A health condition doesn't mean you can't get covered. It means you need to understand your options, know the right carriers, and work the system correctly.
๐ Updated November 2026โฑ๏ธ 12 min read12 conditions covered
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Reviewed by the DNAPolicy.org Editorial Team
Our life insurance guides are reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance professionals and cross-referenced with current underwriting guidelines. Content is updated regularly to reflect industry changes. Last reviewed: November 2026
The Reality
Life insurance companies evaluate risk โ not punish people for being human. Most people with pre-existing conditions can get life insurance. Some pay more. Some need a different product type. Very few are truly uninsurable.
The difference between getting coverage and getting declined often comes down to which carrier you approach and how the application is submitted. Underwriting standards vary enormously between insurers.
BMI Life Insurance Impact Calculator
BMI is one of the first factors underwriters evaluate. See where you fall.
Your BMI
26.5
Classification
Overweight
Insurance outlook
Standard rates โ BMI alone not an issue
BMI is one factor among many. Overall health, comorbidities, and medical history all affect the final underwriting decision.
12 Conditions โ Insurability at a Glance
Each condition below links to a full dedicated guide (where available) or provides enough information to understand your starting position. The genetics column shows the known hereditary factors โ relevant to your GINA protections and what insurers may or may not legally use.
Condition
Known Genetic Factors
Availability
Typical Outcome
Guide
Cancer (survivor)
BRCA, Lynch syndrome, hereditary cancers
Varies widely by cancer type, stage, and time in remission
Standard to table-rated (1โ10+ yr wait); GI during treatment
Now available from some insurers for well-managed HIV+
Specialized HIV life insurance programs; undetectable viral load matters
Coming soon
Understanding Rate Classes and Table Ratings
Life insurance underwriters don't just approve or deny โ they assign a rate class that determines your premium. Here's the full spectrum:
Rate Class
Premium Multiplier
Who Qualifies
Preferred Plus / Preferred Best
0.75โ0.85ร
Exceptional health, no conditions, non-smoker, ideal family history. Top 10โ15% of applicants.
Preferred
0.9โ1.0ร
Excellent health, minor/controlled conditions only. No significant history.
Standard Plus
1.05โ1.1ร
Good health with minor impairments. Some mild conditions well-controlled.
Standard
1.0ร (baseline)
Average health. Some conditions present but manageable. Most applicants land here.
Table A (25% extra)
1.25ร
Mild health impairments. Controlled conditions with minor complications.
Table B (50% extra)
1.5ร
Moderate impairment. Multiple conditions or one significant condition.
Table C (75% extra)
1.75ร
Significant impairment. Conditions that increase mortality risk meaningfully.
Table D (100% extra)
2.0ร
Serious impairment. High-risk conditions with demonstrated impact on longevity.
Table EโH (125โ200% extra)
2.25โ3.0ร
Severe impairment. Cancer survivors at higher risk, serious cardiovascular conditions, etc.
Decline / Simplified Issue Only
N/A
Too high a risk for traditional underwriting. Simplified or guaranteed issue only.
Real example: Standard rate for a 45-year-old male, $500K, 20-year term = $80/month. At Table D (100% extra), that becomes $160/month. Over 20 years, that's $19,200 in additional premiums โ still far cheaper than leaving your family unprotected. Table-rated coverage is worth taking when it's the best available option.
The Genetics Connection โ What GINA Does (and Doesn't) Protect
Many pre-existing conditions have a genetic component โ diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, hypertension, and more. This creates a critical question: can a life insurer use your genetic test results when underwriting?
โ What GINA does NOT protect
Life insurance underwriting
Disability insurance
Long-term care insurance
In most states, life insurers can legally ask about and use genetic test results in underwriting decisions.
โ What GINA DOES protect
Health insurance (all 50 states)
Employment decisions
Additionally: FL, NY, CA, MA, NJ, MD, CT, DE, CO, AZ, WA have state-level life insurance genetic protections.
Practical implications: If you have a genetic predisposition to a condition but no actual diagnosis, life insurers in most states can ask โ but major carriers generally don't use DTC (23andMe/Ancestry) test results in practice. Clinical genetic test results in your medical chart are more likely to surface through HIPAA-authorized medical records review.
How to Get the Best Coverage With a Pre-Existing Condition
1
Know your condition in detail
Underwriters evaluate specifics โ not just "I have diabetes" but A1C levels, medications, years since diagnosis, and presence of complications. Know your numbers before applying. The more stable and well-managed your condition, the better your underwriting outcome.
2
Work with an independent broker who specializes in impaired risk
General agents often have preferred carriers they always use. An impaired-risk specialist knows which of the 100+ life insurance carriers is most favorable for your specific condition. This single decision can be the difference between a Table B and a Standard rating โ potentially thousands of dollars per year.
3
Get informal inquiries before formal applications
Many brokers can submit informal inquiries ("fliers") to multiple carriers to gauge underwriting appetite before you formally apply. This protects you from collecting declines in your MIB file. Know the likely outcome before committing.
4
Apply to multiple carriers simultaneously
Underwriting standards vary significantly. What one carrier declines, another may standard-rate. Never accept one carrier's decision as the final word โ especially for conditions like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease where carrier appetites differ most.
5
Consider the right product for your situation
If traditional underwriting results in a very high table rating, compare the table-rated policy cost to simplified issue whole life. Sometimes the simplified issue policy offers a better value proposition even if it's technically a "lesser" product class.
6
Keep applying as your condition improves
A table rating today isn't permanent. If your A1C improves, your cancer remission extends, or your blood pressure stabilizes, re-apply. Many carriers have formal processes to review and improve rate classes after a specified period.
Can I get life insurance with a pre-existing condition?
Yes โ in most cases. Life insurance is available to people with most pre-existing conditions, though the type of coverage, cost, and availability depend on the specific condition, its severity, how well it's managed, and how long you've had it. Some conditions result in standard rates with full disclosure. Others lead to table ratings (higher premiums). Serious or uncontrolled conditions may lead to simplified issue or guaranteed issue policies. Very few conditions result in a complete inability to get any life insurance.
What is a "pre-existing condition" in life insurance?
In life insurance, a pre-existing condition is any health condition that existed before you applied for the policy. Unlike health insurance (where the ACA prohibits denying coverage for pre-existing conditions), life insurance companies can and do use medical history in underwriting decisions. This means they can charge higher premiums, offer a modified policy, or in rare cases decline coverage entirely based on pre-existing health conditions.
What is a table rating and how does it affect my premium?
A table rating is an underwriting decision that adds a surcharge to the standard premium when an insurer offers coverage to someone with elevated risk. Table ratings typically run from Table A (25% extra) through Table H or Table 8 (200% extra โ triple the standard rate). For example, if the standard rate for a $500,000 20-year term policy is $80/month, a Table D rating would be $160/month (100% extra). Some insurers use "flat extras" instead โ a fixed dollar amount per thousand of coverage per year. Table ratings can often be appealed or improved over time as your condition stabilizes or improves.
Will life insurance companies find out about my medical conditions?
Yes. When you apply, you sign a HIPAA authorization allowing the insurer to request your medical records from your physicians, hospitals, and other providers. Insurers also check the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) โ a coded database of information from prior insurance applications โ and prescription drug databases. Misrepresentation on a life insurance application is considered fraud and can void the policy, leaving your beneficiaries with nothing during the contestability period (typically 2 years) and potentially beyond.
What's the difference between fully underwritten, simplified issue, and guaranteed issue?
Fully underwritten: requires a medical exam (blood, urine, EKG for some), complete health questionnaire, and medical records review. Gives you the lowest premiums if you qualify. Simplified issue: health questions required, no medical exam. Faster approval, slightly higher premiums. Good for people who don't want an exam or whose condition might lead to a table rating in full underwriting. Guaranteed issue: no health questions, no exam. Everyone accepted. Highest premiums, lowest coverage amounts ($5Kโ$25K), and a 2-year waiting period for the full death benefit.
Should I apply for multiple policies at the same time?
Yes โ with one important caveat. Applying with multiple carriers simultaneously is completely normal and recommended when you have a pre-existing condition. Each carrier underwrites independently and results can vary significantly. The caveat: all applications are reported to the MIB. When you answer questions on each application about prior applications and their outcomes, be truthful. Lying about prior declines is a material misrepresentation. Work with an independent broker who can submit your case to multiple carriers on your behalf โ often without formal applications until they've informally assessed your situation with each underwriter.
Do I need to disclose conditions that have been resolved?
Most life insurance applications ask about medical history going back 5 or 10 years โ sometimes longer for serious conditions. Even resolved conditions within that window typically need to be disclosed. How long ago and how completely it was resolved matters: a kidney stone 3 years ago is viewed very differently from kidney disease 3 years ago. Read the application questions carefully and answer them precisely. When in doubt, disclose โ it protects you and your beneficiaries.
Can my pre-existing condition improve my insurability over time?
Yes โ for many conditions, time and stability work in your favor. If you've been managing diabetes well for 5 years with controlled A1C levels, that's underwritten more favorably than a recent diagnosis with poor control. If you've been in cancer remission for 7 years, you're a better risk than a survivor who reached remission last year. For conditions like high blood pressure, demonstrating consistent control with medication often results in standard or near-standard rates. Some policies include provisions to review and potentially improve your rate class after a specified period.
Your health history doesn't define your options.
Coverage exists for most situations. The right product, the right carrier, and the right application strategy make all the difference.