Can I Get Life Insurance with High Cholesterol?

Can I Get Life Insurance With High Cholesterol

Written by Kim Wilhelm

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Last Updated 29 Mar 2024

With no symptoms to show for it, many Americans don’t realize they have high cholesterol until they get their blood checked. This may come as an unpleasant surprise, especially if you find out you have high cholesterol during a life insurance medical exam.

Can you get life insurance with high cholesterol? Yes, you can. 

But the rate you get and whether you’re approved are determined by your overall health and the insurance company guidelines.

Getting Life Insurance the Traditional Way

The traditional way of buying life insurance evaluates your health, lifestyle, hobbies, occupation, and finances. After you complete the life insurance application, you have to do a telephone interview with the company that can last up to an hour.

Then, you schedule your medical exam. The medical exam is done by a nurse who takes your:

  • Height
  • Weight
  • Blood pressure
  • Urine sample
  • Blood sample

The insurance company uses the results of your post-application interview and medical exam to determine your mortality risk. The less risky you are, the less you pay for life insurance.

But what happens if your results show you have high cholesterol?

How Does High Cholesterol Affect Life Insurance Premiums?

When you choose the traditional life insurance route, part of the medical exam is a blood test, which will show your cholesterol levels.

There are two types of cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein. LDL is considered “bad” cholesterol, and ideally, your numbers should be under 100 mg/dL. HDL is the “good” cholesterol, and your ideal range is under 60 mg/dL. Ideal total cholesterol numbers should fall under 200 mg/dL.

Life insurance underwriters use total cholesterol numbers and total-cholesterol-to-HDL ratios as part of your risk assessment. Even if you’re in the ideal range of total cholesterol, having a high total-cholesterol-to-HDL ratio—calculated by dividing your total number by your HDL number—could affect how much you pay for life insurance. Anything less than 5:1 is good, higher than 5:1 indicates high cholesterol.

If your numbers are higher—like they are for over 94 million Americans—it could mean more expensive life insurance premiums.
Can I Get Life Insurance With High Cholesterol

Why Do Life Insurance Companies Care About Cholesterol?

Life insurance companies care about cholesterol because it can lead to other health issues. Americans with high blood cholesterol levels have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Plus, there is a strong correlation between being overweight and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

If you choose the traditional life insurance process, your current and future health are on display and huge factors in determining how much you’ll pay for coverage.

When you have a high total-cholesterol-to-HDL ratio, it could also lead to diabetes or high blood pressure. 

All these factors can increase your mortality risk, or your chances of dying before your life expectancy. Life insurance companies base rates on risk, so the more risk factors you have, the more you’ll pay for life insurance. If you have several risk factors, like being overweight with high cholesterol, it could even mean you get denied for life insurance.

Depending on your current health and family history, the traditional method of buying life insurance could mean you pay a lot for a little bit of coverage.

And who wants to pay more than they have to for life insurance? Especially if you need coverage to last the rest of your life. 

If your health is a concern, or you just want a faster and easier (and less invasive) way to buy life insurance, our method is the perfect solution for you.

Buying Life Insurance the Final Expense Direct Way

At Final Expense Direct, we help God fearing Americans like yourself get the life insurance coverage they need at a price they can afford.

The best part about working with Final Expense Direct? You can get approved for life insurance with some of the best life insurance companies in just one phone call — and WITHOUT a medical exam!

Yes, you read that right. Final Expense Direct works as an independent broker, with access to many of the top life insurance companies in the country. Our agents are licensed and waiting by the phone to answer your call.

Simply call us at 1-877-674-0236 to get connected directly with an agent. No automated hoops to jump through.

Our agents will listen to your wants and needs for life insurance. They’ll ask you a few questions about your health. 

Then, they take that information and help you decide on a plan with one of the life insurance companies we work directly with.

You can apply right over the phone and almost everyone gets approved in the SAME phone call. Once you’re approved and you make your first payment, you’re locked in! No medical exam or phone interview to complete.

That’s the Final Expense Direct way of buying life insurance. Short, simple, and sweet. 

We don’t just offer insurance; we offer peace of mind to you and your loved ones.

Whatever you think final expense costs...

It's probably less.

No money down • No medical exam

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FAQ Can I Get Life Insurance with High Cholesterol?

How Do Life Insurance Exams Lower Cholesterol?

Life insurance exams don’t lower cholesterol, but preparing for them could reduce your numbers. Quitting smoking, losing weight, limiting saturated fats, and eating more soluble fiber are ways to lower your cholesterol levels, though changes can take time.

Is High Cholesterol Considered a Medical Condition?

Yes, high cholesterol is considered a medical condition. It can also be called lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia. This condition can increase your chances of having a stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Depending on your cholesterol levels, making dietary changes could lower you back to the ideal range, or you may have to take medication to control your cholesterol levels.

How Can I Lower My Cholesterol Before an Exam?

If you want to lower your cholesterol before a medical exam, schedule it as early in the day as possible. Fasting for at least eight hours and drinking several glasses of water before your exam can have a positive effect on your cholesterol levels when your blood is drawn. Removing fatty and processed foods from your diet for a few days leading up to your exam can also be beneficial. Instead, stick to foods with soluble fiber and heart-healthy fish portions, limiting red meats.

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