Getting Life Insurance If You’re HIV Positive

Can you get life insurance with HIV?

You may be able to get life insurance in Canada if you have HIV, though the pre-existing health condition could impact your ability to get covered.

Eligibility for life insurance with HIV depends on your viral load and how you are managing your condition with medication.

We recommend that you apply for fully underwritten policies, which offer much more affordable rates than simplified or guaranteed issue policies—even for those with pre-existing conditions. You may receive a rating, which means you’ll pay more than “standard” rates. 

If you’re denied coverage for underwritten policies, no-medical life insurance products may be a good option if you really need coverage.

How HIV impacts life insurance eligibility

HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, can impact your eligibility for life insurance, but it’s more complicated than just your status.

Here are the factors related to HIV that may affect your eligibility:

• Time since diagnosis
• Controlled vs. uncontrolled HIV
• Specific health data like viral load and CD4 count
• Treatment history
• Overall health and lifestyle factors

Ultimately, every HIV-positive person has a different health situation, but all are considered risky due to HIV’s impact on life expectancy. Insurers use these additional factors to understand just how risky it is to insure you, so they can issue an appropriate premium that fits your specific health risks.

Types of insurance for people with HIV

There are three types of life insurance to consider:

• Fully underwritten
• Simplified issue
• Guaranteed issue

You can find term life insurance as well as whole life insurance and permanent life insurance policies in each category. Each varies by price, coverage, and how many medical questions are asked in the application.

Fully underwritten term policies are the best, most affordable option for most people, if you can qualify.

“High risk insurance” isn’t a type of policy

High risk is not a type of insurance—it describes a kind of policyholder. If you see “high risk” life insurance advertised, it’s probably a type of simplified or guaranteed issue coverage. Expect higher premiums and capped coverage in exchange for few or no medical questions.

What to expect when you apply for life insurance with HIV

Here’s a transparent look into the process of applying for life insurance if you’re HIV positive.

Start with you: Consider your health status and what coverage you need. 

The best rates and coverage options are available with fully underwritten policies, so everyone should apply for a fully underwritten policy at first to see if they can be approved. However, it’s not realistic for some HIV-positive people to get approved for standard life insurance. In this case, a simplified or guaranteed-issue policy may make sense.

Apply for coverage: Provide your information to insurers  

You will submit basic personal information like your name, location, and birthdate—but the level of health information you must provide depends on the type of insurance you want.

• Fully underwritten insurance: Answer a medical questionnaire in the initial application. Then, expect your file to be sent to manual underwriting where you may be asked to provide further medical history (like antiretroviral therapy treatments) and submit to a medical exam.

• Simplified issue insurance: Answer the brief medical questionnaire in the initial application. In some cases, you’ll be asked for additional medical information like a doctor’s note. However, there will be no medical exam.

• Guaranteed issue insurance: Select the type of insurance you want and purchase the policy — no medical questions, no exams. Acceptance is guaranteed. 

“One of the contributing factors to your life insurance approval will be questions on your viral load and if you’re managing it with medication. But being HIV positive does not mean you will get denied life insurance.” —Tobin Tuff, Life Insurance Advisor

Wait for a decision

The timeline for processing your application may be a few days or a few months.

• Fully underwritten insurance (up to 3 months): Expect longer processing times if you’re HIV positive. Not only do you need to submit additional information (which requires scheduling a medical exam), but the underwriters also need time to assess your application.
• Simplified issue insurance (several days): The provider typically only needs a few days to process a simplified issue application since you’ve shared less medical information to review.
• Guaranteed issue insurance (instant): Approval can be instant with guaranteed issue policies.

When you receive your policy, read it closely to understand exclusions, caps, and other critical information about your coverage. Then, choose the loved ones who will be your beneficiaries and receive the death benefit payout if you pass away while the policy is active.

What to do if you’re denied life insurance coverage

Getting denied for life insurance is discouraging, but people living with HIV have life insurance options. You can appeal a denial; ask the underwriter for an explanation if you feel you’ve been unfairly denied.

• If you applied for a fully underwritten policy and were denied, try applying with another company. Every provider has its own risk assessment protocol, so you may be approved elsewhere.
• If you continue to be denied for fully underwritten policies, apply for no-medical policies like a simplified issue policy that asks fewer health questions. If you’re still denied, then apply for a guaranteed issue life insurance policy that asks zero health questions.
• If you have access to group life insurance through your employer, you may be able to get some coverage there.

If all else fails, try to manage your condition so you can show a stable health history, and then reapply. Otherwise, work with an insurance broker or advisor who can help you shop around and make your case to various insurers.

FAQ: HIV life insurance