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Have a pre-existing condition? Find life insurance suitable for your needs by comparing with Savvy.
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Almost 80% of Australians are living with some type of pre-existing condition, whether it be asthma, diabetes or a mental health condition. If you’re one of the millions of Aussies with a long-term illness, and you’re considering taking out life insurance, Savvy can help show you where to look.
Getting a quote with us allows you to do a side-by-side comparison of some of Australia’s top insurers in our panel to help you find a policy that covers your pre-existing condition. You can also compare prices, benefits and much more, so start the process with Savvy today.
Yes – if you have a pre-existing medical condition, and are considering taking out life insurance, many insurance companies will allow you to purchase a policy. However, your pre-existing condition may impact how much you pay for your insurance, and may exclude coverage for your ongoing medical condition.
Insurers will assess pre-existing conditions on a case-by-case basis to see whether they would increase your chances of claiming on the policy you’re applying for. Generally speaking, if the medical issue could lead to you dying prematurely, you will pay a higher price for coverage. For example, having a heart condition or high blood pressure is likely to affect your life insurance, but treatment for eczema may not increase the cost of your policy.
A pre-existing condition may be something you’re being treated for currently or something you’ve seen a doctor about in the past. Any ailment which has an impact on your life expectancy, health or capacity to work, whether it’s currently active or resolved, qualifies as a pre-existing condition. It’s important to check with your insurance policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before buying to make sure your pre-existing condition isn’t excluded from cover. If it is, your claim could be thrown out if you die or become critically ill due to the condition.
Here are a few examples of the most frequent types of pre-existing conditions:
In certain instances, your life insurance company may not consider a pre-existing condition you’ve had in the past to be relevant in relation to your current insurance needs. Conditions that haven't needed treatment for a certain period, or that have been effectively treated can fall into this category.
Life insurance companies will have a list of exclusions that apply when you make a claim on your policy. This includes self-inflicted injuries, criminal activity and reckless behaviour. Many companies won’t pay if you commit suicide during the first 13 months of your policy, or if your claim is directly related to you driving dangerously or breaking the law.
There are a few main categories of life insurance risk which will be considered by your insurer during the underwriting process. These will usually include the following:
When you buy a life insurance policy and have a pre-existing medical condition, you’ll be asked to provide some information which can vary depending on where you buy and how much coverage you’re chasing. The information you’ll generally need to provide includes:
In some cases, you may want to do a life insurance pre-assessment which can help you better understand what coverage is available for your condition. These aren’t compulsory, and it's at the discretion of your provider whether you need to complete one.
These assessments are usually done through a life insurance specialist and involve asking a few questions about your pre-existing conditions, as well as your height, weight and current job. This form can usually be completed over the phone and by the consultant, saving you the hassle and helping you focus on finding the best life insurance policy to cover your pre-existing condition.
Life cover can pay a nominated beneficiary a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness or pass away. This type of insurance can provide your immediate family or another loved one some financial assistance to cover funerals, medical costs and day-to-day expenses.
If you’re injured or too sick to work for an extended period, income protection insurance is designed to help you focus on your recovery. You can be covered for up to 70% of your usual wage for a chosen period, such as five years or up to age 65, depending on the level of coverage you buy.
This type of insurance is designed to offer cover to those who are permanently disabled by injury or illness and are no longer able to work. You can choose to take out cover for an inability to work in your current job or in any role suited to your qualifications.
Trauma insurance is a type of policy which provides you with a lump sum payment in the event of a critical illness or major accident. The conditions eligible for claims will be outlined in your insurer's PDS, but can include cancer, heart disease, severe head trauma and cardiovascular disorders.
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You may still be protected by your life insurance policy even if you’re diagnosed with an ongoing ailment later in life, however a change in health status may affect your premium. For example, if you’re a senior and are diagnosed with dementia, you should contact your insurance company to let them know about the diagnosis, since this might result in additional premiums or conditions attached to the policy.
When you’re comparing life insurance policies with Savvy, it’s important to weigh up the following factors to make sure you get coverage that’s right for you. This includes:
You should notify your insurance company if there is any change to your health status, which includes being diagnosed with a new condition, or advancement or change in a pre-existing condition.
If you don't require any special tests like an x-ray or an electrocardiogram, your check-up should just take a quarter of an hour. Also included is the time spent asking questions verbally. If the insurance company requires an electrocardiogram, add 20 minutes to this time. However, timing will be different depending on the person and the nature of the condition.
Your life insurance company may be willing to offer you a policy with modified conditions if you are unable to get coverage under a conventional policy owing to your pre-existing condition. This means that while you may not be covered for claims relating to your current condition, you’ll receive the other normal benefits of a life insurance policy. A surcharge might be one of the conditions outlined in the policy's fine print.
Some companies provide guaranteed coverage for children with pre-existing diseases including certain forms of diabetes and asthma. It may be worthwhile to shop around for kids’ life insurance if your youngster has a chronic condition to be sure they’ll be covered and that you aren't paying more than necessary.
Coverage for critical and terminal illnesses is often included in basic life insurance plans. If you’re diagnosed with a terminal disease and given fewer than 24 months to live, you’ll get a lump sum payment.
Compare life insurance options aligned to your medical condition and profile and receive no-obligation quotes from some of Australia's leading insurers.
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Savvy is partnered with Compare Club Australia Pty Ltd (AFS representative number 001279036) of Alternative Media Pty Ltd (AFS License number 486326) to provide readers with a variety of life insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from Compare Club each time a customer buys a life insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via Compare Club.
Savvy does not compare all life insurance policies or providers currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.
For any further information on the variety of insurers compared by Compare Club or how their business works, you can read their Financial Services Guide.
Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.
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© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.
Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.
We’re partnered with lenders, insurers and other financial institutions who compensate us for business initiated through our website. We earn a commission each time a customer chooses or buys a product advertised on our site, which you can find out more about here, as well as in our credit guide for asset finance. It’s also crucial to read the terms and conditions, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or credit guide of our partners before signing up for your chosen product. However, the compensation we receive doesn’t impact the content written and published on our website, as our writing team exercises full editorial independence.
For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.
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