How To Get Life Insurance With a Stroke History [2023]

A stroke can be life-changing and often impacts many aspects of everyday life. One of those challenges is getting life insurance after a stroke.

Due to the health and life-expectancy risks associated with strokes, insurance companies may view you as a high risk for life insurance, making it more difficult to qualify and often resulting in more expensive rates.

However, your life insurance rates will depend on the severity of the stroke and your rate of recovery. What you invest in the recovery process can help mitigate the cost of life insurance after a stroke. Keep reading to learn how you can save money on life insurance for stroke victims.

How to Buy Life Insurance After a Stroke

If you’ve had a stroke, the life insurance company will require you to get a medical exam before offering you a policy. The exam records your physical details and post-stroke vitals, such as:

• Height
• Weight
• Pulse
• Blood pressure

In addition, it will cover details that go beyond your immediate health condition. For example:

• Family history
• Medical history
• Lifestyle choices

These are the factors that insurance companies will use to determine if you still qualify for life insurance after a stroke.

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Does a stroke affect life insurance rates?

Although you may qualify, life insurance for those with medical conditions, including stroke survivors, often comes with increased rates. Unfortunately, there is not a straightforward increase since it depends on multiple factors, including the number of strokes you’ve had, the severity of the strokes, and the pace and extent of your recovery.

Your insurance company will also ask you about the following when determining your rates:

• When your first stroke occurred
• The diagnosed cause of stroke
• Your age and lifestyle choices
• Post-stroke medical records and lab test results
• Treatment and recovery progress
• Additional underlying medical conditions

While you can expect your rates to go up, getting life insurance after a stroke does not have to be expensive.

What can a stroke survivor do to get life insurance?

Insurance companies do business based on a risk-to-reward ratio — the less risk you present to the company, the lower your insurance rates will be.

If you’ve suffered a stroke, there is much that is out of your control. However, you can do the following to reduce your life insurance rates after a stroke:

• Reduce the chance of additional strokes. According to Johns Hopkins, about a quarter of stroke victims suffer a second stroke, but sticking to a recovery plan by changing your habits and diet can reduce this risk.
• Speed up recovery. Recovery takes time, but there are things you can do proactively to speed up your progress. For example, keep all your medical and therapy records up-to-date and available to your insurance provider.
• Address contributing factors. There may be underlying health conditions that contribute to your susceptibility to strokes. Talk to your doctor about ways to address those conditions and reduce the risk of additional strokes.

While you may not be able to reverse a medical condition or change your medical history, the area where you can exercise control is in your recovery. Making good lifestyle choices, investing in recovery therapies, and sticking to any dietary restrictions can speed up your recovery and reduce health risks.

Life Insurance After a Stroke: The Bottom Line

As a stroke survivor, it will make it difficult to qualify for life insurance. Your rates will likely go up, and you may have to shop with high-risk life insurance companies to find appropriate coverage.

However, there is much you can do to reduce the expense. Invest in your recovery, keep good records, and maintain open communication with your doctor and life insurance agent.

Work at qualifying for life insurance first, even if quotes are a little high to begin with. Once you have a policy in force, you can work on your recovery, which can lead to lower life insurance rates.

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