If you have high cholesterol, you may be paying too much for life insurance because you’re with the wrong company.
People with high cholesterol are at higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems, but may not realize that some life insurers specialize in high cholesterol.
RiskQuoter maintains a database to help you find affordable life insurance, even if you take medication!
When you get a life insurance quote from us, we’ll review your medical history with you to make sure you receive the most accurate quotes based on your cholesterol history.
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Can You Get Life Insurance if You Have High Cholesterol?
You can get life insurance if you have high cholesterol.
It’s very rare to get declined due to cholesterol, but you may end up paying more if your cholesterol levels and ratios are above normal.
There’s plenty of evidence available that supports high cholesterol being a major risk factor for underwriting.
Elevated levels of cholesterol called hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia, contribute to heart disease and predispose us to pancreatitis and steatohepatitis (fatty liver).
What is Considered High Cholesterol
As most of us know from having physicals, the normal ranges for cholesterol, blood pressure, build, etc. continue to be lowered by lab companies, putting more people outside the normal range.
Fortunately, life insurance companies use their own underwriting guidelines to decide what is high cholesterol.
Life insurance becomes difficult to obtain when:
- Total cholesterol is 300 or greater
- Cholesterol ratio is 8.0 or greater
Keep in mind that insurance companies have different cholesterol and ratio cutoffs depending on the rate class you apply for.
A preferred best rate may require a cholesterol ratio of 4.5 or better, while a standard plus rate may allow a 6.5 ratio.
When you have a paramedical exam for life insurance, the following cholesterol lab tests are completed.
- Total cholesterol
- Cholesterol ratio – there are 2
- HDL – high density lipoprotein (the good cholesterol)
- LDL – low density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol)
- Tryglycerides
The 2 cholesterol ratios are:
- Total cholesterol/HDL ratio – The lower the ratio, the lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
- LDL/HDL Ratio – The higher this ratio, the greater the risk for coronary atherosclerosis.
| Coronary Risk based on LDL/HDL ratio* | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 the average risk | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Average risk | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| 2x average risk | 6.2 | 5.0 |
| 3x average risk | 8.0 | 6.1 |
Avoid These Life Insurers if You Take Cholesterol Medication
The good news is that most competitive life insurance companies allow you to take medication and still qualify for the best underwriting rate classes available.
But, not all life insurers allow cholesterol medication for their best rates, even when you have optimal control.
Life insurance companies to avoid:
- American National
- Assurity Life Insurance
- Foresters
- Illinois Mutual
- Sagicor Life
If you take medication, we’ll let you know which life insurance companies are best based on your cholesterol history.
Cholesterol Guidelines by Life Insurance Company
Here are some general cholesterol guidelines by life insurance companies.
Keep in mind that many factors affect the life insurance rate you will be offered after underwriting.
If you have a history of heart problems such as receiving heart stents, for example, underwriting would be based on the heart issue rather than cholesterol guidelines.
Tips to Lower Your Cholesterol Quickly
If you need to lower your cholesterol quickly, there are a number of steps you can take, such as:
- Avoid trans fats from cakes, cookies, fried foods, etc.
- Lose weight
- Exercise more
- Eat high fiber foods – oatmeal, prunes, beans
- Fish – Eat more fish
- Nuts – Eat nuts that help lower LDL cholesterol
You may need to take some time to control your cholesterol before completing a paramedical exam.
Conclusion
If you have high cholesterol, now is the time to get life insurance. You can learn more about how to get your best life insurance rate by requesting a quote today.
There is never any pressure or obligation with our service. You get the information you need to make an informed decision about your life insurance.
