Life Insurance Underwriting for High-Risk Conditions

high risk life insurance

If you've been denied life insurance, or were hit with a table rating or flat extra, you're not alone. But you still have options.

Whether you're managing a health condition, work in a hazardous job, or enjoy adrenaline-packed hobbies, this guide explains how high-risk underwriting works, which life insurance companies are best, and what types of life insurance you should consider.

What is High-Risk Life Insurance?

High-risk life insurance is designed for people who don't fit the "perfect health" mold. That includes:

  • Pre-existing medical conditions
  • Past insurance denials
  • High-risk hobbies or occupations

If you've ever received a table rating or had flat extra charges added to your policy, you're not alone. These are common in high-risk underwriting, but they may not always be justified.

The underwriting process determines how risky you are to insure and what you'll pay in premiums. But not all life insurance companies evaluate risk the same way.

Common High-Risk Medical Conditions

We've written guides for almost every condition under the sun. Here are some of the most common:

Cancer History

Heart Conditions

Gastrointestinal

Endocrine & Metabolic

Neurological Conditions

Other Medical Conditions

The best life insurance company depends on your medical history and current health.

How High-Risk Life Insurance Underwriting Works

Every insurer has its own guidelines, but most use one or more of the following approaches:

Accelerated Underwriting

No medical exam. Instead, insurers use prescription databases, MIB reports, and digital health records.

Best for: Relatively healthy applicants or well-managed conditions.

Medical Underwriting

A full paramed exam, labs, and medical records. Most traditional term policies use this method.

Best for: Applicants with known medical conditions or older ages.

Non-Medical Underwriting

Focuses on the non-health risk aspects of your application such as scuba diving, flying planes, occupation, driving record, credit history, etc.

Field Underwriting

This is where we come in. We collect the right details upfront to avoid declines and find the most favorable carrier.

Best for: Everyone. It’s your shortcut to better rates.

Learn More About Specific Underwriting Topics

Explore our detailed guides.

Search our life insurance topics here!

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