11 Best Life Insurance Companies With A Family Health History of Heart Disease-Expert Rated
Posted in Underwriting last updated on September 19, 2023
An immediate family with a health history of heart disease can affect your life insurance rates depending on several factors. These factors include:
- Which family member
- Age of onset/diagnoses
- Age of the applicant
- Whether a death occurred
- Insurance company
Below I’ll put the 11 best life insurance companies with a family history of heart disease (heart attack, bypass, stents, etc.) and their underwriting guidelines as well as sample rates from the leading life insurance companies in America.
Table of contents
- Life Insurance With A Family History of Heart Disease Overview
- Family History of Heart Disease Deaths Life Insurance Guidelines
- Family History of Heart Disease Death Life Insurance Guidelines
- Chart Takeaway
- What Is Considered Heart Disease or Cardiovascular (CAD) for Life Insurance?
- Sample Life Insurance Company Rates with A Family History of Heart Disease
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions-FAQ
Life Insurance With A Family History of Heart Disease Overview
Heart disease is one of the most common family health history diseases that affect life insurance rates. This is due to the fact that one-third to one-half of everyone’s chance of developing heart disease is genetic. Unfortunately this is out of your control but it will affect your life insurance rates if your are younger than 60 years and a death of a parent occurred prior to age 60.
Fortunately, there are several life insurance companies that have more favorable underwriting guidelines for a family history of heart disease which I’ll list below.
Family History of Heart Disease Deaths Life Insurance Guidelines
Let’s take a look at how the top life insurance companies underwrite a family history of heart disease death.
| Company | Rate Class | Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Prudential | Preferred | No more than one death of a parent or sibling prior to age 60 due to: coronary vascular disease (CAD). |
| John Hancock | Preferred | No more than one death of a parent prior to age 60. |
| Cincinnati Life | Preferred | No more than one death of a parent prior to age 60. |
| Pacific Life | Standard Plus | No more than one death from a cardiovascular death in either parent before age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| Banner Life | Standard Plus | No more than one death from a cardiovascular death in either parent before age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| American General | Standard Plus | One death from a cardiovascular death in either parent before age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 65 or older. |
| SBLI | Standard Plus | No more than one death from a cardiovascular death in either parent before age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| Mutual of Omaha | Standard Plus | No more than one death from a cardiovascular death in either parent before age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| Protective Life | Standard | Death of any parent or sibling before age 60 due to coronary artery disease, disregard if over 60. |
| Transamerica | Standard | Death of any parent or sibling before age 65 due to coronary artery disease, disregard if over 65. |
| Lincoln Financial | Standard | Death of any parent or sibling before age 60 due to coronary artery disease, disregard if over 70. |
*Adopted can disregard family history for life insurance or unknown.
Family History of Heart Disease Death Life Insurance Guidelines
Let’s take a look at how the top life insurance companies underwrite a family history of heart disease occurrence but no death.
| Company | Health Class | Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Life | Preferred | Occurrence of heart disease in any parent prior to age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| Banner Life | Preferred | Occurrence of heart disease in any parent prior to age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 70 or older. |
| Protective Life | Preferred | Occurrence of heart disease in any parent prior to age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
| SBLI | Preferred | Occurrence of heart disease in any parent prior to age 60. Disregard CAD family is applicant is over 60 or older. |
Adopted applicants can disregard family history or unknown family history.
Chart Takeaway
The nation’s top life insurance companies do not offer a Preferred Plus, the top health class, with a parent that died of heart disease prior to age 60 and you are also currently younger than 60. The good news is there are life insurance companies that have more favorable underwriting guidelines and can potentially offer a Preferred or Standard Plus health class.
What Is Considered Heart Disease or Cardiovascular (CAD) for Life Insurance?
Below are some of the most common types of heart disease, also know as cardiovascular disease (CAD) for life insurance family history.
- Angina
- Atherosclerosis
- Bypass
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary arteries
- Heart arrhythmias
- Heart attack
- Heart value
- Stents
- Valve
- Vascular disease
A parent or sibling treating treating high blood pressure with a medication typically will not affect life insurance underwriting and premiums with most companies.
Sample Life Insurance Company Rates with A Family History of Heart Disease
Below are the sample life insurance rates for a 40-year old male that had a father pass away from a heart attack at age 50. Rates below are from top companies: John Hancock, Cincinnati Life, Prudential, Banner Life, American General (AIG), SBLI, Pacific Life, Symetra Life, Protective Life, Transamerica, Lincoln Financial and Mutual of Omaha.
| Company | Monthly Rate |
|---|---|
| John Hancock | $71.06 |
| Cincinnati Life | $74.36 |
| Prudential | $80.07 |
| Banner Life | $86.10 |
| American General (AIG) | $86.11 |
| SBLI | $88.09 |
| Pacific Life | $89.22 |
| Symetra Life | $99.06 |
| Protective Life | $99.31 |
| Transamerica | $101.15 |
| Lincoln Financial | $104.78 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $109.44 |
*Date of birth used 9/1/1983 for a male in excellent health and build for a $1 million 20-year level term life insurance policy. Rates current as of 9/15/2023.
Conclusion
If you have had a parent of sibling that experienced heart trouble it may affect your life insurance premiums when securing a new policy. The good news is that each life insurance has their own underwriting guidelines, therefore we recommend that you compare rates from several top life insurance companies or use a life insurance broker who can do the shopping for you to ensure you are getting the best life insurance rates with a family history of heart disease.
Frequently Asked Questions-FAQ
Yes, a father passing away from a heart attack prior to age 60 and if you are applying for life insurance and are under 60 years of age, it will affect your life insurance rates.
No, many top life insurance companies will only factor in parents for underwriting family history of heart disease.
No, most life insurance company only look at family history up to age 60 or 65 and disregard anything after.
No, the majority of life insurance companies will only ask about parents when underwriting family history and heart disease.
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