Can I get life insurance with cerebral palsy?

Yes, it’s possible to secure life insurance with cerebral palsy.

The options available to you will depend on your personal circumstances, such as how much your condition impacts your daily life.

If you’re unsure of which options are available to you, why not contact Reassured?

We’re an award-winning broker and we work with a panel of leading UK insurers, including specialist providers.

We provide you with the details of insurers who could offer suitable cover for your circumstances and guide you through the application process.

Our service is fee-free and without obligation.

Life insurance for people with cerebral palsy [Key facts]

  • There isn’t a specific ‘cerebral palsy life insurance’ policy. This simply refers to a life insurance policy that’s taken out by someone with cerebral palsy
  • It’s possible to take out life insurance with cerebral palsy. However, the personal circumstances of your condition could affect your eligibility and the price you pay
  • With traditional life insurance policy types (such as level or decreasing term life insurance) you’ll need to provide medical information, including disclosing cerebral palsy
  • Insurers may request to see your medical records to get a better understanding of your health (this can only be done with your permission)
  • If you’ve struggled to secure standard cover in the past, it could be possible to secure some form of cover through a specialist insurer or an over 50s plan

How does cerebral palsy affect life insurance?

Cerebral palsy affects each person differently and, therefore, the affect your condition has on your life insurance will depend on the severity of your symptoms.

Common symptoms of cerebral palsy include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Stiffness
  • Mobility issues
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Hearing loss
  • Visual impairment
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Seizures
  • Scoliosis
  • Slower development

While many with cerebral palsy can live full and independent lives, there are also many who struggle with daily tasks and/or need a full-time carer.

For example, if your symptoms affect your daily life or impact your overall health, your eligibility for cover and the price that you pay could be impacted.

The limitations and challenges some may face have also been linked to mental health conditions, such as depression. Any other conditions that you’re living with (both physical and mental) may also have an effect on your life insurance application.

At Reassured, not only do we work with top UK insurers but we also work with specialist providers.

We can compare multiple quotes from our panel of insurers to find you our most suitable quotes.

Life Insurance Calculator

Calculate how much life insurance you may need by filling in the costs you’d like your policy to cover.

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£137,934 is the estimated mortgage debt per household in the UK.

The purchase of a home is likely to be the largest financial commitment any of us will make in our lifetime. Your life insurance should cover your remaining mortgage balance to allow your loved ones to stay in the family home should anything happen to you.

Source: Moneynerd.co.uk

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The average monthly household budget in the UK is £2,548 (that’s £30,576 per year), which is spent on transport, food & drink, utilities (gas, electricity, water etc), clothing, council tax and leisure activities.

With energy prices hitting a record high and the cost of living rising sharply in the UK, you may wish to factor in utility bills and family living expenses into your cover.

Source: Nimblefins.co.uk

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The average personal debt of UK adults has risen to £34,566 (not including mortgage debt), with credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts being the most common forms of debt.

Factoring in any debts into your life insurance cover means that, if they need to be paid back from your estate after your passing, your loved ones won’t miss out financially.

Source: Money.co.uk

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According to SunLife, the average cost of a funeral in the UK is £3,953 (with the overall cost of dying at £9,200).

Funeral costs have increased by 116% since 2004 and are a significant cost which should be factored into the amount of life insurance you secure.

Source: SunLife.co.uk

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When factoring in cover for your children, you may wish to calculate the amount based on how long it is until they reach financial independence.

This could include childcare (£7,000 per year for part-time care), school expenses (£1,519 per school year for uniforms, lunches, stationary etc), as well as an additional sum for further education (this could be a contribution of up to £5,000 per year).

Sources: Daynurseries.co.uk, Primarytimes.co.uk & Savethestudent.org

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2 in 5 adults say they are relying on an inheritance to fund their retirement.

Factoring in an inheritance to your sum assured could allow loved ones to live a more financially comfortable life. Alternatively, you could leave a cash gift to a charity of your choosing.

Source: Moneyage.co.uk

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If you’re lucky enough to have your own savings or are part of the 30% of UK residents who already have a life insurance policy in place, this can provide financial protection for loved ones.

By entering your current cover, savings or death in service amount you can reduce the sum assured you require.

Source: Scottishbusinessnews.net

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What questions will I be asked about cerebral palsy during the application?

As well as standard questions about your health, lifestyle and policy details, you’ll also need to provide more detailed information about your condition.

You could be asked the following questions by insurers:

  • What type of cerebral palsy do you have (spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic or mixed)?
  • How often you experience symptoms and what your symptoms are like?
  • How does cerebral palsy affect your day-to-day life (does it prevent you from working)?
  • Have you had any surgeries?
  • Do you have a history of blackouts/seizures?
  • What treatment have you received?
  • Are you on any medication (if so, which medication)?
  • Do you have any other medical conditions?

On some occasions, insurers could also ask for a GP report to get a better understanding of your condition and any treatment/medication you’ve had.

Insurers can’t contact your insurer without your permission. However, if you decline their request, your application won’t be able to continue as the insurer won’t have the information they need to underwrite your policy.

What policy options are available to those with cerebral palsy?

There are many life insurance options available. However, your condition could impact your eligibility, as well as the price you pay for cover.

The life insurance options available include:

Level term life insurance

Provides cover for a specified period (for example, 40 years).

The pay out sum remains level (the same), therefore it’s often used to help cover an interest-based mortgage and/or family living costs.

You’ll be required to provide medical information during the application.


Decreasing term life insurance

Provides cover for a specified period (for example, 40 years).

The pay out sum reduces throughout the policy term, therefore it’s most commonly used to help cover a repayment mortgage.

You’ll be required to provide medical information during the application.


Whole of life insurance

Lifelong cover with a guaranteed pay out. Medical information is required during the application process.

Therefore, this could become a costly option if paying increased premiums (due to your medical condition) for the rest of your life.


Over 50 life insurance (over 50s plan)

Lifelong cover which offers guaranteed acceptance to UK residents aged 50 - 85 without the need to provide any medical information.

Comparing life insurance can help you to find suitable cover for your personal circumstances.

Why not use our award-winning service to compare fee-free quotes?

How much does life insurance cost with cerebral palsy?

The price of life insurance with cerebral palsy will depend on your personal circumstances.

You’ll need to answer a standard life insurance questionnaire, which includes information about:

  • Age
  • Current health & wellbeing
  • Medical history
  • Smoking status
  • BMI
  • Occupation
  • Policy type
  • Policy term
  • Sum assured

You’ll also be asked questions related to your condition in order for insurers to get a better understanding of your personal circumstances.

This will allow them to evaluate the level of risk you pose and calculate the cost of your monthly premium.

Comparing quotes can help you find cost-effective cover. Simply contact Reassured for your fee-free quotes.

Does life insurance pay out for cerebral palsy?

Yes, life insurance pays out for all manners of death. Therefore, if you pass away and you have cerebral palsy, your policy could pay out.

As long as all the information you provided at the point of application was correct and your policy is active, your loved ones should be able to make a claim.

The pay out from life insurance could help your loved ones to cover essential financial commitments and other key costs, such as:

  • Mortgage or rent payments
  • Household bills & utilities
  • Outstanding debts
  • Childcare costs
  • Funeral costs

What if I have previously been declined due to cerebral palsy?

If you’ve been declined for life insurance in the past due to cerebral palsy, there could still be options available.

The underwriting criteria used by each insurer will differ. Therefore, just because you have been declined once, doesn’t mean you’ll be declined by all insurers.

If you didn’t meet the eligibility criteria with mainstream insurers, you could try and secure cover with a specialist insurer.

These are insurers who specialise in offering cover to non-standard applicants (such as those with pre-existing medical conditions).

Alternatively, if you’re a UK resident aged 50 - 85, you could secure an over 50s plan.

Over 50 life insurance provides guaranteed acceptance without the need to provide medical information - therefore cerebral palsy won’t impact your cover.

However please note that over 50s insurance typically has a 12 - 24 months waiting period in which you’ll only be covered for accidental death.

At Reassured we have a specialist impaired life insurance team who have a great track record of finding some form of cover for those previously declined.

Cerebral palsy facts & statistics

Cerebral palsy refers to a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination. The condition will develop within the brain before, during or soon after birth.

  • Most babies/children diagnosed with cerebral palsy live into adulthood and can live for many decades
  • While the issue with the brain doesn’t get worse over time, adults living with cerebral palsy can experience strain on the body and painful joints[1]
  • Approximately 130,000 adults in the UK are living with cerebral palsy[2]
  • Many famous celebrities are currently living with the condition including actor MJ Mitte, comedian Rosie Jones and racing driver (and brother of Lewis Hamilton) Nicolas Hamilton[3]
  • Cerebral palsy has also been linked to other medical conditions, such as epilepsy, osteoarthritis, mental health conditions (such as depression), deafness, visual impairment
  • In the UK, Scope is the main charity for people with cerebral palsy - helping to provide a community for those with the condition

Cerebral palsy and life insurance [FAQs]

Will I need to undergo a medical exam?

If insurers are unable to make an immediate decision on your life insurance policy, due to the medical information you’ve disclosed during the application process, they may request a medical exam or a medical report from your GP.

This will allow them to gather all the information they need to properly underwrite your policy.

A medical exam isn’t always required. However, if insurers make this request it will be paid for and arranged by them at a time and place that’s convenient to you.

Does life insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

You should be able to secure some form of cover when applying for life insurance with a pre-existing medical condition.

However, the personal circumstances of your condition could impact your eligibility and the price you pay if you’re offered a policy.

Insurers don’t make medical exclusions with life cover, so your loved ones should be able to claim if you pass away as a result of your condition.

Is cerebral palsy considered a critical illness?

Cerebral palsy isn’t typically classed as a critical illness within critical illness cover.

This is because the condition is most commonly diagnosed in infanthood or childhood.

However, some children's critical illness cover policies may cover cerebral palsy. This means, if your child is diagnosed with the condition after taking out the policy (and meets the insurers definition) you could make a claim. It's important you check your policy documentation to determine exactly what is covered.

Children’s critical illness cover can either be added to your critical illness policy for an extra cost in your premium, or some insurers include it as standard.

Can I get critical illness cover with cerebral palsy?

Yes, it can be possible to get critical illness cover with cerebral palsy.

Critical illness cover provides an additional layer of protection, allowing you to make a claim if you’re diagnosed with a specific serious illness (that’s listed within your policy) such as heart attack, cancer and stroke.

However, you may experience some exclusions to your policy for any conditions related to or associated with cerebral palsy. This means you won’t be able to claim for these conditions.

Compare cerebral palsy life insurance quotes

While it’s possible to secure life insurance with cerebral palsy, your eligibility and the price you pay could be impacted by your condition.

At Reassured not only can we help you compare quotes from multiple insurers, but we can also compare multiple policy types.

By doing this we can find you our most suitable options.

Even if you have been declined in the past due to cerebral palsy, we have a specialist team who have a great track record of finding some form of cover for those previously declined.

A friendly member of our team will also be on hand to guide you through the application process.

Simply get in touch for your free quotes.

Sources:

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cerebral-palsy/

[2] https://cpsport.org/impact

[3] https://www.enablelaw.com/news/latest-news/cerebral-palsy-inspiration-famous-faces-who-live-with-the-disorder/

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