Why would someone not qualify for life insurance?
Asked by: Fermin Blick | Last update: July 23, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (10 votes)
Why do people get denied for life insurance?
Medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease may disqualify you from coverage if your illness is life-threatening. If you've had cancer or are currently undergoing cancer treatment, your life insurance application may be denied until you've been in remission a certain number of years.
What disqualifies someone from getting life insurance?
Pre-existing conditions – meaning any health issue or condition that existed before applying for coverage – are often considered high-risk by insurance companies and can lead to disqualification. Chronic conditions that require long-term medication or treatment can also impact eligibility.
What makes you uninsurable for 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.
What disqualifies you from getting whole life insurance?
Due to the added risk health problems create for insurers, some pre-existing conditions can raise your premium or even disqualify you entirely from certain types of life insurance. A few common examples of pre-existing conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and asthma.
What Happens if Someone Dies & Has No Life Insurance? : Insurance FAQs
Why am I not eligible for life insurance?
Life insurance companies have stringent criteria for approval, and several factors can lead to denials. Common reasons include pre-existing health conditions, high-risk occupations, and lifestyle choices such as smoking or engaging in extreme sports.
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.
Which case is likely to be declined by a life insurer?
Death From Illegal or Criminal Activity
If you die during an everyday activity, your insurer will likely pay out your death benefit to the beneficiaries. However, if you pass while doing something illegal, the insurance company can refuse payment. Some illegal or criminal activities are obvious.
What to do if you can't get life insurance?
- Contact your financial professional and/or the insurer. They can make sure a mistake wasn't made on your application. ...
- Confirm the results. ...
- Consider appealing the decision.
What makes you high-risk for life insurance?
For example, delivery drivers who transport hazardous materials may classify into a higher risk category. Hobbies: Hobbies like skydiving, rock climbing, and professional racing create a higher risk of passing away. Therefore, insurers may classify you as a high-risk applicant if you engage in these activities.
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.
What makes a person uninsurable?
“Factors such as pre-existing medical conditions, age, occupation and lifestyle choices can contribute to a person being considered 'uninsurable' according to standard underwriting guidelines,” says Tarek El Ali, Founder of Smart Insurance Agents.
What pre-existing conditions disqualify you from life insurance?
- Anxiety and depression.
- Asthma.
- Diabetes.
- Heart disease.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol.
- HIV.
- Obesity.
Under what circumstances will life insurance not pay?
Life insurance covers death due to natural causes, illness, and accidents. However, the insurance company can deny paying out your death benefit in certain circumstances, such as if you lie on your application, engage in risky behaviors, or fail to pay your premiums.
What to do if you are uninsurable?
If you're denied insurance, the first step is to call another insurer—different companies have different parameters. However, if several insurers have denied you, you may need to consider these options: Join a state assigned risk pool – Auto insurers participate on a voluntary basis in state assigned risk pools.
What not to say when applying for life insurance?
Tobacco use: Lying about smoking on a life insurance application likely constitutes a misrepresentation, even if you only smoke occasionally. Drug and alcohol use: Someone who engages in drug or alcohol misuse may omit this information.
Why would I be declined for life insurance?
Their reasons could be anything from a serious medical condition (like heart disease) or poor results from your life insurance medical exam to nonmedical reasons like bankruptcy, a criminal record, a positive drug test or even a dangerous hobby—carriers are not fans of insuring base jumpers in squirrel suits.
At what age is it too late to get life insurance?
Whole life insurance policies may be easier to obtain than term life insurance, even when you're older. Many life insurance companies sell new policies to applicants up to age 85 or 90. Your need for life insurance may be less if you don't have any debt or dependents who rely on your income.
Is there a reason to not get life insurance?
Many either have no children or children who are financially self-sufficient. With few or no debts, no dependents, and a healthy nest egg saved up, life insurance might not be necessary. But don't decide to go that route until you take a close look at what your passing would mean financially to your family.
Who is disqualified from life insurance?
Specific Conditions that May Disqualify You
Certain health conditions and lifestyle choices can significantly impact your eligibility for full coverage life insurance. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure are among the top concerns for insurers.
What is uninsurable risk in life insurance?
A risk that an insurer will not take on. For example, this may be where an event is inevitable (such as a terminally-ill person's death), gradual (such as rust or corrosion) or against the law.
Which life insurance company denies the most claims?
- Allstate. We know you have seen the ads. ...
- Unum. Unum is a leading disability insurance provider in the United States has a reputation for denied and delayed insurance claims – even when claims include their own employees. ...
- State Farm. ...
- AIG. ...
- Anthem. ...
- Farmers Insurance Group. ...
- UnitedHealth. ...
- USAA.
What voids a life insurance policy?
Instances of lying, criminal activity, or dangerous behavior that's not disclosed upfront could all be reasons life insurance won't pay out.
Who qualifies for death benefits?
Who can get Survivor benefits. You may qualify if you're the spouse, divorced spouse, child, or dependent parent of someone who worked and paid Social Security taxes before they died.
When can a life insurance claim be denied?
Usually, within your life insurance policy, there is an "incontestability provision." If you should die during this contestability period and the insurance provider determines that your application included material misrepresentations, a life insurance claim could be denied. Honesty is always the best policy.