How does life insurance work in UK?
11 min
Securing life insurance doesn’t have to be confusing. Read…
The answer is yes, you could get life insurance with cystic fibrosis, although the severity of your condition will affect your eligibility and how much your premiums may be inflated.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a critical inherited disease that affects around 10,800 people in the UK[1].
Due to the increased risk associated with having a pre-existing medical condition, many people think it’s not possible to secure life insurance or affordable cover with cystic fibrosis. However, this is not always the case.
Reassured have a specialist impaired risk life insurance team who can help identify the options available to applicants with cystic fibrosis, even if you’ve been declined previously.
There are many different types of cover suited to varying needs and circumstances. Reassured can provide quotes from a range of insurers, including specialist insurers, to help you find affordable quotes.
Get in touch with one of our friendly professionals today to discover suitable policies for you and compare fee-free quotes to find our best deal.
Keep reading this quick and simple guide to find out:
Yes, when applying for a life insurance policy, you’ll have to disclose all medical information (unless applying for an over 50s policy).
Insurers will need to know about your cystic fibrosis and will ask you questions about your condition; this is so they can determine the level of risk you pose and assess your application accurately.
If you’re eligible for a policy, the information you provide will help the insurer work out how much your life insurance will cost and ensure that you’re offered the right cover.
It’s important to tell your insurer the truth and disclose all information regarding your cystic fibrosis, as otherwise your policy may not pay out to loved ones when you are no longer around.
When applying, you may be asked for your medical details or even a medical exam so the insurer can gain a greater understanding of your condition.
Having cystic fibrosis can affect your life insurance in a number of ways (depending on the severity). You may experience increased premiums or even be declined.
Even so, it can be possible to secure an affordable policy and keep your loved ones protected by understanding which options may be available to you.
Below are some examples of the possible outcomes for an applicant with cystic fibrosis depending on the severity of their condition (although the outcomes can also depend on the insurer):
Applicant | Condition severity | Possible outcome |
---|---|---|
1 | Relatively mild condition with good lung function, little to no impact on day to day life | You may meet the criteria to obtain standard cover, although expect higher premiums |
2 | Mild symptoms but suffering with respiratory conditions or related complications that impact daily tasks | May be accepted but with inflated premiums or declined. Could apply for specialist cover through Reassured |
3 | More severe symptoms that impact daily life, suffering with symptoms such as: fatigue, anxiety, pain, cough | A high chance of being declined, however you could apply for specialist cover through Reassured |
Please note, whether you’re accepted for a policy and the cost of your premiums will also be based on factors such as your BMI, smoking status and age.
Cystic fibrosis is considered a high-risk condition due to its progressiveness, therefore it could be more difficult to find cover. Regardless, this doesn’t mean you can’t explore your options, as you may still be eligible to secure a policy.
Contact Reassured for expert support and free quotes.
Questions you may be asked by insurers regarding your condition include:
You will also be asked if you have any other related conditions, such as: depression, diabetes, cirrhosis (liver disease), arthritis, reflux, hypersplenism (overactive spleen), and osteoporosis
In some cases, an insurer may require further medical evidence. This could be a medical report from your GP, or a physical exam.
In your application, you’ll also be asked about the following:
All these factors, as well as your chosen policy details, will affect the cost of your life insurance premiums.
At Reassured, our agents can help you through the entire application process, offering support along the way.
Technically, there is no ‘best life insurance’ for those with cystic fibrosis. The best policy for you will be down to:
As you may be considered as a higher risk applicant by insurers (more likely to make a claim on your policy) your premiums may be inflated.
Reassured offer a specialist impaired risk service that specialises in finding some form of cover for those who are non-standard applicants.
There are many life insurance options available, but whichever is best for you will depend on your personal needs.
Listed are the most popular life insurance policies:
Whilst term life insurance is the most popular due to the amount of cover that can be provided to help cover a mortgage/ large expenses for a set period, over 50s could be a great an option if you fit the requirements and are looking for cover for the rest of your life.
This is because no medical questions are asked and you’re guaranteed acceptance if you are aged 50 - 85.
Reassured offer personalised, fee-free quotes with no-obligation, to help you find a policy best suited to you and your needs.
Having life insurance can provide you with peace of mind that your loved ones are financially covered when you’re no longer around.
Having a medical condition can especially make this matter more compelling.
Everyone’s circumstances and needs are different, but leaving any financial burdens behind to friends and family is a worry many people share.
All insurers have different options and prices, Reassured can help compare quotes from UK leading insurers to help you find our best deal.
It’s possible, although income protection may be slightly tricky to secure, depending on the severity of your condition and the complications that may occur.
Income protection could pay out up to 70% of your usual earnings if you fall ill or have an injury, preventing you from working.
Similar to a life insurance policy, your premiums are calculated based on the likelihood of a claim. If you have mild symptoms and your condition does not affect your daily life, it may be easier for you to secure cover.
If your condition is deemed as high-risk by providers and you have a history of taking time off work previously due to your condition, there’s a chance of them adding exclusions to your policy to compensate for the increased risk. The insurers may also increase the premium or decline the application.
To have an added exclusion to your policy means you won’t be able to make a claim for your condition.
However, if your condition doesn’t impact your daily life and you have mild symptoms, there’s still a chance you will not have to have an added exclusion. It will depend on the provider and the terms they offer as to whether they’ll cover your condition or not.
Reassured could help you find the most suitable policy for your needs.
Yes. Like many other critical illnesses, the course of the condition varies widely for everyone personally.
All insurers will have a different list of conditions that they deem to be critical, however cystic fibrosis usually makes the majority.
You can still apply for critical illness cover if you've already been diagnosed with a health condition, although an exclusion may be added for the condition you've been diagnosed with meaning you cannot claim for this.
You and loved ones could receive a cash sum if you’re diagnosed with or have a medical procedure for a specified critical illness (already covered in your policy), that could help with day to day costs or childcare.
Reassured can add critical illness cover to life insurance policies when you secure a policy through us, at an additional cost.
Being declined life insurance can be disappointing. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be accepted by an alternative insurer.
Usually applicants are declined due to being seen as too high-risk. While some things are not within your control, you could consider improving other aspects of your life to help secure an affordable policy, for example:
In addition, taking out cover as young as possible and choosing the right policy generally means lower premiums.
Some insurers may have limitations on certain policies for those with pre-existing conditions, like cystic fibrosis. Life insurance companies consider cystic fibrosis as a high-risk condition, which can affect the availability and cost of coverage.
At Reassured, we have a specialist impaired team who specialise in assisting those who have been declined or have complex circumstances.
Don’t forget the importance of securing a life insurance policy, many think they can’t secure affordable cover/ will be declined because of a pre-existing condition, however this isn’t always the case.
Even if you have previously been declined, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t find cover elsewhere.
We can compare quotes from a variety of insurers for different policies. Using our expertise, we can identify the best insurers from our panel who may offer you affordable rates.
We've been able to help many people with pre-existing conditions find suitable cover, so why not get in touch and find a suitable policy for you.
Reassured’s professionals can help guide you every step of the way through the application process and assist you with finding a personalised quote affordable and suitable for you.
Get in touch today to find a fee-free quote with no-obligation.
The NHS cystic fibrosis page have lots of information and details regarding CF, its treatments to control symptoms and guides on living with the condition.
[1] https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk/what-is-cystic-fibrosis/faqs
[2] https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/
[3] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cystic-fibrosis/
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