Pravastatin and Life Insurance-What to Know
last updated on January 23, 2022One of the most common medications I see when quoting people their life insurance rates is pravastatin. Pravastatin is the generic name for the prescription medication Pravachol, which is used to lower cholesterol including triglycerides.
How Will Pravastain Affect My Life Insurance Premiums?
Fortunately, taking pravastatin will not affect your life insurance rates in most cases. The top life insurance companies such as Pacific Life, Protective Life, Prudential, United of Omaha, etc. primarily look at your total cholesterol, HDL ratio and triglycerides. Whether or not you’re taking a medication to lower your cholesterol won’t play a role in your life insurance rate. This is good news not only because if you’re cholesterol is controlled with a medication such as pravastatin will not affect your rate but if your cholesterol, HDL ratio or triglycerides are elevated you can go on a statin and reapply for a better rate once your cholesterol improves.
Underwriting Life Insurance with Pravastatin
As noted above, life insurance companies will look at your actual cholesterol readings to determine your rate, with or without medication. While each carrier has their own guidelines, below are the current Prudential underwriting guidelines for cholesterol which are often the most favorable.
Preferred Plus
Total Cholesterol 300 or lower
Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.0 or lower
With or without medication
Preferred
Total Cholesterol 300 or lower
Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio 6.0 or lower
With or without medication
Standard Plus
Total Cholesterol 300 or lower
Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio 7.0 or lower
With or without medication
Standard
Total Cholesterol 300 or lower
Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio 7.0 or lower
With or without medication
Sample Life Insurance Rates on Pravastatin
$100,000 20-year term: $15.67 month
$250,000 20-year term: $26.18 month
$500,000 20-year term: $46.07 month
$750,000 20-year term: $66.55 month
$1 million 20-year term: $89.26 month
$1.25 million 20-year term: $106.59 month
$1.50 million 20-year term: $126.89 month
$1.75 million 20-year term: $147.19 month
$2 million 20-year term: $167.49 month
*These rates are from Banner Life for a 45-year old male, D.O.B. 1/2/1977, excellent health, taking pravastatin with total cholesterol 190, HDL ratio 3.4 and triglycerides 95.
Conclusion- Pravastatin and Life Insurance
The good news is that taking pravastatin will not affect your life insurance rates.
When it comes to life insurance underwriting, life insurance companies look at your actual cholesterol readings, with or without medication. This also applies if you’re taking multiple cholesterol lowering medications such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin) or Lovaza (omega-3). Also, if you apply for life insurance and your total cholesterol, HDL ratio or triglycerides are elevated, you can always place the policy inforce (or pivot to another another carrier if you meet their guidelines) so your family is protected. Then if you choose to go on a statin after talking with your doctor or opt to lower your levels through diet and exercise, when your levels back are within range, you can reapply for the lower/best rates any time in the future with another carrier.
