If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may assume that it will only affect your health. However, insurance companies should consider health issues when writing life insurance. You may be charged more coverage or even denied the policy. To help Bankrate’s insurance editorial team navigate obtaining life insurance with high cholesterol to answer questions.
Life insurance and high cholesterol
Before a life insurance policy is approved, the life insurance provider may need to undergo a medical check-up, including completing a blood test. Exams, health surveys and blood tests allow companies to identify potential health issues and learn about their medical history. The company will consider several health factors when examining blood test results. Cholesterol levels are important.
You may already know that cholesterol is essentially a fat-like substance in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to produce hormones, produce vitamin D and build cells. Furthermore, cholesterol can be divided into two types: high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as “good cholesterol,” and cholesterol (LDL) cholesterol, often referred to as “bad cholesterol.” Your body needs both types, but imbalances can lead to health problems. Cholesterol is a health risk in particular, as it limits blood flow and can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Cholesterol range explained
So, what does it mean to actually have high cholesterol? This can be considered a healthy range and a high level that could affect life insurance approvals and fees.
Generally healthy cholesterol levels are:
- Total cholesterol: Levels below 200 mg/dl
- LDL cholesterol: Levels below 130 mg/dl
- HDL cholesterol: Levels above 40 mg/dl in men and above 50 mg/dl in women
Once diagnosed with borderline or high cholesterol, your levels are:
- Total cholesterol: Levels above 200 mg/dL
- LDL cholesterol: Levels above 130 mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol: Levels below 40 mg/dl in men and below 50 mg/dl in women
Life insurance companies don’t just take into account your total cholesterol. They will also rate your individual numbers. Most look at the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL levels. Therefore, someone can qualify above the standard rate class, even if they have high total cholesterol, but have good HDL levels.
How does high cholesterol affect my premiums?
Even the best life insurance companies will assess the potential risks that will guarantee you when determining your premiums. If you are considered high risk, your life insurance premiums will probably be higher than those with low risk individuals. Although health checks are part of the underwriting process, life insurance companies also consider other factors such as age, medical history, and even hobbies.
High cholesterol* can be exposed to the risk of heart attacks and strokes, two of the US’s leading causes of death, so insurers consider it a risk factor. If your cholesterol is particularly high and you are not well controlled by the medication, or if you have other health issues, you may even be denied compensation.
Can I lower my life insurance premiums after I sign an insurance contract?
Yes, you can reduce your life insurance premiums even after you have an insurance contract. If you are able to make healthy changes and lower your cholesterol levels, you can ask your life insurance company to reassess them. If the results of the test are preferred, the premium may be reduced. Please note that most insurers must enable the policy for at least 12-24 months before allowing fee review. You can also apply for a new life insurance policy and receive a new medical examination before replacing your existing policy with a newer lower premium policy.
How to prepare for a life insurance health check
Insurance providers may provide instructions on how to prepare for a life insurance health check, but they can be useful in many ways to reach the exam. They won’t immediately improve your cholesterol, but these tips will help your exam go smoothly:
- Eating nutritious diets: Try to start eating more nutritious foods within the days or weeks leading up to your exam. Healthy eating doesn’t change overnight, but getting into the habit of making nutritious choices can improve your health in the long run.
- Hydration: Since you are doing blood tests, you may want to drink more water than usual and avoid drinking alcohol before the exam. Maintaining hydration makes it easier to draw blood and collect urine samples.
- exercise: Again, bumping into the gym or going for a run doesn’t dramatically change your exam results. However, developing healthy habits in the weeks or months leading up to your exam may ultimately help you get a better life insurance fee. However, exercise just before and the day before the exam should be avoided as it can have a negative effect on cholesterol and blood pressure levels during the exam.
- Do not eat a few hours before the exam: Although it does not necessarily affect cholesterol, it is recommended to fast a few hours before the test, as blood glucose levels can affect results such as inaccurate blood glucose levels. If you find fasting difficult, consider scheduling an exam in the morning.
In the exam, a technician may draw blood, request a sample of urine, and check your height, weight, blood oxygen level, blood pressure and pulse. You may also be asked about your health history and the family history of your illness or condition.
Will my life insurance application be denied due to high cholesterol?
Potentially. All life insurance companies have their own assessment methods, and coverage may be denied if you have very high cholesterol, with or without medication, or if you have other health issues along with high cholesterol.
If you have high cholesterol* and need life insurance quickly, you can expect to pay a higher premium than if you have low cholesterol levels. If you have time to lower your cholesterol levels before purchasing your policy, you may see a lower rate.
If your application is rejected and you don’t have time to lower your cholesterol before purchasing your policy, we recommend considering a guaranteed issuance life insurance, a type of life insurance. Guaranteed issues life insurance does not require a medical checkup or health check, and as the name suggests, is guaranteed regardless of your health situation. However, these types of policies tend to have relatively low coverage limits, higher premiums, and staged death benefits, which could result in a minimum age requirement.
*Most life insurance companies look at cholesterol ratios and simply the whole cholesterol. To calculate the cholesterol ratio, divide the total cholesterol level by HDL level.
