Does asthma affect life insurance? It sure can. If you have a preexisting health condition, it is going to be a factor in your eligibility for life insurance. Getting life insurance with Asthma is no exception. But unlike many other conditions it is unlikely to get you denied coverage. To get the best rates possible you’ll need to compare life insurance companies based on the severity of your asthma.
You need to know what insurance companies are looking at when it comes to asthma, as well as what to expect. The good news is that this post will cover everything you need to know.
You can begin comparing rates between insurance companies at any time using our convenient life insurance calculator, but in the meantime, continue reading to learn more about getting life insurance when you have asthma.
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How To Get Life Insurance With Asthma [7 Steps]
Buying life Insurance with a Medical Condition
Required Tools:
Things Needed?
Steps to get approved
Getting Life Insurance with Asthma
What are the insurance companies looking at?
Before your insurance application is submitted, we will talk with you about your asthma (and health history in general) to get a better idea of what kind of policy you will be able to get.
We work with over 60 different life insurance companies, so this will also help us determine which companies may be the best choices for you. In general, you should be prepared to answer the following questions:
- When were you first diagnosed with asthma (date)?
- What is the severity of your condition, and how frequent are your asthma attacks?
- What are your current asthma symptoms?
- Are you currently on any medication?
- If on medication, what kind is it and how often are you supposed to take it?
- Do you take your medication as prescribed (are you current)?
- Have you ever been hospitalized due to your asthma? If so, when?
- Does your asthma limit any of your activities?
- Do you smoke or have you ever smoked? If you have smoked but quit, how long ago did you quit?
- Do you have any other health conditions? If so, what are they?
Keep in mind that the more honest you are about your condition, the better we are able to find a life insurance policy that is the perfect fit for you.
Life Insurance Health Ratings with Asthma
Does asthma increase life insurance? The exact kind of rates you will be able to get will be determined by a number of factors, including the severity of your asthma and the insurance company you are applying with.
Life insurance premiums depend on health ratings determined by your preexisting condition, with Preferred Plus being the best (the cheapest) and Substandard or “Table Ratings” being the worst (the most expensive). These ratings go on either a numbered or a lettered scale, with the price increasing with each digit/letter.
Take a look at the following examples:
How will I be approved for life insurance?
The following are how you may be approved for life insurance with asthma. As stated before, each company will look at your asthma differently depending on your specific health details and severity.
- Mile Bronchial Asthma: If your lungs are clear and your asthma is mild; You could be approved at “Standard” or even “Preferred”.
- Moderate Bronchial Asthma: If your asthma is chronic and you have acute episodes and are treated by spray or injections, with slight wheezing; You may be approved anywhere from “Standard” to “Table 2”.
- Severe Bronchial Asthma: If you exhibit severe episodes of asthma and are treated by hospitalization and chronic steroid use; You may be approved between Table 2 and Table 6.
Best Life Insurance Companies for Asthma
Here are some of the top life insurance companies for asthma:
American General
If you have never been hospitalized for your asthma and your condition is mild, you are able to get Standard or better ratings with American General. However, if you have a more severe condition and/or have been hospitalized for it in the past, you will likely be offered Substandard “Table” ratings.
Banner Life
If your asthma is well controlled and you are on no more than two forms of medication, Banner Life will typically qualify you for Preferred rates. More severe cases (such as those with a history of hospitalization) can still get approved for coverage, but it will generally be Substandard ratings.
The best rates you can get with asthma with Banner Life are actually Preferred Plus, but this is generally only for those mild cases that are caused by outside, somewhat controllable factors like exercise or change of seasons.
Genworth
If your asthma is mild or is slightly more severe but under good control with medications/an inhaler, you may qualify for Preferred Plus rates with Genworth Life Insurance. However, you should know that if you are indeed using medications or an inhaler, you can only qualify for these low rates if your condition has been declared stable for no less than five years.
Mutual of Omaha
If your asthma is mild, you may be eligible for Preferred Plus rates with Mutual of Omaha. If your asthma is considered moderate, you will mostly be considered for Standard rates. If your asthma is severe and/or chronic, you can expect to get Substandard rates, usually at Table 2 or higher (it will depend on your treatment, symptoms, frequency of attacks, etc.
Bottom Line
Life insurance companies cater to specific “niches” in order to be the top carrier in specific markets. So certain life insurance companies may be better for certain conditions. In other words, there is no best company for Arthritis, Colitis, Cardiomyopathy….or Asthma. It ultimately comes down to your specific health & lifestyle — and matching it with the company who will offer you the best rate.
Final thoughts
If you would like more information on getting life insurance with asthma, please contact us. Even if your Asthma is more severe, we specialize in “high risk life insurance” and we look forward to helping you get the best rates available to you.
