Defibrillator Life Insurance Rates and Options 2026

Yes. You can get life insurance with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), even if a carrier has already turned you down. This guide explains what underwriters evaluate for a defibrillator, how table ratings work, why rates vary widely between carriers, and the common mistakes that cost ICD applicants money. And if the coverage you’re arranging also needs to protect a business loan, our guide to SBA Loan Life Insurance pairs term structures with the balance a lender wants covered.

Insurance By Heroes was founded by a former first responder and military spouse, and our team comes from backgrounds in law enforcement, fire, EMS, military, healthcare, and education. That public service mindset shapes how we work. We’re also an independent agency, which means we aren’t tied to one insurance company. We shop dozens of carriers on your behalf because every company looks at an ICD differently. Where one carrier might decline you outright, another might offer approval at a manageable rate. That difference matters enormously when you have a condition like this.

Getting real numbers based on your specific health profile is the fastest way to cut through the uncertainty. When you’re ready, click the “See Instant Quotes” button on this page and a real person (not a call center) will review your situation.

Why a Defibrillator Affects Life Insurance Rates

An ICD is implanted to prevent sudden cardiac death from dangerous heart rhythms. Underwriters know this. The device itself tells them your cardiologist identified a serious arrhythmia risk, and that’s what drives the rating. It’s not the device that concerns them. It’s the underlying condition that required it.

Most ICDs are placed after a cardiac event like a heart attack, or because of a condition like cardiomyopathy or heart failure. The underwriter wants to understand the full picture. Why was the device placed? How is the heart functioning now? Has the device ever fired? These questions determine where you land on the rating scale.

What Underwriters Evaluate for a Defibrillator

Here’s what the underwriting team actually looks at when they review your application. For applicants whose records also mention a conduction delay, our guide to life insurance with bundle branch block maps that finding onto a similar rating scale.

Your ejection fraction is the single most important number. This measures how well your heart pumps blood with each beat. Normal is 55% to 70%. If yours is above 45%, you have a much better shot at approval. Below 35% and most traditional carriers will pass, though guaranteed issue options still exist.

Time since the ICD was implanted matters enormously. Under one year and most carriers will postpone your application. Between one and two years, you’ll likely face a significant table rating. After two years of stability, options improve. Five or more years with no complications and you’re in the best possible position for someone with an ICD.

Your overall cardiac health plays a big role too. Underwriters look at whether the device has fired, your current medications, exercise tolerance, recent cardiology evaluations, and whether you have additional risk factors like diabetes or smoking. A single event with good recovery and stability tells a very different story than multiple hospitalizations and an ejection fraction that’s been declining.

How Table Ratings Work for Defibrillator Cases

Most people with an ICD who get approved for traditional life insurance will receive a table rating. Here’s what that means in plain English.

Standard rates are the baseline. Table 1 adds 25% to that baseline. Table 2 adds 50%. Table 4 doubles it. For someone with an ICD and stable cardiac function, Table 4 through Table 8 is a realistic range depending on the specifics. Some carriers may go higher.

In dollar terms, a 40 year old looking at a $500,000 term policy for 20 years might pay around $45 per month at standard rates. At Table 4, that number climbs to roughly $90 per month. At Table 8, you could be looking at $135 per month or more. Those are significant differences, but they’re also manageable when you compare them to having no coverage at all. And the gap between Table 4 and Table 8 is exactly why shopping multiple carriers matters so much.

Defibrillator Rates Vary Wildly Between Carriers

This is where most people leave money on the table. Every insurance company has its own underwriting guidelines, and the differences for cardiac conditions are dramatic. The same person with the same ICD, the same ejection fraction, and the same medical records can be rated Table 4 by one carrier and Table 8 by another. That’s the difference between $90 per month and $135 per month on a $500,000 policy. Over 20 years, that adds up to more than $10,000.

A captive agent who works for a single company can only offer you what that one company decides. If their underwriters happen to be conservative on ICDs, you’re stuck paying the higher rate or walking away with nothing. An independent agency like Insurance By Heroes shops your case across dozens of carriers to find the one that prices your specific situation most favorably. We’ve seen cases where the difference between the best and worst offer was four full table ratings apart.

Every carrier weighs these factors differently, which is why comparing quotes is so valuable. You don’t need to do this shopping yourself. That’s literally what we do.

Defibrillator and Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is often the best fit for someone with an ICD for a few reasons. It’s the most affordable option, which matters when you’re already facing a table rating. If you need coverage while your kids finish school, while your mortgage is being paid down, or during your peak earning years, a term policy locks in protection for that specific window.

Common term lengths are 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years. For someone with a defibrillator, a shorter term (10 or 15 years) may be easier to qualify for and can still cover your most critical financial obligations. Many term policies also include a conversion option that lets you switch to permanent coverage later without going through medical underwriting again. That’s a powerful feature if your health changes down the road.

Defibrillator and Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is harder to get with an ICD because it covers you for your entire lifetime, which means the insurer takes on more risk. Premiums will be significantly higher than term. However, if you have a stable cardiac history of five or more years and a good ejection fraction, some carriers will consider it. Guaranteed issue whole life policies are also available with no medical questions, though they come with lower face amounts (typically $25,000 or less) and a graded death benefit in the first two to three years.

Defibrillator and Universal Life Insurance

Universal life insurance offers flexible premiums and a cash value component. For someone with an ICD, this can be an option if you need permanent coverage with more flexibility than whole life provides. The same underwriting factors apply. Expect table ratings, and expect to pay more than someone without a cardiac history. But the flexibility to adjust premiums during tight months can be appealing. Before settling on flexibility, our guide to IUL and GUL life insurance with defibrillator lays out the indexed and guaranteed universal routes for applicants with an ICD.

Positioning Yourself for the Best Outcome

Before you apply, get your records in order. You’ll want your most recent echocardiogram results (with your ejection fraction number), your current medication list with dosages, your last cardiology evaluation, and any operative reports from when the ICD was placed. Hospital discharge summaries are helpful too.

Know your ejection fraction. This is the magic number for any cardiac underwriting case. It’s in your echo report. If you don’t know it, call your cardiologist’s office and ask. It takes five minutes and can be the difference between an accurate application and a delayed one.

If your ICD was implanted less than a year ago, consider waiting. Applying too soon almost always results in either a postponement or a much higher rating than you’d get with a year or two of documented stability. That said, don’t wait indefinitely. Every birthday increases your base premium, and conditions can develop complications that worsen your rating class. The math favors acting once you have stability on your side.

Common Mistakes That Cost You Money

Not mentioning your ICD on the application is a serious error. It will come up in medical records, and an omission can get your application flagged or your claim denied later. Be upfront and specific.

Saying “heart problem” without details hurts you. Underwriters need specifics. A 40 year old with an ICD placed for a single episode of ventricular tachycardia, ejection fraction of 50%, stable for three years on medication, is a completely different case than someone with ongoing heart failure symptoms and a declining ejection fraction. Vague answers get you the worst possible assumption.

Forgetting to list all your cardiac medications is another common one. If the underwriter finds a medication in your pharmacy records that you didn’t disclose, it raises questions about what else you might not have mentioned.

And here’s a big one. Applying to just one company and accepting whatever they offer. If you received a Table 8 rating, that might be Table 4 or Table 6 somewhere else. The only way to know is to have an independent agent shop your case. Getting quotes is free and gives you real numbers instead of guesswork.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

How much more does life insurance cost with a defibrillator?

Most people with an ICD can expect a table rating, meaning 50% to 200% above standard rates depending on your ejection fraction, time since implant, and overall cardiac health. On a $500,000 20 year term policy for a 40 year old, that could mean paying $65 to $135 per month instead of the standard $45 per month. Shopping multiple carriers through an independent agent often brings you closer to the lower end of that range.

Can I get approved for life insurance with a defibrillator?

Yes. Approval is realistic, especially if your ICD was placed more than two years ago, your ejection fraction is above 40%, and your condition is stable on medication. If traditional underwriting isn’t an option, guaranteed issue policies are available with no health questions at all, though they come with lower coverage amounts and higher premiums per dollar of coverage.

How long should I wait after getting an ICD to apply?

Most carriers want to see at least one to two years of stability after ICD placement. The two year mark is often the turning point for significantly better rates. If you’ve had your device for five or more years with no complications, you’re in the strongest possible position. Applying too early usually results in a postponement or a rating that’s much higher than what you’d get by waiting a few more months.

Does it matter if my ICD has fired?

It can. An ICD that has delivered a shock (fired) tells the underwriter that a life threatening arrhythmia actually occurred, not just that you were at risk for one. A single appropriate firing years ago with no recurrence is viewed more favorably than multiple recent firings. Be prepared to provide details about when it happened and what your cardiologist’s assessment was afterward.

Related health conditions

Other health findings lead applicants down the same table-rating path, and our condition guides cover HLA-B27 Positive term life insurance rates, term life insurance with coarctation of aorta and Urethral Stricture term life insurance.