the severity of your condition, epilepsy could have an effect on your life insurance application.

Epilepsy is a very complex condition and each person is likely to experience different symptoms and seizures.

For this reason, when applying for life insurance, you’ll likely be asked some additional questions about the personal circumstances of your condition.

The information required could include (but isn’t limited to):

Date of diagnosis
Type of seizure
Date of last seizure
Severity/frequency of seizures
If you’re taking any medication
If you’re receiving any treatment
Whether you have been hospitalised due to epilepsy
If there is an underlying cause for your epilepsy
Whether you have any other medical conditions

If you have epilepsy that’s well controlled through medication, your seizures don’t result in a loss of consciousness and you haven’t experienced a seizure in the last 5 years, the impact on your application is likely to be minimal.

Those who experience frequent seizures, with loss of consciousness, may be able to secure cover but will often find that premiums are increased.

If you have uncontrollable epilepsy and/or you have been hospitalised due to your condition, it may be more difficult to secure cover.

However, by using a broker you could find some form of cover to suit your personal circumstances.

At Reassured we work with a panel of insurers (including specialist insurers available through our advised team). Simply get in touch to find out about your options.

Why Reassured for epilepsy life insurance?

We’re the UK’s largest life insurance broker^* with over 14 years experience
Our award-winning service is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with over 80,000 reviews
We work with a panel of some of the UK’s best insurers, including mainstream & specialist insurers (available through our advised team)
We can provide you with personalised & fee-free quotes, with no-obligation to secure a policy
A dedicated expert will guide you through the application, providing support & decoding any jargon
We have a specialist team to help those who have struggled to secure cover in the past
Use our free trust writing service to minimise/avoid 40% inheritance tax for your loved ones (available on most policies)
We’ll provide you with our best available quotes

What’s the best life insurance for epilepsy?

As someone with epilepsy, you can still choose between multiple life insurance options.

However, due to your condition, some policies may be more suitable than others.

With most policy types, you’ll need to provide medical information. Depending on the severity of your condition this could impact the price you pay and your eligibility.

Below we have broken down the most common types of life insurance and how epilepsy could affect your application:

Level term life insurance

Level term life insurance provides cover for a specified period (the term) and offers a fixed sum assured (pay out) if you pass away during this time.

Term length up to 40 years
Terminal illness cover included at no extra cost
Ideal for helping to cover an interest only mortgage, other large debts and/or family living costs
Medical information required during the application
Depending on the severity of your epilepsy, your premiums and eligibility could be impacted

Decreasing term life insurance

Decreasing term life insurance provides cover for a specified period and offers a sum assured that reduces over time (if you pass away during the term).

Term length up to 40 years
Terminal illness cover included at no extra cost
Ideal for helping to cover an interest only mortgage, other large debts and/or family living costs
Medical information required during the application
Depending on the severity of your epilepsy, your premiums and eligibility could be impacted

Whole of life insurance

Whole of life insurance provides lifelong cover, guaranteeing a pay out to your loved ones when you pass away.

Rest of life cover
Ideal for helping to cover inheritance tax or providing an inheritance
Medical information required during the application
Depending on the severity of your epilepsy, your premiums and eligibility could be impacted
Could be costly if paying inflated premiums for the rest of your life
Available through Reassured's advised team

Over 50 life insurance

Over 50 life insurance guarantees acceptance to those aged 50 - 85 and also provides a guaranteed pay out.

Rest of life cover with guaranteed acceptance
Smaller sum assured (maximum of £20,000) which can help to cover funeral costs
No medical information required during the application so your condition won’t affect your premiums or eligibility
Ideal for those in this age bracket who have struggled to secure standard cover

Reassured can compare all of the above policies to help you find the right option to meet your needs.

Our life insurance comparison service is fee-free and no-obligation. Why not put us to work today?

Additional policies

As well as the life insurance policies listed above, there are some additional policies you could consider to provide an extra safety net.

We have listed these below and how they could be affected by epilepsy.

Terminal illness cover

Included at no extra cost with all term life insurance policies.

Make an early claim on your policy if you’re diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and given less than 12 months to live.

The funds could help to cover end of life care or could allow you to get your financial affairs in order for your loved ones.

Exclusions for conditions linked to epilepsy could be added, meaning you wouldn’t be able to claim for these reasons.

Critical illness cover

Can be added to term life insurance for an additional cost.

This will allow you to make an early claim if you’re diagnosed with a specified serious illness (listed within your policy).

The funds could help to replace any lost income as a result of your illness and/or pay for any private medical treatment.

Exclusions for conditions linked to epilepsy could be added, meaning you wouldn’t be able to claim for these reasons.

Income protection

Receive monthly, tax free payments if you’re unable to work due to sickness or injury.

Between 50 - 70% of your usual earnings could be protected (depending on the insurer).

Income protection and life insurance can be taken out simultaneously (if your budget allows) to provide cover during your working life and after your passing.

Exclusions for conditions linked to epilepsy could be added, meaning you wouldn’t be able to claim for these reasons.

Available through Reassured's advised team.

Family income benefit

An alternative form of life insurance which will pay out in monthly instalments if you pass away during the policy term.

If your family would struggle to budget a large lump sum, this could be a more suitable form of cover.

The monthly payments can help to cover regular monthly outgoings such as mortgage or rent payments and household bills.

Depending on the severity of your condition your premiums and eligibility could be affected.

Available through Reassured's advised team.

How much is life insurance for someone with epilepsy?

The price you pay for life insurance as someone with epilepsy will vary depending on your personal circumstances.

You’ll need to provide key information during the application in order for insurers to accurately calculate your life insurance premium.

This will include general information, details about your condition, as well as details about your chosen policy.

General information:

Age
Health & wellbeing
Smoking status
Weight (BMI)
Occupation & lifestyle

Details about your condition:

Type of seizures
Frequency and severity of seizures
Medication/treatment
Any hospitalisation

Policy details:

Policy type
Sum assured
Policy term

By assessing these factors insurers can establish the level of risk involved with offering you cover and your premium will be set accordingly.

Comparing quotes can help you to find the right policy to suit your personal circumstances.

Using our award-winning service you can compare quotes from leading UK providers to find our best deals.

Specialist life insurance through Reassured starts from £15 per month^» (subject to your individual circumstances).

Free & Personalised Quote Comparison »

Can you be denied life insurance for epilepsy?

It’s possible for insurers to decline an application due to epilepsy.

If multiple high-risk factors are identified (such as being at an older age, drinking alcohol or smoking in excess or having a risky occupation/hobby), this could lead to an application being denied.

You may also experience your application being declined or postponed if your diagnosis is recent.

Typically, insurers will need a set period to pass in order to see how the condition progresses and what your symptoms are like before offering you cover.

What if I have been declined previously?

If you’ve previously been refused for life insurance, you could still have options. Just because one insurer declined you, may not mean they all will.

You could secure cover through a specialist insurer, these are providers who specialise in offering cover to non-standard applicants (such as those with medical conditions).

Alternatively, if you’re aged 50 - 85, you could secure an over 50s plan where you won’t need to provide any medical information.

At Reassured we have a specialist impaired risk life insurance team who have a great track record of securing some form of cover for those who have previously been declined.

Simply get in touch to find out about your options.

Will I need to undergo a medical exam?

Depending on your personal circumstances, you may be required to undergo a medical exam when applying for life insurance with epilepsy.

In most cases you’ll be required to provide information about your condition and, in some scenarios, insurers may ask for a medical report from your GP.

These details can’t be obtained without your permission and you have the right to read through the report before it’s sent off.

This is so insurers can gather a full picture of your health and provide you with suitable cover.

If you have complications or unusual patterns with your epilepsy, you could be asked to undergo a medical exam. Again, this will be so insurers can get a better understanding of your health.

If a medical exam is needed it will be arranged and paid for by the insurer. If you're unable to provide further medical evidence then your application won't be able to continue as the insurer won't have the information they need to underwrite your policy.

What if I am diagnosed with epilepsy during the policy term?

If you’re diagnosed with epilepsy during the term of your policy, you don’t need to inform your insurer.

As long as you weren’t seeking a diagnosis prior to securing cover and all the information you provided on your application is correct, there will be no effect on your existing cover.

The only time your new diagnosis may impact cover is if you secure a new policy as you’ll need to provide new medical information.

Life insurance and epilepsy [Reassured’s top 5 tips]

Epilepsy can have an effect on your life insurance application, but there are some steps you can take to help the application run as smoothly as possible.

Have medical information ready - This can help to save time during the application and may reduce the need for a medical report
Have your GP’s contact details to hand - In case the insurer needs to speak with your GP (and you’re happy for them to do so) it can be beneficial to have their contact details ready to pass on
Lead a healthy lifestyle - Quitting smoking, drinking in moderation and maintaining a healthy weight can all lead to cheaper premiums
Compare multiple quotes - By comparing quotes you could find the right policy to suit your personal circumstances
Write your policy in trust - This process can detach your policy from your estate, meaning 40% inheritance tax is avoided/minimised for your loved ones. Reassured offer a free trust writing service on the majority of the policies we sell
Use the services of a broker - Let a broker (like Reassured) do the hard work for you. We can provide you with multiple quotes from a range of insurers to find you our best deals