HIV Life Insurance – What You Need to Know to Get Approved

Living with HIV doesn’t mean you have to settle for overpriced or no life insurance.

Yes. Many major life insurance companies now offer coverage to people living with HIV, including Pacific Life, Prudential, John Hancock, Guardian, and more.

Your age, treatment history, CD4 count, and viral load will determine which companies, rates, and types of life insurance policies are available to you.

Here’s what insurers evaluate when reviewing an HIV-positive applicant:

• Age at diagnosis
• Current age
• CD4 counts (lowest-ever and current)
• Viral load (must be undetectable)
• Length of stable antiretroviral therapy
• How HIV was acquired (blood transfusions and IV drug use disqualify)
• Frequency of physician visits
• Other medical conditions (especially hepatitis, heart disease, or a cancer history)
• Tobacco use
• Medication compliance
• History of AIDS-defining illness (generally disqualifying)

Pro Tip: Companies favor applicants who have been stable on treatment for at least 2-5 years.

Here’s what to expect when applying for HIV life insurance:

1. Criteria Check – We review which companies’ guidelines fit your profile.
2. Informal or Formal Application – Depending on the company, we may start with an informal review before full application.
3. Medical Exam & Records – A paramedical exam and 5+ years of medical records are typically required.
4. Underwriting Review – Medical directors and senior underwriters review your file.
5. Decision and Offers – Underwriting typically takes 6-8 weeks to complete.

If you don’t qualify with one carrier, we can pivot to another without having to start everything from scratch.

Most insurers require:

• Stable antiretroviral therapy (minimum of 1 year)
• Undetectable viral load
• Current CD4 count of 500 – 750+
• No IV drug use
• No hepatitis history
• No AIDS-defining illnesses
• Good compliance with medical care (office visits every 3-6 months)
• No major health problems (heart, cancer, etc.)
• No tobacco use (tobacco use is a decline)

Here’s a snapshot of the most competitive life insurance companies available.

Pacific Life Insurance Company recently released its program to offer coverage for people who are HIV positive.

We have had a positive experience with Pacific Life as their rates are the most competitive of any company that offers coverage for HIV.

Pac Life is the only company that does not automatically require a flat extra expense as part of term life insurance underwriting. Instead, they use table ratings for pricing.

Some general guidelines for Pacific Life include:

• Available for ages 20-65
• Minimum of one year of treatment
• CD4 count of 500 cells/mm or greater
• Undetectable viral load
• Negative for hepatitis

Potential offers for insureds may fall into the following range:

• Age 20-29 – Table 8
• Age 30-49 – Table 6-8
• Age 50-65 – Table 4-8

Each table rating increases the standard rate by 25%.

Pacific Life is the only company we are aware of that does not add a flat extra expense to your policy cost. This can be a tremendous savings of $250 for every $100,000 of coverage.

Sample rates are as follows:

Male Life Insurance Rates with Pacific Life

AGE	$100,000	$250,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
30	$22 – $25	$34 – $40	$59 – $69	$108 – $127
40	$28 – $32	$49 – $57	$89 – $104	$165 – $194
50	$60 – $70	$114 – $133	$218 – $257	$416 – $491
60	$147 – $172	$284 – $334	$559 – $1660	$1078 – $1273

Female Life Insurance Rates with Pacific Life

AGE	$100,000	$250,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
30	$18 – $21	$29 – $33	$51 – $59	$83 – $98
40	$24 – $28	$44 – $51	$79 – $92	$146 – $171
50	$47 – 54	$87 – 101	$164 – $193	$307 – $361
60	$106 – $124	$216 – $254	$390 – $460	$761 – $898

With a long history of underwriting health issues, it’s no surprise that Pru was the first to introduce a formal HIV program.

Prudential offers 10- and 15-year term life insurance policies.

The policy may be converted to a universal life policy with no additional medical underwriting required.

Visit our Prudential life insurance reviews section for comprehensive details about the available products.

Underwriting requires a self-identification process, where you review a series of statements. If you believe you meet the criteria, we can proceed with the application.

Approved policies will receive a “standard non-tobacco with a table “H” rating and a $2.50 flat extra charge.

Prudential Life Insurance Rates for Males

Age	$100,000	$250,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
30	$65	$133	$257	$462
40	$86	$174	$340	$630
50	$155	$321	$633	$1198
60	$327	$702	$1395	$2592

Prudential Life Insurance Rates for Females

Age	$100,000	$250,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
30	$53	$111	$214	$406
40	$69	$149	$291	$559
50	$134	$285	$562	$1089
60	$256	$534	$1061	$1957

John Hancock has been the third most consistent company in approving policies.

Term lengths of 10, 15, and 20 years, as well as universal life insurance policies, are available.

Another feature available is the Vitality program, which rewards individuals for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Hancock uses a different approach to HIV+ life insurance underwriting. Underwriting requires that we submit an informal application and medical records upfront for review.

Details:

• Face Amounts – $250,000 – $2,000,000 (term life starts at $750,000)
• Ages – 30 – 65
• Minimum Time Since Diagnosis – 5 years
• Antiretroviral treatment duration – 36 months
• Undetectable viral load – 30 months
• Historical CD4 – Not indicated
• Current CD4 – >350
• Physician Visits – Every 6 months
• Tobacco Use – Not allowed
• Hepatitis History – No
• AIDS Defining Conditions – No
• Acquired via transfusion or IV drug use – No

Most underwriting offers will be standard non-tobacco, Table 8, with a $2.00 flat extra, monthly premium.

John Hancock Life Insurance Rates for Male

Age	$750,000	$1,000,000
30	$286	$377
40	$372	$490
50	$688	$890
60	$1436	$1911

John Hancock Life Insurance Rates for Female

Age	$750,000	$1,000,000
30	$265	$350
40	$325	$426
50	$576	$736
60	$1048	$1364

It may be possible to receive a rate better than the above, depending on your individual medical history.

AXA Equitable offers universal life insurance and whole life insurance. Term life insurance is not available.

Face Amounts – $100,000 – $10,000,000

The minimum underwriting criteria for AXA include the following:

• Minimum age = 20
• Treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the last three years or longer
• Viral loads have been undetectable for over 2.5 years.
• The lowest historical CD4 count was 500 or higher.
• A current CD4 count is 750 or greater.
• Regularly scheduled checkups with a physician every three months
• The patient is in total compliance with all medical regimens and adheres to all follow-up monitoring.
• No History of AIDS-defining illness
• No history of hepatitis
• Cancer histories will be declined
• No other significant health issues. (diabetes, gastrointestinal conditions, etc.)
• Normal cognitive function with no psychiatric disorders.
• No history of drug or alcohol abuse
• Non-tobacco users

Under Age 50 – The best-case scenario is a Table “E” rating, which adds 125% to the standard rate class.

Age 50 or older – Table “D” (100% added to standard) is the best-case scenario.

AIG’s American General Life Insurance Company now offers a Guaranteed Issue Whole Life Insurance (GIWL) policy.

This policy is available to those with HIV or AIDs.

Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance is an excellent choice for:

• Face Amounts up to $25,000
• Issue Ages 50 – 85
• No health questions and no exams are required.
• Graded death benefit during the first two years.
• Living benefits are available in many states.

Reserve National Insurance Company is part of the Kemper Life & Health Company.

Kemper offers a guaranteed issue whole life insurance policy as follows:

• Coverage Amounts from $2,000 – $25,000
• Issue Ages 40-80 (Missouri is 40-75)
• Rates are the same for smokers and non-smokers
• There are no health questions
• The death benefit during the first two years of the policy is graded.
• The total death benefit is paid for deaths in year three or later.
• The premium is guaranteed never to increase.

For people looking for a small burial life insurance policy for HIV patients, this is a great option to consider.

Underwriting typically takes 5-7 days from the time you complete the application until we receive approval.

Symetra offers universal life insurance. With Symetra, all offers are subject to reinsurance review and approval. That means Symetra doesn’t control the decision-making process; the reinsurance company does.

Details:

• Face Amounts – $100,000 – $1,000,000
• Age Range – 35 – 85
• Time Since Diagnosis – 36 months
• Antiretroviral Treatment – Minimum of 60 months
• Undetectable Viral Load – Not indicated
• Historical CD4 – Not indicated
• Current CD4 – Favorable
• Physician Visits – Every 6 months

With Symetra, life insurance is available on a case-by-case basis through their reinsurance programs.

Symetra had some competitive products a few years ago but has since discontinued those products.

There’s been no need to use Symetra since then, as Prudential and John Hancock products are better-priced options.

Guardian Life Insurance Company now offers HIV insurance coverage.

With Guardian, the types of policies available are term life insurance and whole life.

Some additional details to their HIV lifetime coverage include:

• Issue Ages – Age 20 – 60.
• Coverage amounts
  • Term – $250,000 – $2,000,000
  • Whole – $25,000 – $2,000,000
• Term and Whole Life Insurance
• Anti-retroviral therapy must have started at least two years ago
• Favorable lab results
• Regularly scheduled visits with physicians who specialize in helping HIV patients.
• No AIDS-defining illnesses
• There can be no history of IV drug use or substance abuse
• Hepatitis, even when treated, may be declined.

It’s too early to tell if this program will be competitive.

The low face amounts of coverage available may be used as burial insurance for HIV patients.

When you submit a quote request, it comes directly to me, Michael Horbal, founder of RiskQuoter.com.

I’ll personally review your situation, explain your best options, and guide you through the process with no pressure and no obligation.

Let’s find the coverage that fits your life, health, and budget.