Can you get life insurance with pre-existing conditions?

A life insurance policy can help provide financial support to your family if you become terminally ill or pass away.

Life insurance is worth considering if you’re supporting anyone (such as your partner and kids) and you want to make sure they can manage financially if anything unexpected happens. 

When you’re applying for life insurance, it’s important to be upfront if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. NobleOak assesses each application individually so it can provide tailored coverage. 

This article answers the following questions: 

• What is a pre–existing medical condition, and what are some examples? 

• Is it possible to get life insurance with pre-existing conditions? 

• Are premiums higher for life insurance with pre-existing conditions? 

• How do you disclose pre-existing medical conditions when applying for life insurance? 

• How long does the application process take? 

• Are there any instances where life insurance might be declined due to a pre-existing medical condition? 

The common definition of a pre-existing medical condition is any illness, injury, or health condition that you’ve experienced, had symptoms of, or have been treated for prior to applying for life insurance. 

Even if your pre-existing medical condition has been successfully treated, you will still need to provide details about it in your life insurance application. 

Any medical condition that affects your ability to work, or poses a threat to your life, will need to be disclosed to your insurance provider before you take out a policy. Different insurance companies define the term “pre-existing medical condition” in different ways. If you want to know how it is defined by NobleOak, contact the company here.

In many circumstances, you can still obtain life insurance even if you have a pre-existing condition. The application process might take a little longer, but ultimately it’s likely you’ll end up with quality insurance that can help act as a safety net for your loved ones. 

The following are common examples of pre-existing medical conditions: 

• Diabetes 

• High blood pressure 

• Asthma 

• High BMI 

• Heart disease 

• Cancer 

• Melanoma 

• High cholesterol 

• Kidney or liver disease 

• Musculoskeletal conditions 

• Stroke 

• Sleep apnoea 

• Arthritis 

• Mental health conditions (including anxiety and depression) 

• Any other conditions diagnosed by a medical practitioner/professional 

Most insurance providers will also want to know certain details about your lifestyle, such as whether you smoke or drink alcohol. You can learn more about this here: Key Factors That Could Affect Your Life Insurance Premiums. 

Most life insurance providers generally do not classify the following as pre-existing medical conditions: 

• Minor colds and flu 

• Injuries (such as broken bones) that you’ve fully recovered from 

• Routine pregnancies 

• Seasonal allergies 

• Non-chronic skin conditions (such as mild eczema or acne) 

• Minor surgeries (such as wisdom tooth extraction) 

When you’re looking at life insurance options, make sure to check the policy details, or consult directly with the provider to make sure that you have all the information you need. 

Yes, it is possible to apply for cover with NobleOak if you have a pre-existing medical condition. An existing illness or injury doesn’t necessarily rule out your eligibility for life insurance. You may also need to undergo a medical examination. 

Depending on the specific condition, NobleOak may offer to: 

• Cover the pre-existing condition 

• Exclude your pre-existing condition from your cover, or 

• Cover the condition for a higher premium. 

One common pre-existing medical condition is diabetes – you can find out more about how NobleOak approaches this here: Can You Obtain Life Insurance After a Diabetes Diagnosis? 

Sometimes, yes, your insurance premiums will be higher to reflect the additional risk to the insurer if you have a pre-existing condition (referred to as a “loading”). 

Alternatively, your insurer might decide that they’re not able to provide coverage for a certain pre-existing condition – resulting in a life insurance policy that excludes this condition (referred to as an “exclusion”). 

You can find out more about the cost of life insurance with pre-existing conditions here: Navigating Life Insurance: Loadings and Exclusions Explained. 

When you’re taking out life insurance, and pre-existing conditions are relevant to your application, it’s important to be upfront. This means you need to provide honest answers about your medical history in your insurance application – either online or over the phone. 

The application process of NobleOak Life Insurance involves detailed health and medical questions, where we’ll ask you to provide information about any past or current illnesses, treatments, surgeries, or medications. 

In addition to the health questionnaire, your insurer may also ask you to provide medical records or undergo a medical examination. The likelihood of this will depend on what the pre-existing condition is. More detail about this process is included in this article: What Is a Life Insurance Medical Examination (And What Can I Expect During Mine)? 

NobleOak provides fully underwritten cover, which means that it will only issue life insurance policies after thoroughly evaluating your health, lifestyle, and medical history. This allows for tailored premiums and coverage that’s based on your specific risk profile. You can learn more about this here: Fully Underwritten Life Insurance: Don’t Settle for Anything Less. 

Although some insurance providers can issue life insurance policies without requiring as much medical information, there are downsides. The first is that the premiums are likely to be higher, and the second is you won’t have as much certainty that any insurance claims for this policy will be approved. 

This will depend on what the pre-existing condition is. In most cases, someone at the insurance company will assess your application and let you know if they require more information from you (or further tests) before assessing your application. 

The length of the process will depend on what the pre-existing condition is, and whether you need to undergo a medical examination. Pre-existing conditions that are generally mild or well-managed may not require a medical examination – for example, if you have hypertension but it’s under control through medication and lifestyle factors, the application process should be fairly straightforward. 

In some circumstances, it might not be possible to obtain life insurance for pre-existing illnesses that are considered to be high risk. Certain aggressive types of cancer, for instance, might make it more difficult to take out a life insurance policy. 

Ultimately, this will depend on the insurance company, and the specific details of your medical condition.