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Does Asthma Affect Life Insurance Underwriting & Your Chance Of Getting Cover?

Elaine Brookes Steve Case

Author: Steve Case - Insurance Expert

Reviewed & Fact Checked By: Elaine Brookes

Updated: 11th March 2024

asthma life insurance

Suffering from Asthma and considering life insurance? You can likely get cover when the condition is mild and identified a while ago.

Insurance Hero can help you find a life insurance policy that covers your pre-existing condition at a standard rate or with a small loading. With our help, your asthma does not have to affect the cost of life insurance.

Features Of Asthma Life Insurance Include:

  • Great terms for all age groups – not just over 50-year-olds
  • Life cover for those divorced or separated
  • Policies for UK ex-pats
  • Cover for mortgage payments
  • Over 50 life insurance no medical exam
  • Critical Illness coverage, separate or in combination with life insurance, at little extra cost
  • Competitive pricing on joint policies – excellent value

Have Asthma And Need Cover? Compare The Leading Life Insurance Companies Here

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life insurance asthma sufferers

Asthma Life Insurance Quotes Reasons To Choose Us:

  • Compared With The Main Competition, There Are Fewer Exclusions For Asthma Sufferers
  • Secure Online Quotes. 5 Star Rated Service
  • Protect Your Financial Future. 60-Second Form. Great Selection Of Insurance Plans. Safeguard Your Family
  • Reliability – Honesty – Caring – Trustworthy – Amazing Prices – Uk Based Staff And No Overseas Call Centres
  • Provides an inheritance gift for your children

An Explanation of Asthma

A simple definition of asthma is the inflammation of the bronchi, commonly known as the airways. These tiny tubes carry oxygen in and out of the lungs, and when someone suffers from asthma, they become inflamed after contact with an irritant, causing tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing.

An asthma attack is classified when these symptoms begin and can vary in severity. Depending on the severity, these symptoms may require the individual to go to a hospital for treatment.

Although the exact cause of asthma is unknown, several theories exist regarding how asthma develops in individuals. Some of these theories link asthma to a family history of the condition and an association with other conditions, such as certain allergies and eczema.

Environmental factors combined with some of the above-mentioned theories are also considered when determining how asthma is developed.

How is Asthma Treated?

There is currently no cure for asthma, but several treatments are available that are effective in managing the condition and preventing asthma attacks, as well as helping to control and alleviate symptoms.

These treatments include specific medications, identifying specific triggers or irritants for an individual, and some lifestyle changes. Some treatments currently available in the United Kingdom include oral steroids, preventers, and reliever inhalers.

How Can Asthma Affect Your Life Insurance Application, and can you get life insurance if you have asthma?

life insurance denied asthma

When applying for life insurance, having a pre-existing condition such as asthma can cause premium payments to be slightly higher.

Insurers will closely examine the individual’s medical history when applying for life insurance. When it comes to pre-existing conditions such as asthma, the increased cost of coverage is usually determined by the severity of the condition and the recency of symptoms.

Since asthma is a common condition diagnosed early, symptoms are usually well managed when an individual applies for life insurance. Because of this, many life insurance with asthma insurers will issue these individuals “standard term” insurance.

In cases where symptoms are more severe and have resulted in hospital attention or prescription needs in the previous two years, insurers may opt to offer individuals “rater premiums.” This means that the cost of the policy is higher to take the additional risk of the condition into account.

Another route that some insurance companies will take is to ask the applicant for more detailed information and a history of their condition to make a more informed decision.

It is important to remember that not all life insurance providers are created equally. Because of this, each insurer may have a different policy regarding covering individuals with asthma and how they rate premium payments based on lifestyle factors and medical conditions.

The professional insurance consultants at Insurance Hero can help individuals who have conditions such as asthma find an affordable life insurance policy with pre-existing conditions that meets all their needs.

The tables below summarise key points about life insurance for people with asthma, including aspects of coverage, critical illness coverage, and factors affecting insurance premiums:

StatisticDetail
Total Diagnosed5.3 million
‘Difficult’ Asthma Cases1 million
‘Severe’ Asthma Cases200,000
Percentage of PopulationOver 12%
QuestionAnswer
Does life insurance cover asthma?Yes
Are recent hospitalisations a concern?Yes
Impact of SmokingHigher Risk
Possibility of CoverageHigh
AspectDetail
Payout PossibilityYes
Uses of PayoutMortgage, Debts, Rent, School Fees, Living Costs
QuestionAnswer
Does it cover asthma?No
Coverage for ComplicationsYes
Examples of ComplicationsLung Collapse, Respiratory Failure, Severe COPD
FactorConsideration
Age at DiagnosisAssessed
Medication and TreatmentAssessed
Severity and Frequency of AttacksAssessed
Hospitalisation HistoryAssessed
Work Absence Due to AsthmaAssessed
Policy TypeDescription
Term Life InsuranceA common type of policy for family protection
Mortgage Life InsuranceDecreasing term for mortgage protection
Critical Illness CoverFor serious medical conditions
Income ProtectionFor loss of income due to illness
Whole of Life InsuranceFor your entire life, often for tax planning
Family Income BenefitRegular income payout instead of lump sum
ConsiderationDetail
Application ProcessSimilar to non-asthmatics
Severity of AsthmaAffects the ease of getting insurance
Regular Policy ReviewRecommended
Comparison Across ProvidersAdvised

Is asthma a pre existing medical condition?

Asthma is considered a pre-existing medical condition in the UK life insurance market. Insurers evaluate its severity and management level to determine policy terms and premiums.

Controlled asthma may have minimal impact, but severe cases can sometimes affect coverage and costs. Disclosure of all health details is wise for accurate policy assessment.

Is asthma a critical illness?

Asthma is typically not classified as a critical illness. Critical illness coverage focuses on more severe conditions like cancer or heart disease. However, severe asthma cases might influence life insurance premiums and terms.

It’s important to disclose your asthma symptoms when applying for asthma life insurance quotes to ensure appropriate coverage.

Life insurance for asthmatics, Further medical references:

http://www.asthma.org.uk/

https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Asthma/