High Blood Pressure and Life Insurance – HBP Life Insurance Approved

High Blood Pressure Life Insurance – Approved!

High blood pressure life insurance underwriting will not get you down.  In this article, we will explore the relationship between your high blood pressure and getting the best rates on life insurance.

Does HBP mean you have to pay higher rates for life insurance?  Your hypertension life insurance approval – does it come with a lower health class?

We will answer all of those questions here, though the best thing to do is to get a quote started on the right so that we can customize a plan for you.

Millions of Americans suffer from high blood pressure.  You may be one of them, and you are in good company.

Almost 1 in 3 adults over the age of 20 have have high blood pressure, and 20% of those don’t even know they have it.

American Heart Association

Hypertension alone has no significant symptoms, so that is why many of the people with the condition are not even aware they have it. Even without physical symptoms, high blood pressure can still affect you, especially if you are in the market for life insurance.

Along with many other health factors, your blood pressure is one of the aspects insurance companies take into consideration when determining your eligibility, rating class, and premiums.

This does not mean that it is impossible to get good life insurance if you have HBP. If you are treating it properly, you can even qualify for the very best rates.

However, there are several misconceptions out there about how high blood pressure can affect your life insurance eligibility, and we will dispel some of these in this article.  We will give you the knowledge you need to get the best life insurance, even with HBP.

Here is a handy guide to this article, feel free to head directly to the section you need.

• A Bit About HBP
• Life Insurance And High Blood Pressure
• Myths About High Blood Pressure Life Insurance Underwriting
• Can I Get Approved For Life Insurance With Hypertension?

A BIT ABOUT HBP

Blood pressure is exactly what it sounds like; it is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood throughout your body. This pressure will fluctuate throughout the day and will change depending upon your level of activity and the stress put upon your heart.

If your blood pressure stays consistently high even at resting periods, it can cause serious health issues.

High blood pressure is a serious condition that can lead to heart disease, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke and several other issues that can result in death.

Because these health problems create a higher risk for insurance companies, individuals with HBP will be viewed as higher risk applicants when applying for life insurance.

Blood pressure is measured using two determiners, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic pressure. Systolic refers to your blood pressure when your heart beats and the blood is pumped. Conversely, diastolic is your blood pressure when your heart is at rest in between beats.

When measurements are taken, the numbers are most often recorded with the systolic number written above the diastolic. For instance, 120/80 mmHg would mean you have a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic of 80.

Normal blood pressure is considered below 120/80. Numbers ranging from 120-139/80-89 would be considered pre-hypertension, and blood pressure from 140-159/90-99 is considered high blood pressure.

LIFE INSURANCE AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

As of 2013, approximately 77.9 million Americans had hypertension.  These numbers have risen consistently over the last 25 years and are expected to increase even more in the future.

So if one-third of Americans have high blood pressure, it probably is not that big of a concern for life insurance companies, right? Well, no. Even though it is such a common condition, it is still something that could have a large effect on your life insurance premiums and it will affect your eligibility.

Another tricky aspect of high blood pressure is the fact that it alone shows no real symptoms.  As was mentioned before, many people with high blood pressure– approximately 20 percent according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention– do not even know they have it.

You may have hypertension or pre-hypertension for years without even knowing it until you go to have your physical for life insurance.

Because so many people are unaware, only about 54 percent of people with hypertension have it under control.

MYTHS ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING

These unique characteristics of high blood pressure have led to several widespread myths about getting life insurance. The most common of these include:

Taking medication for hypertension will disqualify me for the best life insurance rates.

I could get better rates if I don’t take hypertension medication, even if I was prescribed it.

If I have high blood pressure, I cannot qualify for the best life insurance rates.

None of these things are true, and in fact, it is quite the opposite of some. If you take medication for hypertension, it could have an effect on your rates, but having your HBP under control will have an even bigger effect.

Many insurance companies look more towards whether you are consistently seeing your doctor, taking your medication and taking other necessary steps to control your hypertension. They will often look at the history of your blood pressure over the last one to two years to see if it has lowered.

CAN I GET APPROVED FOR LIFE INSURANCE WITH HYPERTENSION?

We have good news about applying for life insurance when you have High Blood Pressure:

QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

Yes! You can get great approvals, even with HBP.

However, you must realize the approval and rating class could be very unpredictable and subjective.  We would underwrite your case the same way we do with all heart conditions, and realistically we see HBP cases all the time.

Using our underwriting knowledge and RapidQuote, together we are assured the lowest life insurance rates possible for your high blood pressure.

Worst-case scenario put the policy in force and work on improving the rating class through better control and lab results.  Read more about the “Review and Reduce” feature here.

Though hypertension cannot be cured currently, it can be controlled.  Visiting your doctor regularly, taking your medications without fail, and adjusting your diet and exercise are all paramount to getting better rates on life insurance.

More importantly, they are paramount to living a longer, healthier life.

Remember: small healthy steps today can lead to many more tomorrows.

How about you?  Are you ready to find out what life insurance would cost for you and your family, even with high blood pressure?  

Fill out the quote request form on the right and let us get to work for you.  

There is no cost, and you have nothing to lose!  

Let’s get started today.