Can you take out life insurance on a sick person?

Asked by: Lonny Rolfson II  |  Last update: November 19, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (40 votes)

In general, the same policies that are available for healthy people may be available for those who suffer from chronic illness. Unless the illness is terminal, or drastically reduces your life expectancy, you may be able to qualify for either a term life or a permanent life insurance policy.

What medical conditions will disqualify you from life insurance?

What medical conditions prevent you from getting life insurance?
  • Anxiety and depression.
  • Asthma.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart disease.
  • High blood pressure.
  • High cholesterol.
  • HIV.
  • Obesity.

Can a chronically ill person get life insurance?

If you've been diagnosed with a chronic or critical illness, you can likely still qualify for life insurance, including no-medical-exam policies for more serious conditions.

Can I get a life insurance policy on someone who is dying?

Bottom Line on Life Insurance for the Terminally Ill

You can get life insurance that you and your family need, even if you're terminally ill. However, your life insurance options will likely be limited to guaranteed issue, funeral expense, and final expense life insurance policies.

Can you get life insurance if you are ill?

Yes, it's possible to purchase life insurance with pre-existing health conditions, although the availability and cost of coverage may vary depending on the severity of the condition, treatment history, and other factors.

How to Get Life Insurance When You Are Sick : Insurance FAQs

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Can you get life insurance on someone who is already sick?

Pre-existing conditions can make it more difficult and expensive to get life insurance, but even if you have a chronic or terminal health problem, you can likely find a policy you qualify for if you shop around.

What will disqualify me from life insurance?

This is often due to health challenges like diabetes and obesity, as well as non-health related life insurance disqualifiers like a dangerous job or hobby, a history of speeding tickets or using tobacco products. Here's how to understand what might make you uninsurable for life insurance and what your options are.

Who Cannot be a life insurance beneficiary?

Ineligible Beneficiaries: Minors: Generally, minors (individuals under the age of 18 or 21, depending on the jurisdiction) cannot be named as direct beneficiaries of a life insurance policy. In such cases, a trust or custodian may be designated to manage the proceeds until the minor reaches the age of majority.

Can you take out life insurance on someone without their consent?

However, you can't buy a plan for anyone without an insurable interest and consent from the person you are buying life insurance for. Insurable interest is present when you can prove to an insurance provider that it would be financially harmful to you if the person you aim to take a policy out for passes away.

Who is uninsurable for life insurance?

People are typically denied life insurance because they fall into a high-risk category. This is often due to health challenges like diabetes, obesity or a previous diagnosis of serious disease. There are also nonhealth reasons for being denied life insurance.

What is a critical illness rider in life insurance?

What is a Critical Illness Rider? A Critical Illness Rider is an add-on benefit to your primary insurance policy, providing a lump sum payout if diagnosed with severe illnesses like cancer, heart attack, or kidney failure. It can be added to various policies, including term insurance plans, ULIPs, and savings plans.

How long does an illness have to last to be considered chronic?

Chronic diseases are defined broadly as conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.

Does life insurance cover chronic illness?

The kinds of illnesses that are covered are usually long-term and very serious conditions such as a heart attack or stroke, loss of arms or legs, or diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease.

Under what circumstances will life insurance not pay?

Life insurance may not pay out if the policy expires, premiums aren't paid, or there are false statements on the application. Other reasons include death from illegal activities, suicide, or homicide, with insurers investigating claims thoroughly.

Is a medical exam required for life insurance?

Traditional term and permanent life insurance policies typically require a medical exam. However, there are plenty of non-traditional term life insurance policies that don't require a medical exam, including: Simplified issue life insurance.

Can I borrow from my life insurance?

You can only borrow against a whole life insurance policy or a universal life insurance policy. Policy loans reduce the death benefit if not paid off. Life insurance companies add interest to the loan balance, which if unpaid can cause the policy to lapse. Only permanent life insurance builds cash value.

How much a month is a 2 million dollar life insurance policy?

Average Cost of a 2 Million Dollar Life Insurance Policy

The cost of an insurance policy varies widely based on individual circumstances. For a $2 million, 20-year term life insurance policy, a 30-year-old might pay between $45 and $55 per month. The same policy could cost a 50-year-old between $150 to $202 per month.

Do millionaires pay for life insurance?

Life insurance is a popular way for the wealthy to maximize their after-tax estate and have more money to pass on to heirs. Life insurance can also be used as an investment tool with tax benefits when you're still alive.

What happens if someone dies with no beneficiary?

Most life insurance companies require you to name at least one beneficiary. If beneficiaries are not named, the life insurance proceeds can go to your estate.

Who can be denied life insurance?

Reasons to be denied life insurance

Some examples of things that life insurance underwriters consider are: Health issues — Many health problems fall into a high-risk category like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic illness or an earlier health condition, such as cancer.

Is a spouse automatically a beneficiary?

If you're not married you can choose anyone to be your beneficiary. However, if you're married, or are planning to get married, please be aware that by law, your spouse is your default beneficiary, regardless of who you may have been your beneficiary before getting married.

Can I get life insurance if I'm sick?

You might think finding coverage with your health history is impossible. Luckily, this isn't true. Plenty of providers cover people with chronic conditions, allowing them to get life insurance with health problems.

Why would a death benefit be denied?

But it's important to be aware that there are a few instances where life insurance won't pay out. Top reasons life insurance won't pay out may be because the policyholder lied on their application, their death was the result of suicide, or they passed away during the waiting period.

Can Medicaid take your life insurance money?

In most cases, as long as your life insurance policy's designated beneficiaries are alive and able to file a claim for your death benefit, Medicaid won't have access to your life insurance payout when you pass away.