Life Insurance With Pre-existing Medical Conditions

What Counts As A Pre-existing Condition?

A pre-existing condition is any health issue you have now or have had in the past, before you apply. It covers a wide range, from very common conditions to more serious ones, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart conditions, a history of cancer, depression or anxiety, and a high BMI.

If you have one, you are in good company. Around 4.6 million people in the UK live with diagnosed diabetes, and roughly one in four adults has high blood pressure.12 Insurers deal with these conditions every day, which is exactly why cover is usually still available.

How Insurers Decide

When you apply, the insurer looks at your health through a process called underwriting. They may simply accept your answers, or ask for a report from your GP or a short nurse screening to check things like your blood pressure, height and weight. They then reach one of five decisions.

Most people with a well managed condition land in the first three outcomes. A higher premium, known as a loading, is the most common, and an exclusion means you are covered for everything except that one condition. A flat decline is genuinely rare, and even then another insurer may say yes.

How Common Conditions Are Treated

Every insurer assesses things slightly differently, and a lot depends on how well controlled your condition is. As a rough guide, here is what often happens.

A guide only. Because insurers rate the same condition differently, the same person can get very different terms from one insurer to the next, which is why comparing matters.

The Golden Rule: Be Honest

This is the most important part of the whole process. When you apply you have a legal duty to take reasonable care to answer every question honestly and completely, under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012.4 That means disclosing everything, even conditions you think are minor or historic.

Leaving something out, known as non disclosure, is the single biggest reason a claim is refused. If the insurer finds undeclared information later, usually at the point of claim, it can void the policy, so your family gets nothing and your premiums are lost. The reassuring flip side is that when people are honest, claims are paid.

What If You Are Declined Or The Price Is High?

A decline or a high quote from one insurer is not the end of the road. There are good options.

• Try another insurer. Underwriting rules vary a lot. A condition one insurer rates or declines, another may accept on standard terms.
• Use a specialist. For complex histories, a broker who handles impaired health can find insurers whose rules fit your condition, and can often get indicative terms before a formal application.
• Reapply when stable. If your condition is newly diagnosed or recently treated, terms often improve once it is settled and well controlled.
• Consider a guaranteed acceptance plan. Over 50s plans accept everyone with no health questions, though the payout is capped and there is usually a waiting period in the first year or two. It is a fallback, not a first choice.

Getting The Best Terms

• Apply when you are well controlled. Stable readings and up to date treatment give the best chance of good terms.
• Be accurate and complete. Honest, detailed answers avoid problems later and can actually lower your price.
• Stop smoking if you can. Non smoker rates are far cheaper, and you usually qualify after 12 months nicotine free.
• Compare before you commit. The same cover can vary widely between insurers, even more so with a health condition.

Why Use Surely

With a health condition, where you apply matters even more than usual, because the right insurer can mean the difference between a decline and a fair price.

We explain your options in plain English and compare quotes from selected UK insurers and protection advisers, including specialists who handle health conditions, so you can find cover that fits. We compile and cross check real UK claims data.

The reassurance is in the numbers. In 2024, UK insurers paid a record £8 billion in protection claims, with around 97% of life claims paid.3 Surely helps you compare and get quotes online, and does not give advice itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get life insurance with a pre-existing condition?

In most cases, yes. Your condition usually affects the premium and the terms rather than whether you can get cover. A flat decline is the exception, and even then another insurer may accept you.

Will I pay more?

Often, but not always. Well controlled conditions like high blood pressure are frequently covered at standard or near standard terms. Others attract a higher premium, called a loading, based on the risk.

What is an exclusion?

It means the insurer covers you for everything except claims relating to your specific condition. You are still fully covered for all other causes.

Do I have to tell the insurer about my condition?

Yes. You have a legal duty to answer honestly and completely. Leaving something out can let the insurer void the policy and refuse a claim, so always disclose everything.

I was declined once. Am I uninsurable?

No. Insurers assess the same condition very differently, so a decline from one is not the market’s verdict. A specialist broker can often find cover others would miss.

Can I get cover after cancer?

Often yes, depending on the type, stage and how long ago you were treated. Some insurers ask you to wait a period after treatment, then offer cover, sometimes through a specialist.

This guide deals with health and planning for death. For impartial money guidance you can use MoneyHelper, the government backed service.

Getting Started

Have your condition details to hand, such as diagnosis dates, medication and recent readings. Answer every question honestly, compare a few insurers for that exact cover, and if your history is complex, consider a specialist. Buy while your condition is well controlled if you can.

Outcomes on this page are general and illustrative. The terms you are offered depend on your full medical history and the insurer, and are confirmed only when you apply. Surely helps you compare insurance and does not provide regulated financial or medical advice.