Life insurance with high blood pressure

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Have you wondered if life insurance for people with high blood pressure is available? Will it impact the cost of your policy, or will your provider reject your application? 

The good news is that many people can get life insurance with high blood pressure. However, it’s important to understand the expectations of life insurance companies if you suffer from high blood pressure and the effect this may have on your policy terms and premiums.

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure refers to the pressure of blood as it flows from the heart around the body through the arteries. High blood pressure, or ‘hypertension,’ is a condition where the heart is forced to work harder to pump blood around the body, and the pressure against the artery walls is too high. 

According to the NHS, high blood pressure is typically diagnosed when it consistently climbs above 140/90mmHg, increasing the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular diseases. 

What causes high blood pressure?

Numerous health and lifestyle factors could cause high blood pressure and potentially impact your life insurance options. 

Some common causes of high blood pressure include:

High blood pressure can also be caused by diabetes, kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, and certain hormone conditions. Herbal remedies and some medications like oral contraceptives may also affect blood pressure.

The NHS recommends anyone over the age of 40 should have regular blood pressure checks at least once every five years.

Can I take out life insurance with high blood pressure?

Yes, high blood pressure alone should not prevent you from getting life insurance. In fact, most life insurance providers will offer insurance to people with the condition. But if you do suffer from high blood pressure, you must disclose this to your provider when applying for cover. Since high blood pressure poses a health risk, this could increase the cost of your policy or prevent you from getting one.

Life insurance providers can differ in their approach to high blood pressure, and the cover they offer may not always be the same. For instance, they may determine the cost of life insurance based on the severity of your condition. Not only that, but they are likely to take your general health and other lifestyle choices into consideration when processing your application. You may also find that some types of life insurance such as guaranteed life insurance won’t cover any pre-existing conditions you may have.

How is life insurance affected by high blood pressure?

Since high blood pressure poses a health risk, it could increase the cost of your life insurance premiums or even prevent you from getting a policy. However, in most cases, you should still be able to get life insurance if you have high blood pressure as long as you tell the provider about the condition when you apply. 

Life insurance providers work out your premiums based on the risk of you making a claim that would trigger a payout. Therefore, you must always inform them about any pre-existing health conditions like high blood pressure which could affect the cost of your policy. If you fail to do so and then make a claim, your life insurance provider may refuse a payout.

Do I need to inform my life insurance provider about high blood pressure?

Yes, if you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you must tell your insurer when you apply for life insurance. Similarly, you must disclose any medical issues you’re asked about or are being treated for.

If you withhold any relevant information about your health or lifestyle such as smoking or high blood pressure, your insurer may refuse to pay out in the event of your death. So, it’s always important to be honest and truthful when applying for life insurance.

However, you won’t need to inform your provider if you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure after buying life insurance. That’s because your policy is based on your health and lifestyle choices at the time of your application, and your cover shouldn’t be affected by any future medical conditions that may arise.

I have high blood pressure – can I be denied life insurance?

It’s unlikely that your life insurance application will be declined because you have high blood pressure. But you must tell your insurer about any medical issues you may have when taking out a policy or they may refuse to pay out if you pass away.

If you’ve experienced difficulties getting cover before, whether through other medical conditions or lifestyle choices, you could seek professional financial advice and explore your wider options. So, if your application is declined by one provider, it may be accepted by another insurer.

Will I pay more for life insurance with high blood pressure?

You won’t necessarily pay more for life insurance with high blood pressure. The price of cover changes for every person and there isn’t a set cost for life insurance with high blood pressure.

Insurance providers use a range of factors to calculate the cost of a policy. They will typically take your age, weight, health, smoker status, and alcohol consumption into account. They may also ask about the nature of your employment and lifestyle choices including high-risk hobbies that could affect your monthly premiums.

What type of life insurance can I get with high blood pressure?

If you have high blood pressure, there are several types of life insurance you may be able to purchase to provide financial protection for your family or pay off the mortgage. It may be that you have no other health problems aside from high blood pressure which may make it easier to find the cover you need.

Alternatively, you may have other pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes on top of high blood pressure. Even then it should still be possible to shop around and find the right insurance cover to support your loved ones.

If you’re considering life insurance and you have high blood pressure, some common options include:

1. Level term life insurance

Level term life insurance provides coverage for a fixed term, and the payout amount remains the same throughout the policy. Level term cover is often used to meet significant financial commitments like an interest-only mortgage or to leave money for dependents should you pass away.

2. Decreasing term life insurance

Also known as mortgage life insurance, the payout amount decreases over the policy term. Decreasing term life insurance is often used to cover a repayment mortgage, where the amount owed decreases over time. With this type of cover the payout value reduces in a similar way to the way that the amount you owe on your mortgage decreases, which will help ensure the debt is cleared if the policyholder dies.

3. Increasing term life insurance

Increasing term life insurance provides cover for a set term, but the payout amount increases over time, typically in line with inflation. While increasing term cover can protect the value of the payout against the rising costs of goods and services, the premiums will also go up over time.

Can I take out critical illness cover with high blood pressure?

Yes, you may be able to add critical illness cover to your life insurance policy if you have high blood pressure. Your provider will likely request additional information about your health and lifestyle during the application process.

If you suffer from multiple medical conditions, your provider may dig deeper into your medical history and ask for further medical evidence such as a full GP report directly from your doctor before approving your application.

LV= can help with your life insurance with high blood pressure

We partner with LifeSearch to offer independent financial advice about life insurance with high blood pressure and other pre-existing medical conditions. Request a call today and discover which life insurance options are open to you.