Affordable Life Insurance With High Cholesterol | Instant Rates
last updated on December 2, 2020Your high cholesterol will not prevent you from securing life insurance coverage.
But, it does create a few hoops to jump through.
The difference between being approved and declined for coverage comes down to a number of important factors:
- Your specific cholesterol numbers
- The company you apply with
- Form of coverage you want
- Your age and overall health
Here, you will find everything you need to know about finding affordable life insurance with high cholesterol.
Table Of Contents
Overview
Cholesterol, the waxy substance that is found in your body’s cells, is a vital component to life. It plays a primary role in the functioning of cells, hormones, and vitamin D.
Your liver makes it, and certain foods, like animal products, provide a secondary source of cholesterol.
Too little or too much cholesterol causes your doctor and your life insurance underwriter to raise a red flag
Often, high cholesterol goes undetected until your life insurance application is processed, and lab work identifies the issue.
Even if you have started the process of buying life insurance, and discovered elevated cholesterol, you still have the ability to secure coverage.
Underwriting High Cholesterol
Life insurance companies will want to know some specific information.
The more prepared you are, the less likely you will be thrown off guard during the application process.
For traditional life insurance, underwriters (that’s who assesses risk) typically ask the following questions.
1. When was your diagnosis?
Your underwriter will be interested in some calendar dates. Plan to share when you were diagnosed and your current age.
Some carriers are more lenient with cholesterol measurements as you age (often age 60 and older).
Note – be sure to examine no exam life insurance for seniors if you older, as needs and options change with age.
2. What are you cholesterol numbers?
Most life insurance companies will use your HDL ratio to determine the health class you qualify for.
Consider the following example. But, keep in mind, acceptable ratios vary by company.
HDL Ratio For Life Insurance
| Preferred Best | Preferred | Standard Plus | Standard | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 HDL ratio or less | 6.0 HDL ratio or less | 7.0 HDL ratio or less | 8.0 HDL ratio or less | over 8.0 HDL ratio; limits apply |
In addition, total cholesterol limits usually apply. For instance, some carriers allow a minimum of 120 and a maximum of 300 total.
Often, carriers will request medical records from your physician – called an Attending Physician’s Statement (APS) to view a history of your cholesterol readings.
3. Do you have a treatment plan?
Unless you just discovered your elevated cholesterol levels, it’s likely your physician has prescribed lifestyle modifications and/or other forms of treatment.
Communicate the following:
- Stress reduction
- Exercise
- Diet modification
- Medication
4. What medications do you take?
Generally speaking, you won’t be penalized too much for taking common forms of medication.
Most life insurance companies allow cholesterol medication.
Statins, in particular, are prescribed all the time and demonstrate proactive care of your health – if your doctor deems it necessary to pharmaceutically treat you condition.
5. Any hospitalizations or major medical events?
High cholesterol is often a precursor to additional medical events.
If you have experienced a major surgery or health emergency, you will need to disclose that information.
Left untreated, it is related to hospitalizations:
6. How is your overall health?
There are certain health and lifestyle factors related to high cholesterol.
Remember, the job of an underwriter is to evaluate risk.
The more concerning health issues you have, the more difficult it becomes (but not necessarily impossible) to be approved for traditional coverage.
Plan for questions about:
- Smoking habits
- If you are overweight
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- History of depression
Keep in mind – honesty is the only option. Underwriters check electronic databases. Purposefully lying puts your coverage at risk.
7. Is there a family history of health conditions?
Does high cholesterol run in your family? What about other serious health conditions, like cancer?
Life insurance companies will want to know if a close blood-related family member (like your parents or siblings) were diagnosed with a cardiovascular or other medical condition before the age of 60.
Best Life Insurance Companies
Some companies underwrite high cholesterol more favorably than others.
Your unique needs and situation determine the best carrier to apply with. However, in general, we recommend the following carriers.
Prudential
Prudential is a go-to carrier.
In fact, you can qualify for all health classes with up to 300 in total cholesterol.
Underwriting details
- Preferred Best – 5 HDL ratio or less
- Preferred – 6 HDL ratio or less
- Standard Plus – 7 HDL ratio or less
- Standard – dependent on cholesterol readings and medical conditions
Cholesterol medications are okay.
Banner
Another top-rated carrier is Banner.
- Preferred Best – 4.5 HDL ratio or less
- Preferred – 5.5 HDL ratio or less w
- Standard Plus – 6.5 HDL ratio or less
- Standard – 8.0 HDL ratio or less
Note – your total cholesterol must be 300 or below.
Cholesterol medications are okay.
Nassau Re
Nassau Re, formerly called Phoenix, is a top-rated no physical life insurance company.
No cholesterol questions are asked during the application process.
Important
It is important to note that your health, in its entirety, will determine the best life insurance company to apply with.
Additional medical conditions can impact your premium rates. An independent agent (that’s us) will guide you through your options.
In fact, if you have multiple health conditions, you may want to evaluate your no exam life insurance options, as a fully underwritten policy can highlight medical issues.
Life Insurance Quotes For People With High Cholesterol
Your specific numbers, in addition to your overall health and lifestyle, will determine the type of policy and health class you qualify for.
For a general idea of cost, consider the following sample rates.
Keep in mind, however, the quotes are merely examples and do not reflect your specific rate.
Samples are for $250,000 of 10-year term life insurance and reflect quotes from companies that tend to underwrite high cholesterol favorably.
High Cholesterol Life Insurance Quotes
| Preferred Plus | Standard | Table 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Year Old Male | $11.18 | $17.67 | $19.99 |
| 20 Year Old Female | $8.53 | $14.12 | $16.96 |
| 25 Year Old Male | $11.18 | $17.67 | $19.99 |
| 25 Year Old Female | $8.53 | $14.12 | $16.96 |
| 30 Year Old Male | $11.18 | $17.67 | $19.99 |
| 30 Year Old Female | $8.71 | $14.12 | $17.28 |
| 35 Year Old Male | $11.73 | $18.70 | $20.19 |
| 35 Year Old Female | $8.98 | $16.05 | $17.48 |
| 40 Year Old Male | $12.19 | $21.99 | $28.67 |
| 40 Year Old Female | $10.86 | $18.92 | $22.77 |
| 45 Year Old Male | $16.81 | $30.74 | $37.99 |
| 45 Year Old Female | $15.15 | $25.63 | $31.28 |
| 50 Year Old Male | $25.21 | $45.31 | $55.86 |
| 50 Year Old Female | $21.77 | $35.65 | $44.32 |
| 55 Year Old Male | $40.20 | $69.69 | $86.33 |
| 55 Year Old Female | $30.87 | $50.87 | $63.32 |
| 60 Year Old Male | $65.19 | $109.00 | $134.78 |
| 60 Year Old Female | $43.91 | $76.75 | $98.43 |
| 65 Year Old Male | $104.27 | $187.62 | $225.69 |
| 65 Year Old Female | $73.50 | $136.31 | $174.79 |
| 70 Year Old Male | $181.41 | $313.75 | $393.55 |
| 70 Year Old Female | $124.47 | $218.35 | $332.79 |
| 75 Year Old Male | $336.66 | $596.53 | $719.37 |
| 75 Year Old Female | $233.84 | $384.76 | $565.34 |
Typically, your total cholesterol must not be higher than 300 in order to qualify for Standard (or better) rates.
Your health classification will likely be placed in a Table (1-8) if your total cholesterol is over 300 or you have multiple health conditions.
How To Apply
There are two important things to accomplish in order to secure life insurance coverage with high cholesterol.
First, you need to gather some important health information. Be ready to communicate your health history and physician’s information.
Second, it’s best to work with an independent agent. Why? You will want access to multiple carriers so that you can find the best policy you qualify for.
To start, fill out your free quote.
