Heart attacks are severe conditions that can have a lasting impact on your life. If you’ve been the victim of a heart attack, you may have found yourself thinking about your loved ones’ financial future.
What will happen to them if you were gone? Would they be able to stay financially secure without you? Perhaps even life insurance had crossed your mind.
But can you get life insurance after a heart attack? Today, we’re looking at this question and shedding light on the possibility of term life insurance for heart attack victims.
Many people may believe that it is impossible to get insured after suffering a heart attack. But the truth is, you can certainly find coverage. A heart attack isn’t a condition that will bar you from ever being eligible for life insurance.
There are many options available on the market today that make getting insured as simple as possible. Whether you are a heart attack victim or have another health condition, there are plans for you.
When finding life insurance coverage after a heart attack, you should go into your search prepared. You will need to do some research into life insurance companies that provide more accessible coverage.
Insurers will need to know all the information that pertains to your heart attack and how it came about. To help make your application easier, firstly, don’t lie about your condition or any other information on your application. Secondly, gather as much information as you can about your heart attack and have any documentation at the ready.
Coming prepared when you apply and knowing everything you can about your condition increases your chances of finding affordable coverage. Before we go further about term life insurance for heart attack victims and how to apply for a plan, we should learn more about heart attacks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, just over 800,000 Americans suffer from heart attacks each year. About 600,000 of these are first heart attacks, with the remaining 200,000 being second heart attacks.
While people do pass away due to heart attacks, many people survive and live for years afterwards. Heart attacks can even be silent, doing damage to your heart without you even knowing it. This damage can increase changes of second attacks.
There are varying symptoms for a heart attack, but the most common ones are:
Your overall health, lifestyle, and even your family history can impact your risk of having a heart attack. Here are the leading factors that can cause you to suffer a heart attack:
Life insurance companies work with risk every day. The way eligibility and premiums are primarily determined is through the amount of risk you pose. So, if you have a condition or a family history of conditions like heart attacks, you pose a greater risk to the insurer.
More risks typically mean higher premiums and possibly more trouble finding coverage. But there are term life insurance options available to you if you have suffered from a heart attack. Insurers like ourselves work with you to determine an accessible and affordable plan that best suits your needs and budget.
If you consider getting insured after a heart attack, below you’ll find some critical information that insurers will need during the application.
Try to remember when the heart attack occurred. If it happened in your past and you’ve taken active steps to be healthier, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting insured. This is especially true if you’ve never experienced another heart attack for some time.
The severity of your heart attack can also play a significant role in your eligibility for coverage. If it was due to a single blocked artery, you could still qualify for most coverage options. The more damage is done to your heart, the more negative of an impact it will have on your chances.
Try to gather as much information from your doctor as possible about the extent of damages and how your heart attack came to be; this will help better identify your chances of getting coverage.
The insurance company you are speaking with will want to see that you are following the orders set out by your doctor. Doctors often recommend medications known as blood thinners. As their name suggests, these will thin your blood, allowing it to pass through your circulatory system more easily. By following your medication recommendations, you won’t be harming your chances of getting a life insurance plan.
You’ll also typically be asked to make lifestyle changes and carry out follow-ups with your doctor. If you can show the insurer that you are up to date with these recommendations, your chances of getting coverage will increase.
According to the American Heart Association, most heart attack survivors can typically go back to work within two weeks to three months. You should be aware that this will likely be a factor insurers will consider when determining your eligibility. So be sure to prove that you are indeed back at work when you are applying for coverage.
Like we’ve touched on above, life insurance is all about risk. The more risk you pose, the more you are likely to pay for coverage. But there are steps that heart attack victims can take to ensure they are getting the more affordable rates possible. Here are the three most beneficial changes to make:
To begin, those applying for life insurance after a heart attack are very unlikely to get the best possible premiums on the market. Preferred rates are the best ones people can qualify for when applying for coverage. These rates are the most affordable and are typically only available to the most healthy individuals.
Heart attack survivors will most likely find themselves with standard rates and below. Depending on when your condition occurred and how much damage has been done to your heart and body, you will likely be given less than the preferred ratings. This means that you’ll have rates that are standard or 25% higher than standard rates.
Don’t get discouraged if you’ve been denied coverage due to your heart attack. A denial of coverage can be a completely normal part of the life insurance buying process. Know that you aren’t alone in this area and that it does happen.
Your best option after a denial is to continue your search once again. Maybe you haven’t found the right insurer to work with, or perhaps there is still a lifestyle change you need to consider or improve on. There are options out there for heart attack victims. You just have to stay determined.
At Term For Me, we specialize in term life insurance and making it more accessible than ever before. Our team of dedicated advisors works one-on-one with our clients and ensures that they have term life insurance options that work for their unique needs and budget.
We offer term life insurance coverage in three reliable terms: term 10, term 20, and term 30. Each of our term options provides up to $750,000 in comprehensive benefit amounts, and you are not required to visit a doctor to be eligible for coverage.
Our process is done entirely over the phone without you having to schedule an appointment to meet face-to-face with an agent. You simply complete our online quote form to get started, and we’ll handle the rest. If you’ve suffered from a heart attack in the past and have struggled to find affordable term life insurance, we’re ready to help.
Please feel free to complete our short online quote form and get your free no-obligation quote now!
Written by: Adam Bianco
