Jason Fisher Heart palpitations are a common medical problem which make you feel like your heart is beating much too hard or too fast.
This sensation is sometimes accompanied by a fluttering feeling, or even palpitations in your throat, neck, or chest. It might even feel like your heart is skipping beats.
Not only are heart palpitations annoying and distracting, but they can also be scary.
Fortunately, heart palpitations usually aren’t a big cause for concern. In fact, they often stem from factors you can control yourself with effort or treatments.
That said, many of those with heart palpitations wonder if they’ll affect their chances of qualifying for traditional life insurance.
We’re here to give you the low-down on getting life insurance with heart palpitations.
First, What Are Heart Palpitations? (And Why Are They A Risk?)
If you’ve never experienced heart palpitations before, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor.
The vast majority of the time heart palpitations are simply caused by stress or anxiety. You might also experience them after consuming too much alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine.
You should also always visit a doctor because of heart palpitations if you have previously been diagnosed with a heart condition. They might still be related to stress or anxiety, but it’s always best to be safe.
The symptoms which might signify a greater problem include:
- shortness of breath
- dizziness
- chest pain
In either case, your doctor needs to be able to have a clear picture of exactly what is going on.
If his notes are unclear, you’re actually not going to be able to get life insurance!
More on that in just a moment.
Who Gets Heart Palpitations?
Heart palpitations can affect anyone.
According to WebMD, the most common causes of heart palpitations are anxiety and stress.
The organization goes on to state other strong emotions can trigger them.
For example, fear can cause heart palpitations. They’re also a common symptom of panic attacks.
Heart palpitations are normal and natural to feel during intense bouts of emotion. They’re generally not a cause for much worry during such situations.
Other common causes of heart palpitations include vigorous physical activity, as well as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
Illegal drugs, especially amphetamines, are also known to produce heart palpitations.
Still other risk factors for heart palpitations include dehydration, low blood pressure, fever, anemia, and thyroid disease.
Certain medications even pose a risk for heart palpitations. Those most commonly linked with this symptom are diet pills and decongestants.
Remember to be especially aware of your heart palpitations if you have a heart condition. Palpitations for these people can sometimes results in heart attack or heart failure.
Questions You’ll Be Asked On The Application
Applying for life insurance starts with answering several questions based on your medical health, lifestyle choices, or even your job.
Once the life insurance provider knows you experience heart palpitations, you’ll likely be asked several questions specifically related to this condition.
Fortunately, most life insurance companies don’t judge heart palpitations too harshly. This is especially true if the palpitations aren’t connected to a more serious disease.
Despite this fact, you can still expect to be asked questions such as:
- How often do you experience palpitations?
- Have you had them looked at by a doctor?
- What causes your heart palpitations?
- Do you have a history of heart disease or related conditions?
- What do you do to manage your heart palpitations?
Your answers to these questions help the underwriters at the life insurance company assess your risk.
The answers let them see how serious your heart palpitations are, whether they’re caused by a more serious problem, and what you’re doing to manage the condition.
You’ll also be asked to submit a medical exam along with your application. The exam helps the underwriter further explore how your heart palpitations relate to your overall health.
The goal of this step of the application process is to thoroughly assess your overall level of risk to the company. The information the underwriter gleans in this process is then used to offer you a rating class which dictates the premium you’ll pay and the coverage you’ll receive.
The Application and Approval Process
As mentioned above, the first step of the life insurance application process is filling out the application.
You’ll be asked for information which relates to your overall health, lifestyle, family health history, and any particular conditions you have (such as heart palpitations).
This step of the process generally lasts between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the particular company you’re applying to.
The second step is what lasts the longest. This is the step where the underwriter reviews your application to assess your risk.
The underwriting period tends to last between 4 and 6 weeks. Though some companies now offer expedited approval, it’s generally not available to those with a medical condition.
At the end of the 4 to 6 week waiting period, you’ll receive a response from the life insurance company. Not only will this include whether you’ve been accepted or denied, but it will also include your rating class if you’ve been accepted.
Your rating class dictates the specifics of your coverage, including the overall price and any premiums you’ll be required to pay.
Remember, not all life insurance companies judge you the same. It’s important to apply to several of your choice providers so you can compare and contrast the rates and policies offered.
Those who are denied from traditional coverage still have options. These include life insurance alternatives like final expense insurance, burial benefits, or a guaranteed issue policy.
What Rates You Might Be Able To Expect
Those with heart palpitations still have a lot of options for life insurance.
As long as you don’t have a history of serious medical problems, and your heart palpitations aren’t linked to a more severe condition, you’ll likely receive a Standard or even a Preferred rate.
This is especially true if you’ve only experienced heart palpitations a few times. If you can prove they were due to stress or a substance, they’ll likely be waived without much consideration.
One common way to prove your heart palpitations are under control is to submit a thorough medical exam with your application. Make sure it contains blood work and urine tests in addition to the standard medical checkup.
Those who experience heart palpitations related to a more serious medical issue like:
- hyperthyroidism
- arrhythmia
- tachycardia
- bradycardia
won’t be so lucky.
If your heart palpitations are linked to a more serious medical condition, you can expect to pay more for life insurance – or be denied altogether.
Those who are denied still have quality alternatives to choose from, such as a guaranteed issue policy.
Finding the Best Coverage For You
The key to finding the best life insurance with heart palpitations is understanding your problem, knowing how the underwriting process works, and applying to multiple companies at once.
Applying for multiple companies will allow you to compare the rates and policy types offered by each.
It’s important to have several options to choose from rather than just buying the first coverage offered by a provider.
Taking your time, doing your research, and not rushing into anything.
We can help.
