Coronary Artery Disease Term Life Insurance (2026)

If you’ve been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, you’re probably wondering whether affordable life insurance is even possible. The honest answer is yes, but you’ll likely pay more than someone without a heart condition. How much more depends on several factors, and most of them are within your control. And if you want that control to outlast any term length, our Guaranteed universal life insurance rates guide sizes the level premium a permanent death benefit commands.

At Insurance By Heroes, we understand the urgency behind that question. Our agency was founded by a former first responder and military spouse, and our team comes from backgrounds in military service, law enforcement, fire, EMS, healthcare, and education. That public service mindset drives everything we do. We’re also an independent agency, which means we don’t sell for just one insurance company. We work with dozens of carriers to find the one that prices your specific situation most favorably. For someone with coronary artery disease, that distinction can mean the difference between an affordable policy and one that breaks the budget.

How Coronary Artery Disease Affects Life Insurance Rates

Underwriters view coronary artery disease as a marker for future cardiac events. That’s not a judgment call on their part. It’s actuarial math. A history of blocked arteries, stents, or bypass surgery tells the carrier there’s elevated risk, and they price accordingly.

But “coronary artery disease” is a broad category. A single stent placed five years ago with no complications since is a completely different risk profile than a recent triple bypass with ongoing symptoms. Underwriters don’t treat all CAD the same, and neither should you when setting your expectations. A valve disorder carries its own risk profile, and our Valvular Heart Disease term life insurance guide maps that diagnosis to the rates it draws.

What Underwriters Actually Evaluate

Here’s what moves the needle on your application. The specific diagnosis and its severity come first. Then the time since your diagnosis or any cardiac event. Carriers want to know your current cardiac function, specifically your ejection fraction, what medications you’re on, and when you last saw your cardiologist.

Your ejection fraction is the magic number. Think of it as your heart’s efficiency rating. Normal is 55% to 70%, which is a good sign for underwriting. A mild reduction (45% to 54%) means some rating is likely. Moderate reduction (35% to 44%) leads to a significant rating or simplified issue products. Below 35% and you’re typically looking at guaranteed issue territory.

Time since your event matters enormously. Under one year, most carriers will postpone or assign a very high rating. Between one and two years, options exist but ratings are likely. Once you hit two to five years with stable health, things open up considerably. Beyond five years with no complications, some people can approach standard rates.

Other factors that weigh into the decision include smoking status, diabetes, cholesterol levels, exercise tolerance, and whether you’ve been hospitalized recently. The combination of coronary artery disease with diabetes is particularly tough. Either condition alone is manageable, but together they compound the risk in underwriters’ eyes.

How Table Ratings Work (and What They Cost)

Most people with coronary artery disease will receive a table rating. Here’s how that works in plain terms. Standard rates are the baseline. Table 1 adds 25% above standard. Table 2 adds 50%. Table 4 doubles it. Each table adds another 25%.

Put that in real dollars. On a $500,000, 20 year term policy for a 40 year old, standard rates might run about $45 per month. A Table 2 rating brings that to roughly $65 per month. Table 4 might be around $90 per month. Yes, it’s more. But $65 a month is less than most people spend on streaming subscriptions and takeout coffee combined. And that $65 buys half a million dollars of protection for your family.

The difference between Table 2 and Table 6 is real money over the life of a policy. That’s exactly why where you apply matters just as much as your health profile.

Why an Independent Agency Matters for Coronary Artery Disease Rates

Here’s something most people don’t realize about how life insurance actually works. A captive agent (the kind you’d find at a single brand name company) can only offer you that one company’s products. If their underwriting guidelines are strict on cardiac history, you’re stuck with whatever they offer or a flat decline.

Every carrier prices coronary artery disease differently. The same person, same health records, same ejection fraction, can see ratings that vary by two to four table levels depending on the company. One carrier might rate you at Table 4 while another looks at the exact same file and offers Table 2. Over a 20 year term, that gap adds up to thousands of dollars.

This is where working with an independent agency saves you real money. At Insurance By Heroes, we shop your case across dozens of carriers to find the one that views your specific cardiac history most favorably. Getting declined by one company means nothing about your chances with the other 30 plus we can check. Different carriers have vastly different guidelines, and knowing which ones are more lenient on CAD is part of what we do every day. When you’re ready to see actual numbers, just click the “See Instant Quotes” button on any page.

Term Life Insurance for Coronary Artery Disease

Term life makes particular sense for someone with CAD. It’s the most affordable option, which matters when you’re already facing a table rating. Common term lengths run 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years, giving you flexibility to match coverage to your actual needs. If you need to cover a mortgage payoff, get your kids through college, or replace income during your working years, term life does that without the higher premiums of permanent coverage.

For people with heart conditions, shorter terms (10 or 15 years) may be easier to qualify for and let you lock in a rate before any potential complications develop. And many term policies include a conversion option, meaning you can switch to permanent coverage later without going through medical underwriting again. That’s a valuable feature if your health changes.

Whole Life Insurance with Coronary Artery Disease

Some people with CAD prefer whole life insurance for its permanent coverage and cash value component. Whole life premiums are higher than term, and with a table rating on top of that, the monthly cost can be significant. But if you want coverage that never expires and builds equity over time, whole life is worth exploring. Carriers that are favorable for CAD on term products often extend that same leniency to their whole life underwriting.

Universal Life Insurance with Coronary Artery Disease

Universal life insurance offers more flexibility than whole life, with adjustable premiums and death benefits. For someone managing coronary artery disease, the flexibility can be appealing. You can increase coverage during high need years and scale back later. As with any product, the key is finding a carrier whose underwriting guidelines treat your cardiac history reasonably. Every carrier weighs these factors differently, which is why comparing quotes is so valuable.

Positioning Yourself for the Best Possible Rate

What helps your application the most is time and stability. If your cardiac event was more than two years ago and you’ve been stable since, you’re in much better position than someone who just had a procedure. A good ejection fraction (55% or above), being a non smoker, having no diabetes, and showing regular cardiology follow up all work in your favor.

Gather your documentation before you apply. You’ll want your most recent cardiology records, echocardiogram results showing your ejection fraction, stress test results if you’ve had one, your full medication list with dosages, and any operative reports or discharge summaries from procedures. Having this ready speeds up the process and prevents delays that could cost you.

Don’t wait for your health to improve before applying. Every birthday raises your base premium regardless of health. Conditions can develop complications. Locking in a rate now, even at a table rating, beats gambling on better health later. This isn’t a scare tactic. It’s math. A 42 year old with stable CAD pays less than a 45 year old with the same profile, every time.

Common Mistakes That Cost You Money

Not knowing your ejection fraction is the biggest one. It’s in your echocardiogram report. Call your cardiologist’s office and get the number before you apply. Saying “heart problem” without being specific about your diagnosis frustrates underwriters and can lead to worse assumptions than the reality.

Forgetting to mention a pacemaker or defibrillator is a serious mistake. Underwriters will find out, and the omission looks worse than the device itself. List all your cardiac medications, not just the ones you think matter. And don’t apply too soon after a procedure. Give yourself time to heal and demonstrate stability. Rushing into an application three months after a stent placement almost guarantees a postponement or a much higher rating than you’d get at the one year mark.

One more thing. Your employer’s group life coverage probably isn’t enough. Group plans typically offer one to two times your salary with no portability. Leave the job and you lose the coverage. And you’ll be older and potentially harder to insure when you try to replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

How much more does life insurance cost with coronary artery disease?

Most people with stable CAD receive a Table 2 to Table 6 rating. On a $500,000, 20 year term policy for a 40 year old, that means roughly $65 to $135 per month instead of a standard $45 per month. The exact rate depends on time since diagnosis, ejection fraction, and other health factors. Getting personalized quotes is free and gives you real numbers instead of guesswork.

Can I get approved for life insurance with coronary artery disease?

Yes. Most people with CAD do get approved, though usually at a table rating. The key factors are stability (ideally two plus years since any event), a normal ejection fraction, and no ongoing symptoms. Even if one carrier declines you, others may approve you. An independent agent can check guidelines across dozens of companies.

How long should I wait after a cardiac event to apply?

Most carriers want to see at least one year of stability, and two years is the real turning point for better rates. Applying within the first year typically results in a postponement or very high rating. That said, if you need coverage now, options like guaranteed issue or simplified issue products can bridge the gap until you qualify for better rates.

What is ejection fraction and why does it matter for my application?

Ejection fraction measures how efficiently your heart pumps blood with each beat. Normal is 55% to 70%. This single number often determines whether you get Table 2 or Table 8. If you don’t know yours, call your cardiologist and ask for your most recent echocardiogram results. Having this number ready when you apply saves time and helps your agent find the right carriers for your situation.

Related health conditions

Coronary artery disease is one diagnosis on a long list, and the same underwriting-to-rating route governs term life insurance with gaucher disease: rates, term life insurance with dercum's disease: rates, CMT Disease term life insurance rates and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease term life insurance.