Health & Underwriting
Life Insurance With COPD or Emphysema
COPD is one of the conditions where the answer to a single question changes everything: do you use supplemental oxygen? Applicants with COPD who are not on oxygen frequently still qualify for day-one simplified-issue coverage. Applicants on continuous oxygen are generally routed to graded or guaranteed-issue products.
Not sure which fits?
Answer a few questions and we'll point you to the right coverage.
Which health questions can affect your coverage options?
Almost every simplified-issue application asks a version of these:
Do you use, or have you been advised to use, supplemental oxygen for a lung disorder?
Have you been hospitalized for a breathing-related condition in the last 12 to 24 months?
Do you currently use tobacco, and how much?
Do you also have congestive heart failure, which combined with COPD tightens the market sharply?
What is realistically available?
Mild to moderate COPD without oxygen: simplified-issue whole life with a full day-one death benefit is often achievable, and some fully underwritten carriers will offer a rated class. On oxygen or with recent hospitalizations: graded-benefit whole life (reduced payout in years one and two) or guaranteed-issue whole life, which asks no health questions at all and typically issues to age 80 or 85.
Why we shop it?
Because we are an independent agency and not a single-carrier company, we are not stuck with one set of underwriting rules. When one carrier declines or rates up, we take the same application to the carrier whose guidelines are friendliest to your situation.
Why work with an independent agent?
A captive agent usually represents one company. Our network includes 20+ top-rated carriers, with available options depending on your state and profile. We help compare quotes for coverage and underwriting fit at no cost for comparison, without guaranteeing approval or the lowest price. Policy premiums apply.
Licensed Agent vs. captive agent — the full breakdownFrequently asked questions
Which other health conditions can affect coverage?
Sleep apnea
Lungs
Home oxygen use
Lungs
Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic
Type 1 diabetes
Metabolic
Heart attack history
Heart & circulation
Congestive heart failure
Heart & circulation
This page is educational and is not an offer of insurance, a quote, or a guarantee of coverage. Underwriting decisions, rate classes, and product availability are determined by each insurance carrier and vary by state, age, and health history. Carrier guidelines change without notice.