Life Insurance With High Blood Pressure

By James Tobin, CFP®

Critical Takeaways

  • Impact on  Underwriting Class: None if well controlled
  • Significant if uncontrolled
  • Preferred Plus Rates Possible
  • Rate impact based on current BP readings and History

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Expert Review Of  life insurance with high blood pressure

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Reviewed by

Jim Tobin, CFP®

Why you can have confidence in this review

At Bequest Mutual Life Insurance we value our editorial independence. We keep our reviews strictly factual so you can use them to make informed decisions. Life insurance carriers referred to on this site do not approve reviews. 

If you are researching how to get affordable life insurance with high blood pressure, you have landed in the right place.

Ever wondered where the saying "don't sweat the small stuff" comes from? The answer might well be a cardiologist.

Turns out, stress and anger really do raise your blood pressure to unhealthy levels. 

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is just what the name says,  exerting  pressure on the arterial walls. Over a period of time this affects life span and health in a significantly negative manner. 

The purpose of this article is to provide the background on high blood pressure and the information necessary to get the best possible deal on life insurance with high blood pressure. 

Can I Be Approved For Life Insurance With High blood pressure

Life insurance with high blood pressure can be availed by anyone. However, patients with high blood pressure may not enjoy the same kind of access to various policies and premium rates, owing to their condition, the level of control they have over it, and their general state of health.

Since underwriting standards vary for different kinds of policies, our life insurance with high blood pressure review has been further split into 3 separate sections. You can select the corresponding button to jump right ahead.

Best Price

Strict Underwriting

Exam - Yes

Good Price

Strict Underwriting

Exam - No

More Expensive

Easy Underwriting

Exam - No

Will I Need To Take An Exam For High blood pressure Life Insurance?

A medical exam may be mandatory if you need the most affordable rates. If your high blood pressure has been well-controlled for a number of years, you may be able to obtain competitive rates without an exam.  

But severe cases cannot obtain insurance without a paramedical exam that involves the collection and testing of your urine and blood samples. The test will be conducted by a nurse at your convenience.

How Much Will My Life Insurance Cost And How Exactly Are My Rates Affected By My blood pressure Levels?

Your term insurance rates may vary, depending on the rate class you’re assigned by your insurance carrier. A person who has had his blood pressure under control for years may be eligible for a standard rating. We’ve discussed this topic further in our pricing samples and rating guides. Our guaranteed issue and simplified issue pricing policy pages can also be accessed by clicking on the links provided .

How Accurate Are The Life Insurance Quotes I Get From Your Quote Tool? 

Our website’s quote tool generates accurate insurance quotes, provided the information entered is accurate as well. But most people fail when it comes to determining their rate class - they often believe themselves to be worse off or better off than they actually are.

If that’s the case, you can simply select a range in order to receive a reasonable insurance quote estimate. There’s also a customized quote form on our website that you can submit to us - we’ll reach out to you at the earliest.

How Can I Improve My Underwriting Rating And Lower My Life Insurance Cost?

Using the services of an agent who has inside access to different insurance companies will ensure that he submits your application only to those companies that will provide you the best offers.

You can consult the section below: 'Why to use Independent Agent when Shopping for Life Insurance with High blood pressure" if you want to learn more about the advantages of using an independent insurance agent.

You can also make a few lifestyle changes to improve your chances of approval. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, for starters. Start exercising and eat a healthy diet regularly to boost your health. For people with medical conditions like high blood pressure, you can document your compliance with the doctor’s advice and your medication usage. A physician’s letter to this extent can raise your chances of approval with favorable terms significantly.

Not only with your insurance rating increase due to this, but your general state of health will also see a significant bump.

What Are The Best Life Insurance Companies For High blood pressure?

Every life insurance company has certain policies in place for different conditions. Some of them may have a higher risk appetite for specific conditions compared to others, which allows them to approve applications at a higher rate. For life insurance with high blood pressure, your best bet is to go for a policy from AIG, Banner, or Prudential.

But the best way to get affordable premiums is always by using the services of an experienced insurance agent. The case study presented in this review makes an excellent argument for why you should get an insurance agent to handle your application.

What Is The Application Process For Life Insurance With High blood pressure?

Irrespective of your actual health condition, the procedure for obtaining life insurance is mostly the same. It’s an 8-step procedure in which you’ll be required to choose which terms work best for you, select an insurance carrier, complete the medical exam, sign documents, and submit them to your carrier.  The 8 step process is laid out for you here

Traditional Term Life Insurance With High blood pressure

Although life insurance with high blood pressure usually qualified for standard or above ratings, some carriers may be apprehensive since high blood pressure could also be a symptom of other diseases. It is also infamous for causing a plethora of medical conditions. As a result, certain applications may only be able to qualify for table-rated insurance offers. However, it all comes down to how serious your case is. Using the services of an insurance agent can help you gain access to better terms.

Obtaining term life insurance with high blood pressure is just like obtaining life insurance with AFib, Sleep Apnea,  heart attack, and other health conditions.

Term life insurance products usually have a term period of between 5 - 30 years. The most purchased policies have a term of 20 years, on average. Term life insurance policies have a minimum face value of around $50,000. The policies expire when the term period comes to an end. Alternatively, you can also renew them annually though they may cost significantly more.

Possible Underwriting Ratings With High blood pressure

Since every life insurance application is subject to stringent evaluation, your chances of approval are very much dependent on the way your application has been presented. The two most important factors are patient compliance reports and time elapsed since diagnosis. We’ve provided the following premium pricing scenarios based on our industry experience.

Best Case Scenario - If your high BP is under control, you may be able to bag the preferred plus rating. The quote tool available on our website can be used for generating a quote.

Mid Case Scenario - If your high BP is under control but still falls short of the standards for preferred plus ratings, you will be assigned a standard rating, provided you have no other health issues.

If you want to learn about table ratings in greater detail, click here.

Severe Case Scenario - If your high BP isn’t under control and you’re currently undergoing active treatment for it, you may be given a substandard insurance quote from in the range between Table 2/B - 4/D, based on how severe your case is.

Pricing For Term Life Insurance

Towards the beginning of this review, we assured that we would get you affordable life insurance with high BP. However, ‘affordable’ doesn’t mean ‘cheap’ or ‘inexpensive’. A person with high blood pressure may never be able to access the same kind of insurance terms and premiums that are offered to healthy, young people.

At this point, the priority is to find the best possible deal for your condition. That’s because different insurance carriers have varying risk appetites for some conditions. You’ll need help from an insurance agent to navigate this entire process, which has been illustrated further in a case study.

Why You Should Use An Independent Agent When Shopping For Life Insurance With High blood pressure

You’ve seen how you can boost your chances of approval by presenting your story properly. A difference here can result in 2 people from the same background being issued completely different insurance quotes from the very same insurance carrier.

For instance, Prudential may be more accepting of applications from people suffering from RA compared to SBLI. Your underwriting grade will ultimately depend on the internal policies they have in place.

Imagine what would happen if your insurance agent was only a representative of a single carrier? You may miss out on offers that were as much as 50% cheaper, simply because your agent had no access to them.

Go for independent agents who have access to at least 50 insurance companies if you want the best possible insurance policy for your needs.

Case Study Pricing Policies With High blood pressure

Please see the case study below . it will show why it is in your interest to have as many options as possible available when shopping for life insurance with High blood pressure or any other impairment.

Gender: Male Age: 43

$500000 20 Year Term

Tobacco: No

Fairly well controlled  High blood pressure

Statin use  (Crestor) No Other Health Concerns

This looks like a standard/preferred case that might get a better rating with one or two carriers. depending on the insurers appetite for a blood pressure risk.. Let's take a look at the rates.

  • preferred 
  • preferred 
  • Standard    

Life Insurance Company

Monthly Payment

$ 45.24

$ 45.91

$ 46.11

$ 47.90

$ 51.75

Information regarding the premium rates charged by major life insurance carriers has been provided in the following table. A quick analysis reveals that Prudential costs around 12.5% more compared to Lincoln.

But is that really the case? Yes, Lincoln is the best choice if you are assigned a standard rating by both companies. However, with people who suffer from major conditions like high blood pressure, things are more complicated than this.

Life insurance companies that seek to compete on the basis of price often deny standard ratings to people with major health conditions. They are instead assigned substandard ratings, the premiums for which are much higher than the costlier standard rating option.

In the option here, Prudential is your best choice because although it has the most expensive rates, it also has a higher risk appetite for patients with blood pressure, which means you have a better chance of qualifying for their standard premiums.

The difference? A whopping 50%. That’s how much money an independent insurance agent can save you in the long run.

Your Next Step

Now that you know the information you will need to receive the most accurate quote possible, it's time to gather the information and speak to an independent Agent (raising my hand).

Simply give us a call or shoot an email over and we can get you started.

We are committed to totally transparent pricing (we'll even share our computer screen with you if you'd like), and making the application process as painless as possible.

If you have any questions, We'd like to hear them.

Fast Facts About High blood Pressure

According to the Centers for Disease Control about 75 million American or one third of all adults, have high blood pressure.

Only slightly more than half of those diagnosed with high blood pressure have it effectively controlled. 

Another 75 million or one third of adults have pre-hypertension. That is, they have blood pressure elevated but not yet at hypertension levels.  

High blood pressure is positively linked to heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. 

High blood pressure affects Black Americans at about a 50% greater percentage than Caucasian or Hispanic Americans.

Your  blood pressure reading has two numbers. The first number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. This is referred to as systolic pressure. The second number measures the pressure in your arteries between beats, This is referred to as  diastolic pressure.

The Mayo Clinic  lists 4 basic  Blood pressure  categories:

  • Normal blood pressure. When  blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg.
  • Prehypertension. Prehypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 120 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure ranging from 80 to 89 mm Hg. 
  • Stage 1 hypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 140 to 159 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure ranging from 90 to 99 mm Hg.
  • Stage 2 hypertension. More severe hypertension, stage 2 hypertension is a systolic pressure of 160 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic pressure of 100 mm Hg or higher.

Some of the more famous people who have suffered from high blood pressure are: television funnyman David Letterman, famed actress Elizabeth Taylor , President Clinton. journalist Barbara Walters, and football star Joe Montana.

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