Can I get life insurance with high blood pressure?
If you’ve landed on this page, it’s probably because you have a concern with getting approved for life insurance when you have high blood pressure. The great news is that it’s easier than you may think to get life insurance that fits in your budget with great rates. However one caveat is, unfortunately, depending on the type of life insurance you want, it may be harder to get approved.
There is more than one type of life insurance and the type you want will affect your rates if you have high blood pressure.
If you are looking for term life insurance or a policy with a big death benefit amount (over $50,000), be forewarned that these policies have stricter guidelines.
The Term Life Insurance vs. Universal Life Insurance vs. Whole Life Insurance Debate
Depending on what financial advisor you ask, you will get varying answers to what type of life insurance is best. Without jumping into that never ending debate, I’ll just explain the difference between them, and at the end of the day, the best life insurance is the one that will give you the peace of mind you are looking for.
Term life insurance
Term life insurance is temporary life insurance for a certain amount of time, like 10, 15, 20 or even 30 years. The good news with term life insurance is that the rates can be locked in at a low amount during the time you have the policy. And because of the lower rates and no cash value that grows, it’s easier to afford a larger amount of protection.
The downside to term life insurance is that once the policy time ends, and you are still alive, and still want life insurance, you will have to start the search all over again. And if you have health issues and depending on your age, it can cost a lot more to get more coverage.
Another thing to consider is some insurance companies will want more medical and prescription history information and require you to have an exam to determine if you are eligible for term life insurance. This can make it difficult to get approved for the best rates available if you have hypertension.
Indexed Universal Life Insurance (IUL)
If you want life insurance with a higher death benefit amount as well as supplementing your income when you retire, then an IUL may be best for your peace of mind. There are different things to consider with an IUL because the cash value that accumulates is based on the stock market index. I am no expert on IULs, but like with term, it too may have stricter health qualifications than a final expense life insurance policy. So with that being said,…
The good news is if you want coverage to cover your burial expenses so your family don’t have to when you die, high blood pressure will not hinder you qualifying for a burial insurance plan.
Burial insurance, or as some people call it final expense insurance, is a whole life insurance policy with a smaller death benefit amount.
Whole life insurance
Whole life insurance is life insurance that covers you for your whole life. It also builds a cash value, the rates never to increase, and the coverage amount never decreases. You can also get a high amount of coverage with whole life insurance, but it costs more to have than term.
However, if you are looking for life insurance to cover your burial or cremation expenses, so your love ones don’t have to, a small whole life insurance policy, also known as final expense insurance or burial insurance, is best. And with this kind of smaller whole life insurance policy, if you have high blood pressure, it will not prevent you from getting a policy with immediate coverage and access to the lowest premiums offered.
Yep; it’s true. Even if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, you can still qualify for immediate coverage with the same premium as someone the same age as you, with no health issues.
Even if you take more than one prescription for high blood pressure or have uncontrolled hypertension, it will not prevent you from being approved for this type of policy.
How does the application process for burial insurance work when you have high blood pressure?
The first thing to do is to speak with a licensed insurance agent. Basic health questions are asked before submitting an application to the insurance carrier. This is to ensure you get the best rate and coverage for your situation.
Tip: It is best to speak to a licensed insurance agent who specializes in final expense life insurance and represent multiple insurance companies.
Each insurance carrier has their own set of health questions to determine eligibility, so it’s best to speak to a burial insurance agent who knows which company would be the best fit for you to get you the best coverage and rates.
Once it is determine which insurance carrier will give you the best coverage and premium, that is when we will ask the specific health questions that is on the life insurance application. Fortunately, if the question is not ask on the application, the insurance carrier is OK with it to approve you for coverage.
Most insurance companies that provide final expense life insurance coverage do not ask about hypertension as a prerequisite to getting approved for burial insurance. This means that you are very likely to qualify for immediate protection at their lowest rate.
Once an application is completed, it is sent to the insurance carrier to compare your answers to their health questions with your medical and prescription history. There is no medical exam or physical required.
The following prescriptions are popular medicines for high blood pressure:
- Amlodipine
- Atenolol
- Benicar
- Coreg
- Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)
- Lasix
- Lisinopril
- Losartan
- Metroprolol
- Valsartan
In a nutshell…
If you have only hypertension, and no other health condition, it should not be hard to get approved with the best burial insurance rates and coverage.
However, it is very important to note that if you have other health conditions, this too can also determine the final outcome. Life insurance companies also look at overall health, and usually not blood pressure readings, if you are wanting final expense insurance. The good news is that if you speak to an experience final expense insurance agent with our company, we can find the best life insurance for you based on your unique situation.
There are lots of insurance companies to choose from, so give us a call so we can help you get the best price and peace of mind.