Home Life insurance Life insurance questions How can I get life insurance if I’m in poor health? How can I get life insurance if I’m in poor health? Written by Desiree GhaziUpdated on: July 17, 2023 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Life insurance rates are based on multiple factors, including your age, gender, and health. If you have a serious medical condition or poor health history, life insurance companies will charge you higher premiums for coverage. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may not even be eligible for coverage. However, applicants who can’t get coverage due to their health aren’t totally out of luck. There are alternatives to traditional life insurance that can still provide some financial protection for your loved ones. How health impacts life insurance eligibility Insurers evaluate your health to determine your life insurance eligibility because a risky health profile makes you a risky applicant. The more likely you are to die early on in your policy, the more likely insurers are to charge you more or reject your application. Insurer evaluate multiple factors, such as your prescription history, any diagnoses you’ve received, and your treatment plan. If any of these factors show that you are in too poor of health and are too risky of an applicant, an insurer will may reject your application. What to do if you’re ineligible for life insurance If you can’t get traditional life insurance due to your health, you still have coverage options. Burial insurance provides some life insurance coverage for people who can’t otherwise get a policy. Rates are a lot higher than traditional life insurance, and coverage is a lot lower. There are two types of burial insurance: simplified issue and guaranteed issue. Simplified issue works for people with serious medical conditions, barring some illnesses or a terminal diagnosis. However, if your medical history prohibits you from getting simplified issue, then you can opt for guaranteed issue. Guaranteed issue is essentially guaranteed, regardless of your health history. Though it is the most expensive type of coverage, it provides your family with some financial protection. Alternatively, if you have enough savings, you could leave your family money in a trust. × Get Free Life Insurance Quotes Today! Zip Code Please enter valid zip Age Age 16 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Coverage Amount Coverage Amount $50,000 – $100,000 $100,000 – $200,000 $200,000 – $300,000 $400,000 – $500,000 $500,000 – $1,000,000 $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 $2,000,000 – $5,000,000 $5,000,000+ Coverage Type Coverage Type Whole Life Term Life Final Expense Not Sure Gender Gender Male Female Non-Binary Tobacco Use Yes No Compare Quotes QuickTake What is demutualization and what does it mean for policyholders? How life insurance works during a divorce Can you change the coverage of your term life insurance? Can you cash in a paid up life insurance policy? Can I withdraw money from my life insurance policy? Are you too old to buy affordable life insurance? Do life insurance policies pay out if you die of old age? Can relatives steal your life insurance money? 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