Finding High Risk Life Insurance Quotes (Updated 2025)

Understanding High Risk Life Insurance

Finding life insurance can feel daunting, especially if you believe you fall into a “high-risk” category. You might worry about being denied coverage or facing impossibly high premiums. The good news is that securing life insurance, even with health concerns, a hazardous job, or adventurous hobbies, is often more achievable than you think. Getting affordable high risk life insurance quotes requires understanding the process and, most importantly, working with the right partner.

Many factors can classify an applicant as high-risk in the eyes of an insurance underwriter. This label simply means the insurance company perceives a greater chance of having to pay out a claim compared to the average applicant. However, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re uninsurable. Different insurance carriers assess risk differently, meaning one company might offer a much better rate or even approve an application that another company would decline.

This is where Insurance By Heroes comes in. Founded by a former first responder and military spouse, and staffed by professionals with similar public service backgrounds, we understand unique life circumstances and the importance of reliable protection. As an independent insurance agency, we aren’t tied to any single carrier. Instead, we partner with dozens of top-rated insurance companies across the nation. This allows us to shop the market extensively on your behalf, comparing underwriting guidelines and pricing to find the coverage that truly fits your specific situation and budget. We know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, especially when navigating the complexities of high-risk life insurance.

What Factors Classify Someone as High Risk?

Life insurance underwriting is the process carriers use to evaluate the risk associated with insuring an individual. They look at various aspects of your life to predict your longevity and the likelihood of a claim. Factors that commonly lead to a high-risk classification include:

• Health Conditions: This is perhaps the most common reason. Pre-existing conditions significantly influence underwriting decisions. Examples include:
  • Heart disease (history of heart attack, stents, bypass surgery)
  • Cancer (type, stage, time since remission are key factors)
  • Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2, level of control, complications)
  • Obesity (based on Body Mass Index – BMI)
  • Stroke history
  • Kidney disease
  • Respiratory conditions (COPD, severe asthma)
  • Neurological disorders (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease)
  • Mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder – severity and treatment matter)
  • Substance abuse history (alcohol or drug use)

  The key for underwriters is how well these conditions are managed and controlled. Stable, well-managed conditions often receive better offers than uncontrolled ones.

• Hazardous Occupations: Certain jobs inherently carry a higher risk of accidental death or injury. Examples include:
  • First responders (police officers, firefighters, EMTs)
  • Pilots (commercial and private)
  • Construction workers (especially roofers, scaffolders)
  • Loggers
  • Offshore oil rig workers
  • Commercial fishermen
  • Active duty military personnel (especially certain specialties)

  At Insurance By Heroes, our background in public service gives us a unique appreciation for the risks faced by those in demanding professions. We know how to present your occupation accurately to carriers who are more understanding of these risks.

• Dangerous Hobbies and Activities: What you do for fun can also impact your risk profile. Activities frequently flagged by insurers include:
  • Scuba diving (depth, frequency, certification level matter)
  • Rock climbing or mountaineering
  • Private aviation (flying small planes)
  • Skydiving or BASE jumping
  • Motorsports (car or motorcycle racing)

  Full disclosure about the frequency and safety precautions taken during these activities is important.

• Lifestyle Factors: Daily habits and personal history play a role:
  • Smoking or Tobacco Use: Smokers always pay significantly higher premiums than non-smokers. This includes cigarettes, cigars, vaping, and chewing tobacco.
  • Heavy Alcohol Consumption: Documented excessive alcohol use can lead to higher rates or declines.
  • Driving Record: Multiple serious violations (DUIs, reckless driving) or accidents can classify you as high-risk.
  • Recent Bankruptcy: Financial stability can sometimes be a factor, though less common.
  • Criminal History: Certain felony convictions can impact insurability.
• Age and Family History: While not always a “high-risk” factor in the same way, applying for life insurance at an older age naturally means higher premiums. Additionally, a family history of certain conditions (like early-onset heart disease or specific cancers) can influence your risk classification, even if you are currently healthy.

It’s crucial to remember that each insurance company weighs these factors differently. One carrier might be particularly strict about diabetes but more lenient with controlled high blood pressure, while another might have the opposite view. This variability is precisely why shopping the market through an independent agency like Insurance By Heroes is so beneficial when seeking high risk life insurance quotes.

How Being High Risk Affects Your Life Insurance Options

When an underwriter determines an applicant presents a higher-than-average risk, several outcomes are possible:

• Standard or Substandard Premiums (Table Ratings): You may still qualify for traditional term or whole life insurance, but at a higher premium than someone classified as Preferred or Standard. Substandard risks are often assigned a “table rating.” These are typically letters (A-J) or numbers (1-10) that correspond to a percentage increase above the Standard rate. For example, Table B (or Table 2) might mean a 50% surcharge over the Standard premium. Table D (or Table 4) could mean a 100% surcharge (double the Standard rate), and so on. Each carrier has its own table rating system.
• Flat Extra Premiums: Instead of, or sometimes in addition to, a table rating, the insurer might add a “flat extra.” This is a fixed additional cost per $1,000 of coverage, usually for a specific number of years. For example, a $5 flat extra on a $250,000 policy would add $1,250 per year to the premium ($5 x 250). Flat extras are often used for temporary risks or specific occupational/hobby hazards.
• Policy Exclusions (Less Common): In rare cases for specific risks (like aviation or hazardous hobbies), a policy might be issued with an exclusion rider, meaning the death benefit wouldn’t be paid if death occurs due to that specific activity. This is less common today for primary causes of death but can sometimes apply to supplemental riders.
• Modified Coverage Amounts or Terms: The insurer might approve coverage but only for a smaller death benefit or a shorter term length than initially requested.
• Offer of a Different Policy Type: If you apply for term life and are deemed very high risk, the insurer might counter-offer with a guaranteed issue or graded benefit policy instead.
• Application Decline: In some cases, the risk may be deemed too high for the carrier’s underwriting guidelines, leading to a declined application.

A decline from one company does not mean you are uninsurable. It simply means that specific carrier wasn’t the right fit for your risk profile. This underscores the importance of not giving up after one rejection and highlights the value of working with an agency like Insurance By Heroes, which can approach multiple carriers simultaneously or sequentially based on their known underwriting niches to find potential acceptance.

Types of Life Insurance Often Available for High-Risk Individuals

Even with high-risk factors, several types of life insurance might still be available:

• Term Life Insurance: This is often the most affordable type, providing coverage for a specific period (e.g., 10, 20, or 30 years). High-risk applicants can often still qualify for term life, albeit potentially with table ratings or flat extras. The key is finding the carrier whose underwriting guidelines are most favorable for your specific condition or situation. Insurance By Heroes excels at navigating these carrier differences to find the best possible term life options.
• Whole Life Insurance: This type provides lifelong coverage and includes a cash value component that grows over time on a tax-deferred basis. Premiums are significantly higher than term life. High-risk individuals can qualify, but the premiums will reflect the increased risk and the permanent nature of the coverage. Again, carrier choice is critical, as underwriting for whole life can be just as stringent, if not more so, than for term life.
• Guaranteed Issue (or Guaranteed Acceptance) Life Insurance: These policies ask no health questions and guarantee acceptance, typically for individuals between certain ages (e.g., 50-85). However, they come with significant trade-offs:
  • Lower Coverage Amounts: Death benefits are usually capped, often at $25,000 or $50,000, sometimes less.
  • Higher Premiums: The cost per $1,000 of coverage is much higher than medically underwritten policies because the insurer assumes everyone applying is high-risk.
  • Graded Death Benefits: This is the most crucial feature. If the insured dies from natural causes (illness) within the first two or three years of the policy, the beneficiaries typically only receive a return of the premiums paid, plus some interest (e.g., 10%). The full death benefit is usually only paid for accidental death during this waiting period or for any cause of death after the graded period ends.

  Guaranteed issue is generally considered a last resort for those who cannot qualify for any other type of coverage, often used to cover final expenses like funeral costs. Because we shop across many carriers, Insurance By Heroes strives to find medically underwritten options first, which usually offer better value, before resorting to guaranteed issue policies.

• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D): This is not traditional life insurance, as it only pays out if death occurs as the direct result of an accident. It does not cover death from illness, disease, or natural causes. AD&D can sometimes be obtained as a standalone policy or as a rider on a life insurance policy. While it can supplement coverage, especially for those in hazardous jobs or with risky hobbies, it should never be considered a replacement for comprehensive life insurance.

The Process of Getting High Risk Life Insurance Quotes

Securing high risk life insurance quotes involves a few key steps, and how you approach them can significantly impact the outcome.

1. Honesty is Paramount: Always be completely truthful and thorough when answering questions on a life insurance application or during preliminary inquiries. Hiding health conditions, risky habits, or occupational hazards might seem tempting, but it constitutes fraud. If the insurance company discovers misrepresentation later (which they often do through medical records, prescription databases, or the MIB – Medical Information Bureau), they can rescind the policy (cancel it as if it never existed) or deny a claim, leaving your loved ones unprotected. It’s always better to disclose everything upfront and let your agent find carriers who can work with your situation.
2. Gather Your Information: Be prepared to provide detailed information. This includes:
   • Specific medical diagnoses, dates of diagnosis, treatment plans, medications (names, dosages), and physician contact information.
   • Details about your job duties if it’s hazardous.
   • Information about risky hobbies: frequency, certifications, safety measures taken.
   • Driving record details if applicable (dates, violations).

   The more accurate information you provide, the better your agent can pre-screen your case and target the right carriers.

3. Work With an Independent Agent (Like Insurance By Heroes): This is arguably the most crucial step for high-risk applicants. Here’s why:
   • Access to Multiple Carriers: As mentioned, we work with dozens of companies. A captive agent only represents one company and can only offer their products and underwriting guidelines. If that company declines you or offers a very high rate, you’re stuck. We can compare offers from many insurers side-by-side.
   • Underwriting Expertise: Experienced independent agents understand the nuances of different carriers’ underwriting “appetites.” We know which companies tend to be more lenient with certain conditions (e.g., well-controlled diabetes, specific cancers in remission, certain occupations).
   • Pre-Screening/Informal Inquiries: For complex cases, we can often make anonymous inquiries to carrier underwriters *before* submitting a formal application. We describe the situation (without revealing your name initially) to gauge potential offers. This avoids formal declines on your record while helping strategize the best approach.
   • Application Strategy: We guide you through the application process, ensuring it’s presented accurately and completely to maximize your chances of approval at the best possible rate. We know which carriers might require additional questionnaires or specific medical records.
   • Advocacy: We work for *you*, not the insurance company. If an underwriter has questions or if an initial offer seems too high, we can often negotiate or provide additional context to potentially improve the outcome.

   Our foundation at Insurance By Heroes, built by those who served, means we approach finding your coverage with dedication and a commitment to finding the best solution available across the market.

4. The Application and Underwriting Process: Once a strategy is decided, formal applications are submitted. This typically involves:
   • Completing the application form(s).
   • Potentially undergoing a medical exam (paramedical exam), which usually includes height/weight check, blood pressure reading, and blood/urine samples. Some policies use alternative underwriting methods without an exam, but these often come with higher premiums or lower coverage limits, especially for high-risk cases.
   • The insurance company reviewing your application, medical records (APS – Attending Physician Statement), prescription history, MIB report, and driving record.

   This underwriting process can take several weeks, sometimes longer for complex high-risk cases requiring detailed medical record reviews.

5. Receiving Offers and Making a Decision: Once underwriting is complete, the insurer will issue an offer (approval at a certain rate class) or a decline. If approved, you’ll receive the final premium amount. If multiple applications were submitted through Insurance By Heroes, we will present all offers, explain the differences, and help you choose the best policy for your needs and budget.

Strategies to Improve Your Chances and Potentially Lower Costs

While some risk factors are beyond your control (like past medical history), there are steps you can take to potentially improve your insurability or reduce your premiums:

• Improve Your Health: If possible, taking steps to improve health metrics can make a difference. Quitting smoking is the single most impactful change (non-smoker rates are significantly lower, usually after 12 months tobacco-free). Losing weight if obese, managing blood pressure or cholesterol through diet, exercise, and medication, and demonstrating stable control of chronic conditions like diabetes can lead to better offers.
• Document Risk Mitigation: If you have a hazardous job or hobby, provide documentation of safety training, certifications, or risk-reduction measures you employ. This shows underwriters you are responsible and actively managing the risk.
• Consider Policy Adjustments: If the ideal coverage amount or term length results in unaffordable premiums due to your risk classification, consider applying for a lower death benefit or a shorter term initially. Getting some coverage in place is better than none. You can potentially apply for more coverage later if your circumstances improve.
• Re-evaluate Periodically: Life insurance needs and risk factors can change. If your health improves significantly (e.g., you quit smoking for several years, lose substantial weight, a medical condition goes into long-term remission), or if you leave a hazardous occupation, it may be worthwhile to seek new high risk life insurance quotes. You might qualify for a better rate class than before. Working with Insurance By Heroes makes this re-shopping process easy.
• Work with the Right Agent: We can’t stress this enough. An independent agent specializing in high-risk cases knows how to navigate the system. They know which carriers offer “credits” for positive factors that can offset negative ones, potentially improving your rating class. They prevent you from wasting time with carriers unlikely to make a good offer.

The Critical Importance of Carrier Differences

It is absolutely vital to understand that **not every life insurance company views risk the same way.** This is the cornerstone of successfully finding affordable high risk life insurance quotes.

Here are hypothetical examples to illustrate this point:

• Diabetes Example: Carrier A might automatically assign a significant table rating (e.g., Table 4) to anyone with Type 2 diabetes, regardless of control. Carrier B, however, might offer Standard or Table 2 rates if the applicant has well-controlled A1c levels, no complications, and maintains a healthy lifestyle. Carrier C might fall somewhere in between. Applying only to Carrier A would result in a much higher premium than necessary.
• Pilot Example: Carrier X might charge a hefty flat extra premium for all private pilots. Carrier Y might offer Standard rates if the pilot has sufficient flight hours, an instrument rating, and flies a certain number of hours per year within specific safety parameters. Carrier Z might decline coverage altogether for pilots engaging in aerobatics.
• Cancer History Example: One insurer might have a strict 10-year waiting period post-treatment for certain cancers before considering Standard rates. Another might consider applicants just 5 years post-treatment for the same cancer, potentially offering a rated policy sooner or even Standard rates depending on the type and stage.
• Occupation Example: Some carriers have more experience and favorable programs for first responders or military personnel, understanding the specific risks and training involved, while others might simply assign a generic high-risk rating.

These differences in underwriting philosophy, often referred to as carrier “appetites” or “niches,” are precisely why going directly to a single insurance company or using a quote engine that only shows rates from a few select partners can be detrimental for high-risk applicants. You might get quoted a high rate or declined, leading you to believe affordable coverage isn’t possible, when in reality, the right carrier for your specific situation exists – you just haven’t found them yet.

This is the core value proposition of Insurance By Heroes. Because we are an independent agency working with dozens of carriers, our job is to know these differences. We leverage our knowledge of carrier underwriting guidelines to match your unique risk profile with the company most likely to provide the most favorable offer. We shop the market extensively so you don’t have to guess or waste time applying to companies that aren’t a good fit.

Why Choose Insurance By Heroes for Your High Risk Life Insurance Quotes?

Navigating the world of high-risk life insurance can feel complex and overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Insurance By Heroes is uniquely positioned to help you find the protection you need.

• We Understand Service: Founded by a former first responder and military spouse, and staffed by professionals with public service backgrounds, we have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and risks faced by those who serve, as well as many other high-risk situations.
• We Are Independent: We work for YOU, not for any single insurance company. Our loyalty is to our clients. This independence allows us to access and compare policies from dozens of top-rated carriers nationwide.
• We Shop the Market For You: Our access to numerous carriers is critical for high-risk cases. We know where to look and how to position your application to find the companies most likely to offer favorable underwriting for your specific health conditions, occupation, or lifestyle.
• We Provide Personalized Guidance: We take the time to understand your individual circumstances and needs. We explain your options clearly and help you navigate the application and underwriting process from start to finish. We tailor coverage solutions, rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all product.
• We Aim for the Best Value: Our goal is to secure the most comprehensive coverage possible at the most competitive premium available in the market, given your specific risk factors. We strive to turn potentially high high risk life insurance quotes into affordable protection for your loved ones.

Take the First Step Towards Protection Today

Finding out your options is easier than you might think. Don’t let the label “high-risk” deter you from securing the financial peace of mind that life insurance provides. Whether you have health concerns, a demanding job, or adventurous hobbies, exploring your options is the crucial first step.

The team at Insurance By Heroes is ready to help. We’ll leverage our expertise and our extensive network of carrier partners to search for the best possible coverage tailored specifically to you. Let us do the heavy lifting of comparing companies and navigating underwriting guidelines.

Ready to see what’s possible? Fill out the quote request form on this page to get started with your personalized high risk life insurance quotes. There’s no obligation, and it’s the best way to understand the specific options available for your unique situation. Let Insurance By Heroes help you protect what matters most.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about high-risk life insurance and is not intended as financial or insurance advice. Eligibility for life insurance, specific policy availability, and final premiums depend on individual circumstances and the underwriting guidelines of the chosen insurance carrier.