The specifics of your disability will determine what type of life insurance coverage is right for you. Adults with disabilities have the same choices for life insurance as any other adults, although some physical disabilities related to high-risk medical conditions can limit your policy options.
Life insurance terms you should know
Beneficiaries: The people you name on your life insurance policy to receive the lump sum of money — also known as the death benefit — when you die.
Cash value: The portion of a permanent life insurance policy’s monetary value that grows tax-deferred over the life of the policy.
Death benefit: The amount of money the life insurance company will pay your beneficiaries when you die.
Face amount: The dollar amount, or death benefit, your beneficiaries receive if you die while your life insurance policy is active.
Insured: The person who is covered by the insurance policy.
Policy: The legal document that includes the terms and conditions of your life insurance contract.
Policyholder: The person who owns an insurance policy. Usually, this is the same person as the insured.
Permanent life insurance: A type of life insurance that lasts for the rest of your life and usually includes a cash value account.
Premium: The amount you pay your insurance company to keep your coverage active. Premiums are typically paid monthly or annually.
Riders: Add-ons to a life insurance policy that provide more robust coverage, sometimes for an extra cost.
Term life insurance: A life insurance policy that lasts for a set number of years before it expires. If you die before the term is up, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit.
Underwriting: The process where an insurance company evaluates the risk of insuring you and determines your final rate.
Can you get life insurance if you have a disability?
Yes, you can qualify for life insurance if you have a disability. Having a developmental, physical, or any other type of disability doesn’t automatically disqualify you from getting life insurance coverage.
Getting life insurance for disabled adults is the same process as it is for anyone else. Your application will be evaluated and your premium will be set using the same factors that are used for other applicants, including age, gender, medical history, and hobbies.
But if your disability affects your ability to work or has serious health ramifications that may affect your life expectancy, you may only qualify for non-traditional life insurance options, which usually have no or fewer health requirements for approval. And the more risk you present to the insurer — medical or otherwise — the higher your premiums will be.
A note on person-first language
At Policygenius, we generally aim to use person-first language, which emphasizes the person rather than a disability or condition. For example, on this page we prefer using the term “people with disabilities” rather than “disabled adults.” However, because some people prefer identity-first language, we do sometimes use these terms to ensure our content is both visible to them and acknowledges the way they identify. For example, though we would normally use the term “people with a history of cancer,” we know some people prefer “cancer survivor.” For more on person-first vs. identity-first language, see this style guide from the National Institutes of Health.
What is considered a disability for life insurance purposes?
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. [1]
Major life activities are functions that are important to conduct a person’s daily life. [2] They include:
Breathing
Communicating
Hearing
Learning
Seeing
Sleeping
Walking
Life insurance companies consider disabilities in the context of how they affect your health and life expectancy. For example, someone who was born blind but is in otherwise excellent health would likely be considered much lower risk than someone who became blind due to a medical condition such as diabetic retinopathy.
The type and scope of your disability will inform the health classification and premiums an insurer gives you. If you present fewer insurance risks — like complex health conditions — you’ll get a better classification and more affordable rates than someone else who raises more concerns.
Every life insurance application is evaluated holistically and each insurer calculates risk differently, so it’s important to compare quotes and coverage options from multiple companies.
Health classifications, explained
Preferred Plus offers the most affordable premiums. It’s usually assigned to people who have no or one well-controlled or resolved minor health condition and no family history of conditions like heart disease or cancer.
Preferred offers the second-lowest premiums. It’s usually assigned to people with one or two well-controlled or resolved minor conditions and no family history of conditions like heart disease or cancer.
Standard Plus offers the third-lowest premiums. It’s usually assigned to people who may have well-controlled or resolved mild-to-moderate conditions and who may have one death from heart disease or cancer in their immediate family.
Standard offers the fourth-lowest premiums. It’s usually assigned to people with well-controlled or resolved moderate health conditions and who may have more than one immediate family member who died of heart disease or cancer.
Table Ratings are assigned to applicants with more serious health conditions and are divided into 10 sub ratings — table 1 has the lowest premiums and table 10 the highest.
Tobacco/Smoker ratings are assigned to people who currently use tobacco or nicotine products or have in the past 12 months. These ratings can also be applied to frequent marijuana users. There are usually three categories for people in this rating: Preferred, Standard, and Table Ratings.
What information about your disability will you have to disclose when you apply for life insurance?
The insurance company will want to know how your disability affects your overall health and everyday living in order to assess your insurance risk.
Health questions: In the initial phone interview with the agent who’ll work on your application, you’ll have to answer a series of questions about your health and your family history. If you have a disability or a pre-existing condition, the agent will ask some follow-up questions specifically related to your condition.
Medical exam: If you have a disability, in most cases you’ll also need to take a medical exam, so the insurance company can get a more accurate picture of your health.
Medical records: When you have a pre-existing health condition, it’s very common for insurers to request an attending physician statement (APS) from your doctor or any specialists you have seen to confirm any information about health you’ve provided.
Health and financial status: The insurance company will verify your medical history through your Medical Information Bureau (MIB) report. It will also inquire about the source of your income to determine your ability to pay your premiums consistently.
Does your disability affect how much you’ll pay for life insurance?
How long your disability has been managed can reflect on your rates. If you’ve managed your disability for many years and it doesn’t affect your work or daily activities, you’ll likely receive lower rates. This is because the insurance company will have confidence that your disability will have minimal impact on your health.
On the other hand, a recent disability can be more difficult to insure as the insurance company will have a harder time assessing risk. This will depend on what guidance you have received from your doctor and how your disability is affecting your work and daily functioning.
Being upfront about your disability and overall effect on your daily living will help you move more quickly through the application process and increase your chances of getting coverage at an affordable rate. Misrepresenting yourself on your application could cause the insurer to deny you coverage.
Life insurance options for people with disabilities
Life insurance provides your loved ones with funds for funeral expenses and other long-term financial needs that will remain if you pass away, including everyday expenses, debt repayment, and recurrent care expenses.
If you have a disability that may affect your ability to support your family financially down the road, life insurance can also provide an alternative source of income.
If you’re shopping for coverage and have a disability, you may have additional financial responsibilities that you want to insure. Consider who and what kind of expenses you’d like to have covered, including:
Dependents
Caretakers
Outstanding debts
You’ll have two main types of policies to choose from as long as you’re eligible for traditional coverage, where your health is factored into the approval process: term life and whole life. Term lasts for a set period and is usually much more affordable than whole. Whole life is a type of permanent life insurance that provides lifelong coverage and has a cash value that can be used as an investment vehicle.
Depending on your unique situation, you may have other options that don’t have medical requirements for approval, but usually offer lower coverage amounts and higher premiums than traditional coverage. The type of coverage that’s right for you will depend on your personal situation, and whether your beneficiaries will require long-term financial protection.
Term life insurance
Term life insurance is a popular option for people who need a higher amount of coverage to cover large financial responsibilities, like a mortgage, for instance, or to provide for any dependents.
You only pay for it as long as you need it, and can easily cancel the policy if your financial obligations change. For example, if you paid off a debt or your children grew up and no longer depend financially on you.
However, term life can also be more difficult to qualify for if you have a disability, especially if it’s related to a health condition that may affect your life expectancy. Because term life in particular is often purchased for income replacement, insurers will also want to confirm that you have enough income to pay for the policy and to justify the desired coverage.
Whole life insurance
A whole life insurance policy doesn’t expire as long as you continue making premium payments on time, so it can be a good option if your disability is likely to worsen as you age or if you know you’ll have dependents into retirement and beyond.
A whole life policy comes with a guaranteed death benefit and level premiums, which means they never change. This makes it a good choice if you have a dependent with disabilities. The lifetime coverage means that no matter when you pass away, your dependent will receive a payout.
Joint life insurance
If your spouse qualifies for traditional life insurance but you don’t due to your disability, you may be able to buy a joint life insurance policy that covers both of you.
You’ll be eligible for more coverage this way, but depending on your plan, you could lose coverage if your partner dies before you, or your plan won’t pay out until after you both pass away.
Group life insurance
Employers and other organizations often offer life insurance to employees for free or at a subsidized rate, with no health evaluation required.
A group life insurance policy may provide less coverage than you need and you may not be able to keep your policy if you leave your job. However, it can be a good option for you if you’re not eligible for traditional life insurance due to your disability.
Guaranteed issue life insurance
Similar to term life, standard whole life coverage may be more difficult to qualify for if you have a disability. However, guaranteed issue whole life insurance can be an option if you’re seeking a permanent death benefit but have a complicated health history.
Guaranteed issue is a type of final expense insurance that doesn’t expire and is usually aimed at covering end-of-life expenses, such as a funeral or medical bills. While coverage amounts are much lower than traditional term or life policies — usually up to $25,000 — guaranteed issue offers near-certain approval to people who can’t qualify for standard coverage due to medical reasons.
Disability income rider
A disability income rider is a policy add-on that provides a monthly stipend to replace your income if you become disabled and unable to work. If you’re offered a low health classification during the application process such as Substandard — which is usually assigned to people with complex health conditions and comes with some of the highest premiums — your options to add a disability income rider to your policy might be limited.
If you’re not yet disabled and seeking this kind of income protection, it’s usually more cost-efficient to purchase a long-term disability insurance policy. A standalone disability policy will also offer you more robust protection than a disability income rider.
Life insurance for veterans
If you’re a veteran with a disability, you may be able to continue the coverage provided to you during your service. If you became disabled while in service, you may qualify for additional coverage.
Life insurance options for dependents with a disability
If you care for an adult with disabilities who needs lifelong financial support, you’ll have the same options listed above, including term life insurance and permanent life insurance. However, in this case you would be the insured and the death benefit would provide financial security for your disabled dependent if you pass away.
As long as your loved one is able to manage their own finances, you can name them as a beneficiary. If they’re unable to do so, you can name a supplemental needs trust (also referred to as a special needs trust) as your beneficiary.
A special needs trust can help provide money for a person with a disability without disqualifying them from receiving governmental benefits, including Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
You can name a trustee, who will manage the funds as directed by you, and a co-trustee, usually a lawyer or a firm, who’ll ensure that the funds are being used correctly. These trusts can be tricky to lay out. Work with an attorney to make sure they’re set up correctly.
Life insurance options for children with a disability
If you have a child with a disability, purchasing a life insurance policy for you and naming your partner or a trust as the beneficiaries can help secure your child’s financial protection should something happen to you.
But if your child’s health is likely to worsen as they age, making it more difficult to find an affordable policy of their own, you might want to consider buying life insurance for them.
Buying life insurance for a child with disabilities guarantees them lifetime coverage even if their condition worsens. Shopping for coverage for them while they’re young and in better health can also help them be approved for an affordable rate, saving them money on premiums in the future.
Best life insurance companies if you have a disability
The type of disability you have, along with your source of income, will be the most important factors for you to consider when shopping for life insurance. If you receive disability income, look for insurers that view disability income in the same way as they do income from a job as they’ll be more likely than others to offer you coverage.
Depending on your disability, there can be a lot of variance with how each insurer will evaluate your application for life insurance. Some insurers tend to rate certain health conditions and disabilities more favorably than others. Working with a Policygenius expert on your life insurance application can help you find the right insurer for you.
We use industry data, pricing from Policygenius carrier partners, and ratings from third parties like AM Best and J.D. Power to pick the best insurers on the market. Our independent recommendations will help you get life insurance coverage with confidence.
Methodology
Why you can trust our picks
Our recommendations are based on internal and external expert analysis, as well as our Policygenius Life Insurance Price Index, which uses real-time data from leading life insurance companies to determine pricing trends. When reviewing a life insurance company, our editorial team uses a proprietary scoring rubric with five factors — price, policy details, financial strength, transparency, and customer experience — to assign an unbiased rating between one and five stars. These ratings are also taken into consideration as part of our company recommendations. We don’t get paid for our reviews.
Our reviews and recommendations can help you find a reliable insurer for your family’s financial protection, but the best life insurance company for you depends on multiple factors. A licensed agent at Policygenius can support you during the application process to ensure you get the right coverage for your circumstances at the most competitive price.
Best overall life insurance for people with disabilities: Transamerica
Transamerica
4.6
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Transamerica is one of the oldest and largest life insurance companies, with over 12 million active accounts today. It offers affordable rates for almost every age, and you can even skip the medical exam if you fall under a certain age or coverage amount.
Pros and cons
Pros
Competitive rates for term life insurance
No-medical-exam available for qualifying applicants, including smokers and people between 60 and 70, which is rare
One of the fastest turnaround times in the industry for traditionally underwritten term policies
Cons
Term life not available in New York
Not a good option for people with a history of cancer, alcohol abuse, or asthma
Our analysis found that Transamerica is more likely to offer coverage to people with disabilities than other companies. Transamerica also has more options for lower coverage amounts compared with other insurers, who often have a $100,000 coverage minimum. This means that if the offer you receive is pricier than you anticipated, you’ll have more leeway to reduce your coverage, which can help you lower the cost of your policy.
Transamerica has a minimum coverage amount of $25,000, which can help you get covered for a more affordable monthly payment.
Best for term life insurance for people with disabilities: Prudential
2024 Policygenius award winner
Prudential
4.1
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
With nearly four million policyholders and 150 years to its name, Prudential offers competitive coverage options for seniors, as well as people with some of the most common medical conditions, including asthma, depression, and fibromyalgia.
Pros and cons
Pros
Good for people over 60
More flexible income requirements than some other insurers
Considers applicants with a variety of immigration statuses (visas and green cards)
Cons
Younger applicants will likely find better prices elsewhere
According to our analysis, Prudential is more flexible than other insurance companies when it comes to evaluating disabilities. The company usually offers term life insurance to people with a disability that other insurers would otherwise decline.
Prudential also considers disability income as financial justification for your insurance coverage, helping to increase the amount you can apply for.
Best for whole life insurance for people with disabilities: Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha
4.5
No-medical-exam option
Why we chose it
Mutual of Omaha is a reputable company that offers a variety of life insurance products — including a no-medical-exam option — so that you can select the type of life insurance that best suits your needs.
Pros and cons
Pros
No-medical-exam options for older applicants
Strong financial and customer ratings
Cons
Policies are more expensive than average
Slow turnaround time
Mutual of Omaha offers some of the most affordable final expense insurance options on the market. Depending on your profile, you may be able to qualify for up to $40,000 in coverage.
The company also offers an affordable guaranteed issue policy. As long as you’re of sound mind, you can apply for guaranteed coverage up to $25,000.
Comparing the best life insurance companies for people with a disability
Insurer | Policygenius rating | Best for | AM Best rating | |
4.6/5 ★ | Overall | A | ||
4.1/5 ★ | Term life | A+ | ||
4.5/5 ★ | Final expense, guaranteed issue | A+ |
Tips for getting approved for life insurance with a disability
Every life insurance company evaluates disabilities differently, and some of them have stricter rules than others about who they cover.
Regardless of the type and level of disability you have, you can take proactive steps to improve your chances of getting approved for life insurance coverage.
Improve your overall health, to the extent possible, to minimize the potential impact of other health conditions on your application. Insurers generally rate people in good health more favorably regardless of other factors, including having a disability.
Have clear expectations about the coverage you may qualify for. Insurers cap the death benefit available to you based on your income. If your disability affects the amount of regular income you can earn, it may also limit the amount of coverage you can qualify for.
Work with an independent broker to identify the most affordable rates from multiple insurers based on your personal situation. At Policygenius, our brokers are licensed in all 50 states and can walk you through the entire life insurance buying process while offering transparent, unbiased advice.
Learn more about how your life insurance rates are determined
What if your disability worsens after being approved for life insurance?
If your disability gets worse while you have an existing policy, your coverage will remain active until the term ends as long as you continue to pay the premiums.
Can your life insurance policy be canceled?
No. If you have an existing life insurance policy and then develop a disability, your policy can’t be canceled so long as you pay the premiums.
Life insurance vs. disability insurance
Having a life insurance policy isn’t the same as having a disability insurance policy. Life insurance provides a lump sum to support your family after you die, while disability insurance provides an income replacement if you incur a disability and are no longer able to work.
You can usually add a waiver of premium or disability income rider to a life insurance policy to waive your premiums or get a monthly stipend if you become disabled. However, both add-ons are difficult to qualify for and provide limited coverage amounts.
If you want financial protection for your loved ones in the event of your death and a potential disability, it’s usually better to have separate life insurance and disability insurance policies. Talk to a licensed insurance agent before you apply to compare rates and find the best company for your needs.
Other health concerns that can affect your life insurance
Certain pre-existing conditions and other health-related concerns can affect your life insurance options or costs. A Policygenius expert can help you find the right policy for your needs.
Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety
