Life Insurance Underwriting Guidelines
Life Insurance Underwriting Rating Classes
Please refer to the chart below as a guideline for estimating your life insurance underwriting rating class. This chart represents a collective sample of life insurance underwriting guidelines and is not intended to be all-inclusive or a guarantee of coverage. Your final term life insurance rates will be determined through underwriting and all guidelines vary by company.
Factors for Life Insurance Underwriting
The following are key factors that the term companies take into consideration with life insurance underwriting. These may vary by carrier.
| Preferred Plus | Preferred | Standard Plus | Standard | |
| Medical History | See list below | See list below | See list below | See list below |
| Family History | No cardiovascular disease or cancer in either parent or siblings prior to age 60. | No death from cardiovascular disease or cancer in either parent or siblings prior to age 60. | Not more than one parent death from cardiovascular disease or cancer prior to age 60. | Not more than one parent death from cardiovascular disease or cancer prior to age 60. |
| Cholesterol / HDL Ratio | May not exceed 5.0 | May not exceed 6.0 | May not exceed 7.0 | Levels above 7.0 may qualify |
| Cholesterol Level | May not exceed 220 | May not exceed 240 | May not exceed 260 | Levels above 260 may qualify |
| Blood Pressure | No history of treatment. May not exceed 140/85. | Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 145/88 | Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 150/92 | Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 150/92 |
| Alcohol / Substance Abuse | No history. | No history in the past 10 years. | No history in the past 7 years. | No history in the past 7 years. |
| Driving History | No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 5 years. No more than 1 moving violations in the last 3 years. | No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 5 years. No more than 2 moving violations in the last 3 years. | No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 3 years. No more than 3 moving violations in the last 3 years. | No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 2 years. No more than 3 moving violations in the last 3 years. |
| Aviation | Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Not available for private pilots. | Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qaulify with an exclusion rider or extra premium. | Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qualify with an exclusion rider or extra premium. | Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qualify with an exclusion rider or extra premium. |
| Hazardous Avocation | Not available. | May be available with extra premium. | May be available with extra premium. | May be available with extra premium. |
| Residence and / or Citizenship | Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa. | Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa. | Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa. | Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa. |
| Military | No active duty. | May be on active duty. | May be on active duty. | May be on active duty. |
| Foreign Travel | No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company. | No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company. | No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company. | No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company. |
Medical Conditions and Life Insurance Underwriting Classes
| Condition | Preferred Plus | Preferred | Standard Plus | Standard |
| Alcohol / Drug Abuse Dependancy History | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anxiety | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Arthritis (rheumatoid) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Asthma | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic Bronchitis | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer | No | No | No | Yes |
| Cardiovascular / Heart Disease | No | No | No | Yes |
| Cholesterol Treatment | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crohn’s Disease | No | No | No | Yes |
| Depression | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Diabetes Type I * | No | No | No | No |
| Diabetes Type II | No | No | No | Yes |
| Emphysema | No | No | No | Yes |
| Epilepsy | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kidney / Liver Disease (chronic) | No | No | No | Yes |
| Melanoma | No | No | No | Yes |
| Multiple Sclerosis | No | No | No | Yes |
| Sleep Apnea | No | No | No | Yes |
| Stroke (including TIA)* | No | No | No | No |
| Ulcerative Colitis | No | No | No | Yes |
| Vascular Disease | No | No | No | Yes |
Life Insurance Underwriting Guidelines for Height and Weight
This Life Insurance Underwriting table can be used for both male and female insureds. Once again they are general in nature, but do represent the allowable maximums for either Preferred Plus, Preferred, or Standard rates from most companies. If your weight exceeds the maximum shown here, use Standard rates in calculating your quote.
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