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The type and severity of your heart condition, along with how well it’s managed, will shape the outcome of your application.
Why are heart conditions a factor in life insurance?
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the UK. For this reason, insurers consider any heart-related diagnosis a potentially high-risk indicator. They will take into account previous heart attacks, angina, irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart surgery and so on.
Life insurance companies assess both the immediate risk of a claim and the long-term impact of the condition. For example, someone who had a minor procedure years ago and has remained stable since may be treated differently from someone with ongoing symptoms or reduced heart function.
How do insurers assess heart conditions?
If you declare a heart condition on your life insurance application, insurers will typically ask for detailed information. This might include:
The specific diagnosis, e.g. heart attack, valve disorder, atrial fibrillation.
The date of diagnosis and any treatment or surgery.
Results of recent tests, e.g. ECG, echocardiogram, stress test.
Medications you’re taking, such as beta blockers or statins.
Whether you’ve been hospitalised or experienced complications.
Lifestyle factors, e.g. smoking, exercise habits, body mass index (BMI).
A report from your GP or specialist will often be requested to help the insurer understand your current health status and how well your condition is being managed.
How do insurers respond to heart conditions?
When assessing an application for life cover, insurers will consider the severity of the condition, how recent it is, and how stable your health has been over time. Here are some possible outcomes:
Mild, stable conditions, such as a past minor heart event with no ongoing symptoms, may be accepted with a moderate premium increase.
Moderate conditions, such as stable angina or controlled arrhythmias, may lead to higher premiums or exclusions.
Recent or severe heart problems, such as a heart attack in the past year or advanced heart failure, may lead to a postponed decision or your applications being declined.
A longer period of time since diagnosis and the absence of complications can significantly improve your chances of being offered cover.
What exclusions might apply?
Some insurers may include specific exclusions related to heart disease. For example, death caused by a cardiac event might be excluded from the policy if the condition is deemed particularly high risk.
Always check the policy documents, and speak to your insurer, broker or adviser if you’re unsure what’s included.
The importance of full disclosure
If you’ve ever been diagnosed with a heart condition or had any related treatment, it’s important to disclose this during the life insurance application process. Even if the issue was years ago and no longer causes problems, the insurer needs to know.
Providing honest, accurate information helps to make sure that your policy will pay out as expected if a claim is made, and gives your loved ones peace of mind.