Life Insurance for Heart Patients

There’s no question that having a heart condition can be scary. But did you know that life insurance for heart patients is actually quite possible to get?

In fact, most people with heart conditions can qualify for coverage. So don’t let your heart condition hold you back from getting the life insurance coverage you need.

At RiskQuoter, we specialize in underwriting heart problems since 1998, helping thousands of clients get affordable life insurance.

How Does Life Insurance for Heart Patients Work?

Life insurance for heart patients falls into the high-risk underwriting category. With high-risk life insurance, it’s important for us to get the details of your heart history upfront.

We can then get preliminary feedback in a few days (called a quick quote) from all life insurance companies that specialize in your heart condition.

Life insurance for all types of heart conditions is available, including:

Here’s what we need to know:

What was your exact heart condition diagnosis?When were you diagnosed with this condition?Did you have surgery?What procedure was completed and when?Have you completed all follow-up tests and treatment?Has any treatment/surgery been recommended that you have not completed yet?What is your current health?Have you made positive lifestyle changes since treatment?Do your parents/siblings have a history of heart problems?If you were a smoker, when did you quit?Do you take medications for hypertension or high cholesterol?

We summarize the above information and quick quote it to companies on an anonymous basis. It takes about 3 days for all companies to respond with feedback.

The benefit is that you’ll know the pricing and which companies are best before you apply.

Term Life Insurance for Heart Attack Victims

We tell you everything you need to know about getting term life insurance for heart attack (myocardial infarction) victims.

In the past, the only option would have been some overpriced whole life insurance policy, but not anymore.

With heart attacks, life insurers look at:

What caused your heart attackThe damage to your heart from the attack Treatment receivedCardiac test resultsDegree of recovery from the heart attack

Positive lifestyle changes also help – improvements to diet, exercise, quitting tobacco if you smoke, and making sure you meet with your cardiologist on a regular basis are all helpful.

Affordable life insurance after two heart attacks is even possible for many insureds.

We’ll review your heart attack history, we’ll tell you what information we need to provide accurate quotes to you and we’ll make sure that the quotes you receive from us are the best and most accurate quotes in the market.

Atrial Fibrillation Life Insurance

Can I get life insurance with atrial fibrillation? Yes! Most people with aFib are readily insurable.

The concern that life insurers have with atrial fibrillation is your potential risk of having a stroke.

Life insurance is based on whether you have paroxysmal (occasional), persistent (chronic), or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.

You may have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after an electrocardiogram, Holter monitor testing, event monitor testing, or an implantable monitor to detect rare Afib events.

Underwriting atrial fibrillation is based on:

The type of atrial fib you haveMedications you takeThe length of time you’ve had atrial fibSurgical history – ablation or maze procedureOther heart conditions

It’s important for us to know exactly what medications and dosages you take as some medications are used to slow the heart down, while others are used to regulate your heart rhythm or to prevent blood clots and strokes.

If you’ve had a catheter ablation or the maze procedure, life insurance rates are more expensive initially due to the atrial fibrillation severity, but over time better rates may become available if these procedures worked for you.

For atrial fibrillation caused by heart valve disease, underwriting tends to follow heart valve guidelines mentioned later in this guide.

No matter what type of atrial fibrillation history you have, we can help you get your best rates.

Life Insurance After Heart Stents

You may have had chest pain, a heart attack, or just completed a cardiac workup that revealed a clogged artery.

The cardiologist will decide if angioplasty with a stent or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the best option for you.

Angioplasty is a procedure where a balloon-like device is inserted into the clogged artery.

The balloon is expanded and contracted in your artery to improve blood flow.

A wire mesh stent is used to keep the artery open and the blood flowing.

Underwriters look at:

Underlying heart conditionsNumber heart stents receivedWhich heart vessels were stentedLifestyle before and after treatment (build, tobacco, lipids, exercise)Post-treatment cardiac test resultsTime since treatment

The first thing to keep in mind is that there will be a postpone period after getting a heart stent.

The postpone period is typically 3-6 months after the post-surgical cardiac workup…life insurers want to see how well your stents work before insuring you.

Postpone periods are shorter for single stents, longer for 2 or more stents.

In terms of price:

One stent – Standard Plus – Table Rating 2 (50%) rates (try our quote engine ->)Two stents – Table 2 (50%) – Table 4 (100%) rates are possible.Three or more stents – Offers are based on your exact medical details.Each table rating adds approximately 25% to a standard rate.

If you’ve recently had a heart stent implanted, don’t worry – you’re not automatically uninsurable.

In fact, there are plenty of life insurance companies that would like to have your business.

Life Insurance with Coronary Artery Disease

Finding the right life insurance policy can be daunting, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

Coronary Artery Disease, also known as CAD occurs when plaque builds up in your coronary arteries.

As this plaque builds up, your arteries narrow and may cause conditions such as angina (chest pain), heart attacks, blockages in your arteries, etc.

Your initial treatment may include diet changes, exercise, medications for high cholesterol, or elevated blood pressure.

So, how do you go about getting life insurance if you have coronary artery disease?

From a life insurance standpoint, underwriters look at your plaque burden – the number of heart vessels with plaque build-up and the extent of buildup (stenosis).

Underwriting factors include:

The extent of plaque burden from heart catheterization testThe number and type of cardiac events you’ve hadCurrent symptoms if anyLeft Ventricular Systolic and Diastolic funtions (underwriters look at your ejection fracation (LVEF)Stress test results if availableAny abnormal EKG test resultsAny other vascular diseases

We have a proven process to help coronary artery patients obtain affordable coverage from top-rated life insurance companies.

With coronary artery disease, we’ll make sure you get to the right life insurer based on your heart disease history.

Bypass Surgery Life Insurance

Most life insurance companies postpone underwriting for 6 months to 1 year after your bypass surgery…although in some very limited instances we’ve been able to get coverage after 3 months.

Here’s what life insurers need to know about your bypass history:

Did you have a heart attack or other heart condition before bypass surgery?When did you have bypass surgery?How many heart vessels were bypassed?Which vessels were bypassed?Have you completed cardiac rehab?When was your last stress test completed?What positive lifestyle changes are you making since surgery?

The reason why life insurance companies postpone offering coverage to you is due to the increased risk of developing a heart condition such as atrial fibrillation, heart attack, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart arrhythmias, clots, etc.

It is extremely important to show positive test results and good cardiac follow-up before applying for new life insurance.

Life Insurance After Heart Valve Surgery

Common heart valve issues for life insurance are regurgitation (leaks) and stenosis (narrowing of the valve).

The extent of heart damage you have and treatment received determines the price of life insurance for heart valve disease.

Our heart valve underwriting expertise includes:

Aortic Valve Stenosis, Bicuspid Aortic ValveMitral Valve Prolapse and Stenosis, Floppy Valve, Barlow’s SyndromePulmonary Valve StenosisTriscuspid Valve Regurgitation and Stenosis

Underwriters look at the treatment you receive – Conditions controlled with medication only receive better rates than someone who had a heart valve surgically repaired.

Rates are more expensive if you had heart valve replacement surgery such as an aortic valve replacement or mitral valve replacement, life insurers look at the type of surgery, whether a mechanical or biologic valve was used before insuring you.

Pacemaker Life Insurance

Your path to getting a pacemaker may have started with an abnormal EKG, a diagnosis of arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation bradycardia, heart blocks, etc.

A pacemaker is a small device implanted in your chest to help regulate your heart rhythm.

The pacemaker may be a single chamber, dual-chamber, or bi-ventricular pacemaker – some pacemakers also provide defibrillation.

Underwriters want to know:

What type of pacemaker you have?Have there been any pacemaker malfunctions?Perforations when implanted?Infections?Blood clots?

Based on the above information, we’ll be able to show you what to expect in terms of underwriting and price.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Life Insurance

Life insurance for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is based on whether the aneurysm was surgically repaired or being medically monitored.

There is a postpone period of 6-12 months if you had abdominal surgery or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Life insurance rates tend to be better for abdominal repairs vs EVAR.

Life insurance rates after surgery:

Abdominal Surgery – Table Rating 2 – Table Rating 6 rangeEndovascular Surgery – Table Rating 3 – Table Rating 6 range

As more time passes since surgery, life insurance rates improve and a standard rate may be possible in the future.

If your aneurysm is being monitored, the postpone period is 12-24 months after diagnosis, and underwriting depends on the size and stability of the aneurysm.

Life insurance rates for aneurysm monitoring: (aneurysm size in centimeters CM)

3 CM or less – Standard rates possible3.1 – 4.0 CM – Table Rating 2 – Table Rating 4 4.1 – 4.5 CM – Table Rating 4*4.6 – 5.0 CM – Table Rating 4 – Decline*

* – In order to qualify for life insurance, you need to have regularly scheduled physician visits that monitor the size of the aneurysm. Most companies will require 2-3 years of stability before they will consider insuring you.

If you have other medical conditions or you smoke, most companies will decline to offer you life insurance unless the aneurysm was surgically repaired.

Abnormal EKG Life Insurance

An abnormal EKG for life insurance may be a minor event or signify a significant underlying heart condition.

Electrocardiograms (EKG or ECG) measure the electrical activity of your heart and graphs it to paper.

The EKG measures your heart’s rhythm, heart rate, P Wave, PR interval, QRS interval, T wave, QT interval, and ST-segment.

When the EKG is abnormal, that EKG is referred to a medical director at the life insurer for review.

Depending on the type of abnormality and severity, underwriting may:

Approve you as appliedIncrease the price for your policyPostpone you until a cardiac workup is completedDecline you

If you get approved for life insurance with an abnormal ECG, you should accept the offer…even if just temporarily.

The reason why is that to get a better offer you’ll need to go through a cardiac workup…if there is an underlying heart condition, the prior offer is gone and you may end up paying more or in some cases be uninsurable.

Bottom line – Get an offer, put it inforce and then we’ll re-shop for something better.

The good news is that many life insurance companies have done away with EKG testing.

We have companies that will offer up to $60 million in coverage with no EKG required.

High Blood Pressure Life Insurance

Getting life insurance with high blood pressure is possible, even if you take medication.

Better still, the preferred best rates are available with the right life insurance companies if you otherwise qualify!

Underwriters want to know:

How old were you when diagnosed with high bp?Do you take any medications?If yes, what do you take and what dosage?Have your medications and/or dosages changed in the past 12 months?What is your average bp reading? (12 and 24-month averages)Have you taken positive steps to improve your pressure?Do you have any other heart conditions or health issues?Do you smoke?

Here’s our blood pressure guide by company.

Blood pressure medications are fine unless noted.

CompanyAgePreferred BestPreferredStandard PlusStandardAIG-Am. General0-60
61-69
70+135/85
140/85
150/90140/85
140/90
155/90145/90
150/90
160/90I.C. (2)AXA0-60
0-60
60-69140/85 meds
125/80 no meds
150/90145/90
145/90
150/90I.C. (2)I.C. (2)Banner Life (1)All136/86146/90152/92156/94John HancockUsesUCheck systemto determineratesLincoln National0-69
0-69
70+130/85 meds
135/85 no meds
140/90140/90
140/90
155/90n/aI.C. (2)Minnesota LifeAll135/85145/90145/95I.C. (2)Nationwide0-55
55+140/80 no meds
140/90 no meds145/90
150/90I.C. (2)I.C. (2)Penn Mutual0-60
60+135/85 no meds140/90
145/90140/90
150/90I.C. (2)Principal20-44
45-64
65-85135/85
140/85
140/90140/85
140/90
145/90145/90
145/90
150/90I.C. (2)Protective0-60
61-69
70+135/80
140/85
150/90140/90
150/90
160/95I.C. (2)I.C. (2)Prudential0-49
50+130/80 no meds
140/85135/85
145/90140/90
145/90I.C. (2)United of OmahaAll140/85145/90150/90I.C. (2)

FAQ About Blood Pressure

Can you be denied life insurance for high blood pressure?

You can be denied life insurance for high BP, although that is not common. For most cases, the life insurance company may offer you a rated policy or postpone you until your doctor evaluates the reason for high blood pressure?

What is considered high blood pressure for life insurance?

Companies publish underwriting guidelines with the blood pressure cutoff for each rate class. Blood pressure greater than 140/90 may affect life insurance rates.

Is my blood pressure checked during the life insurance exam?

Blood pressure is checked three times during a life insurance exam (paramed), and our pulse is checked one time.

How do I lower my blood pressure for the life insurance test?

Steps you can take to lower blood pressure for the paramed exam include scheduling your exam for the morning, limiting alcohol and salty foods prior to the exam, getting a good night’s sleep prior to the exam, skipping your exercise routine the morning of your exam and taking your medications.

Bundle Branch Block Life Insurance

Right bundle branch blocks (RBBB) and Left bundle branch blocks (LBBB) are pretty common, with LBBB being more difficult in underwriting.

A right bundle branch block is a common abnormal EKG irregularity and doesn’t pose a problem with underwriting unless it was just discovered as part of your paramedical exam for life insurance.

A left bundle branch block on the other hand raises concerns because it may interfere with EKG readings and hide an underlying heart issue such as:

If a bundle block is discovered during the life insurance application, some life insurers may postpone or decline your application until you are evaluated by your cardiologist.

If you’ve had a cardiac workup completed, life insurance rates are based on any underlying heart condition.

It may be possible to obtain the best rates available for some cases, or a slight rating if no other heart issues are present.

Life Insurance for Angina

Angina (angina pectoris) is chest pain that occurs when there is a decrease in the blood oxygen supplied to an area of your heart. 

It usually occurs after exertion, cold weather, stress, and sometimes after a heavy meal.

An estimated 9 million Americans have angina.

You may have been diagnosed with angina from:

Having chest pain symptomsElectrocardiogramStress testCardiac catherterizationCardiac MRICoronary CT scanHaving chest pain symptoms?

Underwriters look for other heart conditions such as:

Life insurers tend to postpone coverage for 6 months after diagnosis, and longer if you suffer from unstable angina.

From an underwriting and price standpoint:

Age 65 or older – Table Rating 2 – Table Rating 3Under Age 65 – Table Rating 4

Life insurance rates are better for those with stable angina. If you have other heart conditions, underwriting is based on all conditions you have.

Aortic Stenosis Life Insurance

With stenosis, your valve thickens and does not open properly.

The stenosis may have been caused by congenital heart conditions, rheumatic fever, or calcification of the aortic valve.

Doctors diagnose stenosis via an echocardiogram or by cardiac catheterization.

Aortic stenosis is classified as one of the following categories:

Trace or Trivial or Minimal
Mild
Moderate
Severe

Your calcification is determined by your valve pressure between your aorta and left ventricle.

This is also called your Gradient.

A cardiac catheter provides a definitive diagnosis while an echo provides an estimate.

Your Gradient combined with the heart murmur grade determines a trace, mild, moderate, or severe aortic stenosis.

Life Insurance Rates by Aortic Stenosis Severity

Trace – Standard life insurance rates for age 60 or older. Table 2 rating for younger insureds.Mild – Standard rates – table rating 2-3 for age 60 or older. Table 3-4 for younger insureds.Moderate – Table rating 2-4 for age 60 or older. Table rating 4 or greater for younger insureds.Severe – Severe aortic stenosis is a decline with most life insurance cases. Guaranteed issue may be an option

We’ll let you know exactly what to expect in terms of price based on your stenosis history.

Heart Murmur Life Insurance

Many people, never experience any problems and may only learn about a murmur after a routine heart check with a stethoscope.

Heart murmurs are classified as either functional heart murmurs or organic heart murmurs.

Functional heart murmurs are also called innocent heart murmurs and are the least concern to life insurance underwriters.

Types of functional include physiologic, cardiorespiratory, and aortic sclerosis murmurs and are not a problem as long as there is no other underlying heart issue.

Organic Heart Murmurs – Organic murmurs are caused by heart disease or congenital problems.

Types of organic include:

Aortic InsufficiencyAortic StenosisBicuspid Aortic Valve problemsInsufficiency of Mitral ValveStenosis of Mitral ValveMitral Valve ProlapsePulmonary InsufficiencyPulmonary Stenosis

Underwriting will be based on the type of organic murmur you have.

Conclusion

If you have heart disease, don’t worry – there are life insurance solutions for you.

You may be wondering how your condition will affect your life insurance policy. The good news is that many insurers offer policies to people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease.

In fact, some insurers specialize in covering high-risk individuals.

So don’t wait any longer; get a life insurance quote now and see how much coverage you can qualify for.