Life Insurance With Sleep Apnea

Living with sleep apnea can be challenging, but obtaining life insurance does not have to be. This article is here to help educate those living with sleep apnea about the process of getting life insurance coverage.

We will discuss the types of policies available and how rates are determined based on your health conditions. You will also find helpful resources to make the process of obtaining life insurance coverage easier.

Life Insurance Options With Sleep Apnea

It is possible to purchase No-Exam Life Insurance with sleep apnea. These policies are primarily used for Final Expense or Term Life insurance coverage and do not require an in-person medical exam.

Guaranteed Issue is another option if you do not like to complete health questions. Because the insurance company is offering insurance without knowing anything about your health, you can expect the rates to be significantly higher than final expense and term life insurance.

How Common is Sleep Apnea in the United States?

Sleep Apnea is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans. It is estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in every 15 Americans, or 6.62% of the total population.

Research suggests that sleep apnea is underdiagnosed, so the number of people affected may be higher. Studies also indicate that sleep apnea is more prevalent in certain ethnic groups, such as African Americans and Hispanic Americans, and in individuals who are overweight or obese.

Research also suggests that severe sleep apnea is a significant risk factor for various health conditions, including hypertension, stroke, and heart disease.

Why Life Insurance Companies Care About Sleep Apnea?

Many life insurance companies are interested in Sleep Apnea because it can cause several complications and even related mortality concerns. People with Sleep Apnea are at an increased risk for cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and other cardiovascular issues. Life insurance rates with cancer significantly impact your ability to obtain insurance.

These co-morbid conditions increase the risk of death from natural causes. Additionally, individuals with Sleep Apnea diagnosis may suffer from sleep deprivation which can lead to decreased concentration levels, reduced motor coordination and increased risk of accidents or injuries due to lack of alertness.

Sleep apnea is considered a significant medical condition due to its associated risks and because it is not always easy to diagnose or treat effectively. In some cases, lifestyle changes like weight loss or quitting smoking will be enough to improve the situation; however, more intensive treatments are required, such as surgery or using a breathing machine at night (CPAP). For these reasons, life insurance companies will often assess individuals with Sleep Apnea differently than those without the condition.

In order to ensure that they are providing appropriate coverage and protection, life insurance companies will closely evaluate an individual’s medical history before approving a policy.

Common Questions Asked by Carriers

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Term Life Insurance When You have Sleep Apnea

Term life insurance is a type of life insurance policy that provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually lasting 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. It pays a death benefit to the beneficiary if the insured dies within the term of the policy.

Term Life Insurance Application Questions About Sleep Apnea

The above table shows Mutual of Omaha and American Amicable, for approving or declining coverage for a proposed insured diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Mutual of Omaha states that if the proposed insured has used oxygen within the last year, coverage will be declined. If not, coverage will be approved. If the individual is currently being treated with oxygen, Mutual of Omaha will consider sleep apnea a higher mortality risk.

American Amicable states that coverage will decline if the proposed insured has EVER used oxygen. This implies that American Amicable is less flexible in its underwriting process and considers sleep apnea with oxygen use a higher mortality risk, similar to Mutual of Omaha.

Final Expense Life Insurance when you have Sleep Apnea

Final Expense life insurance is a policy designed to cover the costs associated with end-of-life expenses. It provides coverage for burial and related costs, ensuring that your loved ones are not burdened with these financial demands after you pass away.

Final Expense Application Questions: Sleep Apnea

A sleep apnea diagnosis doesn’t mean you can’t get life insurance. If you’re actively managing your condition and leading a healthy lifestyle, the right policy is well within reach. 

Although sleep apnea can still affect your premiums, arming yourself with the details can help you find a great rate. Here’s what you need to know about sleep apnea and how it impacts the underwriting process for life insurance.  

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where a person repeatedly stops breathing throughout the night. 

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With OSA, the throat muscles relax while a person sleeps. This physically blocks airflow in and out of the lungs. 

Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain doesn’t send the right signals to control breathing. CSA is more complex and requires a different treatment approach than OSA.

The symptoms of sleep apnea are plentiful, but people often overlook them. Loud snoring, waking up with a dry mouth, difficulty staying asleep, and morning headaches are all clues. In most cases, a sleep study is required to diagnose sleep apnea — something many people put off. 

Both types of sleep apnea are dangerous if left untreated. Having sleep apnea also increases the risk of developing:

• High blood pressure and heart problems
• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
• Metabolic syndrome, which is linked to heart disease
• Liver problems, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Because sleep apnea can have such far-reaching effects on your health, life insurance companies will certainly consider your diagnosis when underwriting your policy. However, even with more sleep apnea, it’s possible to secure fair premiums. 

Getting Coverage with Sleep Apnea: What To Expect

When you apply for life insurance, underwriters gather information on your health and lifestyle. They use all the information they collect to assess the risk of insuring you. A wide variety of factors are considered — including diagnoses like sleep apnea.

Anytime a person has a condition that could directly or indirectly affect their life expectancy, it impacts their life insurance rates. For example, poorly managed sleep apnea can cause heart problems in the long term. Meanwhile, just one bout of insomnia could lead to a fatal accident. 

If you have sleep apnea, expect insurers to look into the following:

• History of your condition: When were you diagnosed with sleep apnea? Have you developed any health concerns as a result of your sleep apnea?
• On-going management: Are you using any devices to improve your breathing? How consistently are you using them? Are they effective?
• Co-occurring conditions: How are you managing other risk factors for heart and liver problems? Do you have high blood pressure or other conditions?
• Lifestyle choices: Are you maintaining a healthy weight? Do you live an active lifestyle? 

With a simplified or guaranteed issue policy, you won’t need to undergo any medical exam or tests. 

For a simplified issue policy, underwriters will get information from your prescription drug history and your answers to a quick health questionnaire.

If you’re in good health and actively managing your condition, you’ll get the best rates. 

Can I Get Term Life Insurance with Sleep Apnea?

Term life insurance is highly affordable. That’s because term policies only last for a fixed period, usually between 5 and 40 years. If you outlive your policy, coverage simply goes away.

For a healthy individual, term life can make it easy to get a sizable death benefit. But, when conditions like sleep apnea impact your life expectancy, term life becomes more expensive.

How Term Life Insurance Companies Underwrite for Sleep Apnea

Companies have a set of underwriting guidelines they follow when insuring people. In some cases, a company’s rules may mean you can’t get a term life policy at all due to your sleep apnea. 

In most cases, your eligibility is based on how you are managing your condition. For instance, companies see treatment without oxygen more favorably than treatment with oxygen. That’s because they use that information to gauge the severity of your condition. 

Not all insurance companies weigh sleep apnea the same. That’s why it’s important to shop around.

The Best and Worst Companies for Term Life Insurance with Sleep Apnea

If you do not need oxygen to manage your sleep apnea, you have many options for term life insurance. American Amicable, Foresters, and Mutual of Omaha will all approve you without issue. 

If you use oxygen to manage your condition, your options are slightly slimmer.

American Amicable and Foresters decline term life to anyone who has received sleep apnea treatment with oxygen in the last ten years.

Mutual of Omaha and Prosperity also decline treatment if you’ve used oxygen in the last year. 

Can I Get Whole Life Insurance with Sleep Apnea?

Whole life insurance is a form of permanent coverage. That means your policy will never expire, and your premiums will never increase. Both of those things are good news when you’re looking to secure long-term peace of mind.

When it comes to whole life insurance, you have options. Simplified whole life is a good pick for someone with sleep apnea. But, depending on your needs and health status, you may also consider a guaranteed issue policy. 

• Simplified issue whole life: With no medical exam needed to qualify, simplified issue whole life is easy to get. Answer a health questionnaire and you’ll be on your way to having a life insurance policy. Death benefits may be level (no waiting period) or modified (2-year waiting period). 
• Guaranteed issue whole life: There’s no need for a medical exam or health questionnaire with guaranteed issue whole life. But, premiums are high to help insurers offset risk. There’s also a 2-year waiting period on all policies. Consider this option when other policies aren’t available. 

How Whole Life Insurance Companies Underwrite for Sleep Apnea

Your whole life options mainly depend on whether or not you’re using oxygen to manage your sleep apnea.

If you’re not using oxygen as part of your treatment, you’ll have many options. 

If your condition doesn’t need any special management anymore, you’ll have even more options. Especially if it’s been a year or more since you received sleep apnea treatment. 

However, if your treatment involves the use of oxygen, life insurance companies do not view it favorably. This means fewer options and higher premiums. 

The Best and Worst Companies for Whole Life Insurance with Sleep Apnea

If you’re not using oxygen, most companies will offer a simplified issue whole life policy with level terms. This includes American Home Life, SBLI, Transamerica, and Aetna. 

The only company that will outright deny whole life coverage to someone with sleep apnea is Americo. 

If you are using oxygen, you still have options. But you should avoid Aetna, Foresters, Liberty Bankers, and Prosperity if you’ve needed it within the last 2 years. 

A few companies offer graded terms to those using oxygen. That includes SBLI and Great Western.

But your best options if you’re using oxygen are those companies willing to offer you level terms regardless. AIG, CVS Health, and Mutual of Omaha are among the select companies that do.