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Life Insurance with Epilepsy and Seizures
April 01, 2020
According to the CDC approximately 3 million adults in the United States suffer from epilepsy.1 If you suffer from epilepsy or seizures you may have some questions around how you can get life insurance.
This article will cover the following:
- Can I get life insurance with epilepsy?
- What will a life insurance policy cost for someone with epilepsy?
- What is the process of applying for life insurance when you’ve been diagnosed with epilepsy?
- What do I do if I have been denied life insurance coverage because of epilepsy?
Can I get life insurance with epilepsy?
Yes, you can still get life insurance with epilepsy or with seizures.
You can expect that the life insurance company will ask you more questions regarding your epilepsy or seizures such as:
- when you were first diagnosed with epilepsy,
- when your last epileptic seizure,
- how often you have epileptic seizures,
- any hospitalization due to epilepsy and,
- the medications are you currently taking.
They are going to ask similar questions so they can learn more about you. This further insight will help them to determine if you qualify for life insurance.
It is possible that the life insurance company will classify you as what they deem to be high risk. Which just means that you won't get the cheapest rate possible and that your policy could be a little more expensive or drastically more expensive depending on the severity of our epilepsy or seizures.
How much does life insurance cost with epilepsy?
There are many factors that are considered when determining your life insurance rate. Life insurance companies commonly look at age, health, gender, and lifestyle among other things.
The severity of your epilepsy and seizures can also impact how much your policy costs. The longer you haven't had a seizure and aren't currently taking medications the more likely you are to receive a cheaper rate than those with more recent and severe seizures or epilepsy.
If you suffer from severe seizures or epilepsy and are worried about qualifying for life insurance or it being too expensive, you might want to consider a guaranteed issue life insurance policy.
With a guaranteed issue life insurance policy your health won't factor in. As long as you are in the approved age bracket and coverage amount you can qualify for coverage. It is important to note that the coverage amounts on this type of policy are lower than on a more traditional life insurance policy.
What is the process to apply for life insurance?
We already talked about the process for a guaranteed issue policy. If you go with a more typical life insurance policy you can expect the process to be more in-depth and it will require a life insurance medical exam.
Typically the examiner comes to your home to check your height and weight and to take a blood and/or urine sample. The insurance company will also obtain access to your medical records and they will receive a list of your current and previous prescriptions. They will use all the health information they gather along with your application to determine whether you qualify for life insurance and how much it will cost.
If you haven't had a seizure recently and have mild epilepsy you might want to consider a no exam life insurance policy. These policies allow you to skip the medical exam and you would just need to fill out a health questionnaire. You can be approved in as little as 15 minutes, typically for just a few dollars more per month than a more traditional life insurance policy.
What if I have been denied coverage due to epilepsy?
If you have been denied coverage by one life insurance company, you still have options. A key part is applying with the right life insurance company for your situation.
Since companies assess individuals differently, you could find cheaper rates with some life insurance companies over others. If you need assistance finding the right life insurance company and policy, give a life insurance agent a call.
Sources
- CDC, "Epilepsy Facts"
