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I Have Sleep Apnea, Will I Be Able To Afford Life Insurance?

person sleeping with cpap
Insurance Quotes 2 Day Team

Written By Doug Mitchell

Doug Mitchell, CLU holds a BA degree in Finance from Auburn University as well as having obtained a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from The American College in Bryn Mahr, PA.  Doug has spent close to 30 years in the insurance and financial planning industry and has held licenses to sell securities, long-term care insurance, health.  Doug is also a financial blogger addressing the topics of life insurance, annuities and retirement income planning.

Holly Mitchell  &

Holly Mitchell’s background in life insurance insurance goes back to 1985 when she worked for her father who was a New York Life agent. Holly has a marketing degree from Auburn University and has had a life insurance license since 2008. In addition to advising life insurance for customers all around the country, Holly is our website fact checker.

Rob Pinner   &

Rob Pinner is the founder and CEO of Pinner Financial Services servicing all 50 states. Rob started his insurance career in 2002.

Louis LaBash

Results-driven and innovative life insurance professional with 30 plus years of life insurance industry sales and marketing experience. Recognized as a pioneer in the field, leveraging phone and internet channels to exceed personal sales of over $100 million during the first decade of the 21st century. Creator of a highly effective intuitive IUL life insurance sales software that facilitated the sale of millions of dollars of indexed universal policies by numerous life insurance agents. Proven track record as a Managing General Agent (MGA), Life Agent, IUL Life Insurance Sales Software developer, and leading-edge creator of insurance marketing tools, educational content, and delivery systems.

 7 minute read

Life insurance is one of the most important safety nets that you could ever purchase for your family. It’s one of the only ways that you can ensure that your family will have the money that they need, regardless of what happens to you. Finding the best life insurance can be a long and difficult process, especially if you have a pre-existing condition, like sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a common condition that impacts millions of Americans across the nation. Because it’s just a common condition, there are thousands and thousands of people that are looking to get life insurance after being diagnosed with sleep apnea. These applicants all have the same questions, “can I get life insurance with sleep apnea” or “is cpap life insurance hard to come by?”

life insurance with sleep apnea

Absolutely! A client Ogletree Financial Services recently got covered at a standard rating was diagnosed with sleep apnea a few years ago and is now being successfully treated for his condition. Tim is relatively young and in good shape, so he was surprised when he recently applied for life insurance (without the assistance of Ogletree Financial Services) and was assigned a table rating and forced to pay a high premium. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, “because sleep apnea is typically not well understood by the insurance industry (or the medical community outside of the sleep field) and there are not yet sufficient studies to show the benefits of treatment, sometimes you must provide them (your insurance carrier) with information about your specific case.” Knowing this, even when you have sleep apnea life insurance is completely doable.

The uncertainty that life insurance companies have with regard to sleep apnea and other illnesses that are less understood are considered as risk. But, some insurers make a point of understanding illness and specialize in these types of “impaired risk” policies. Ogletree Financial Services has access to all the top-rated insurers and we know which ones consider sleep apnea most favorably when underwriting clients.

For clients with health conditions that life insurance companies perceive as increasing risk, canvassing the life insurance marketplace for the carrier that best suits your risk, especially with an often misunderstood sleep apnea diagnosis, is of the utmost importance.

Our friend Tim from earlier went with a well-known carrier and he thought he would be getting a good deal. Alas, he chose an insurer that will not consider a standard risk rating for a client with sleep apnea. He was lucky to find us and learn that life insurance for those with this condition is affordable indeed. Tim called and saved thousands of dollars. You can save too! Use the term quoter on this page, call us at 1-800-712-8519, or send us a message from our contact page.

Sleep apnea is considered a serious condition by doctors and life insurance companies alike. Possible complications, especially when the condition is not treated properly, include high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems.

As with all illness, life insurance companies want to be sure you are properly treating your condition of sleep apnea before they decide on your risk rating. 

Milder cases of sleep apnea may only require lifestyle changes as treatment, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than those who have never smoked! These clients should have little trouble getting standard life insurance rates, as long as there are no other risk “impairments” such as other serious health issues or a dangerous occupation. When managed properly, sleep apnea and life insurance are not that difficult to overcome.

Surgery is sometimes an option for sleep apnea patients with more serious conditions, but usually only after other less invasive treatment options have failed. Some medicines are used for treatment; milder cases may try an over-the-counter nasal decongestant. There are also a variety of “oral appliances” that are used to treat sleep apnea and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has approved Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) as a primary treatment for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea.

While some of these treatments are beginning to be viewed more credibly by life insurance companies, the treatment they most like to see is the use of positive airway pressure devices. There is an assortment of these machines, but the one that is most recognized, and sometimes demonized, is the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. We’ve even heard the term “cpap life insurance” used in many cases because of the prevalence of its use.

 

The benefits of CPAP treatment when it comes to sleep apnea are undeniable. 

According to a study conducted by Brown University, even minimal commitment to treatment with a CPAP machine leads to longer life. The common thread linking all the patients that died during the time period of the study was a lack of dedication to CPAP treatment. The study also found that the more hours each night a patient used their CPAP machine, the longer they lived.

This is why life insurance companies take CPAP treatment so seriously. As a matter of fact, many insurers will turn down clients with sleep apnea who are not following their doctor’s orders regarding treatment with a CPAP machine. For those applicants using cpap, life insurance is certainly available.

Being prepared for your life insurance application process and the medical exam most life insurance policies require is very important when getting life insurance with sleep apnea.

Proof of your diagnosis and treatment of any health risk is the only way to get the most favorable risk rating that you can. You want to be able to provide records from your doctor that contain evidence of the effectiveness of the sleep apnea treatment you have received, like decreased blood pressure. If you have had surgery, a post-surgery sleep study indicating that your sleep apnea is no longer clinically significant is very important. And who conducts your sleep study is important. Sleep study patients should know if their sleep doctor is certified, if the sleep facility is accredited, and if the sleep technologist is registered.

Even relevant articles from peer-reviewed journals that support the validity and effectiveness of the treatment you are receiving can help to sway the opinion of life insurance underwriters.

Having sleep apnea can make getting an affordable life insurance policy more difficult, but it’s not impossible. There are plenty of ways that you can get a quality life insurance policy at low insurance rates. If you want to get cheaper premiums, there are several lifestyle changes that you can make that will help you secure better rates, even with sleep apnea life insurance can be bought at very good rates.

The first thing that you should do is improve your health. The first way that you can do this is by sticking to a healthy diet. Replacing the junk food with healthier options can work wonders on your health as well as your insurance premiums. You can still enjoy all of your favorite foods, but making a few healthier decisions can help you shed those extra pounds and help lower your cholesterol.

The next thing that you should do to improve your health is to start getting regular exercise. Starting an exercise program can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol, lower your heart rate, and much more. All of those are going to translate into much lower insurance rates and keep more money in your pockets.

Another way that you can improve your health is to eliminate any tobacco that you currently use. Being listed as a smoker on your life insurance application is going to make your insurance rates go through the roof. In fact, smokers are going to pay twice as much for their life insurance versus what a non-smoker is going to pay for the same policy.

The best way to do that is by working with an independent insurance agent. Unlike a traditional insurance agent, our independent agents don’t only work with one single company. Instead, we represent dozens of highly rated companies across the nation. We can bring all of the lowest insurance rates and help you compare different policies instantly. Don’t waste your time calling dozens of insurance companies and answering the same question over and over to receive those quotes.

You never know what’s going to happen to you tomorrow. You shouldn’t wait any longer and getting life insurance with sleep apnea will provide the financial protection that your family deserves. Not having life insurance is one of the worst mistakes that you could make for your loved ones. If you were to pass away, your loved ones would be left with a massive amount of debt and no money to pay for those bills.

One of the most common reasons that people don’t purchase life insurance is because they assume that it’s going to be too expensive to fit into their budget. But in most cases, life insurance is going to be much more affordable than you would think. Our agents can help you find the most affordable life insurance plan that fits your needs because even when your diagnosed with sleep apnea life insurance coverage will still be available to you.

While getting affordable life insurance with sleep apnea is a bit more complicated than without it, Ogletree Financial Services deals with clients with sleep apnea and other health complications every day. We get the lowest premiums possible for any impaired risk. Get started today with the instant term quoter on this page, leave a message through our contact page, or call us at 1-800-712-8519.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get life insurance if I have sleep apnea?

It is possible – your particular situation will need to be evaluated by the insurance carrier. As with all illness, life insurance companies want to be sure you are properly treating your condition of sleep apnea before they decide on your risk rating.

Is life insurance available for people with a mild case of sleep apnea?

Milder cases of sleep apnea may only require lifestyle changes as treatment, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than those who have never smoked! These clients should have little trouble getting standard life insurance rates, as long as there are no other risk “impairments” such as other serious health issues or a dangerous occupation.

Can I get life insurance if I use a CPAP machine?

While some of these treatments are beginning to be viewed more credibly by life insurance companies, the treatment they most like to see is the use of positive airway pressure devices. There is an assortment of these machines, but the one that is most recognized, and sometimes demonized, is the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. Life insurance companies take CPAP treatment seriously. As a matter of fact, many insurers will turn down clients with sleep apnea who are not following their doctor’s orders regarding treatment with a CPAP machine.

author avatar
Doug Mitchell, CLU Independant Advisor
Doug Mitchell, CLU holds a BA degree in Finance from Auburn University as well as having obtained a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from The American College in Bryn Mahr, PA. Doug has spent almost 30 years in the life insurance industry and has also held licenses to sell securities, long-term care insurance and home and auto insurance. Doug is a Top of the Table Million Dollar Round Table member (MDRT).  MDRT is a global, independent association of the world's leading life insurance advisors.  For two years, Doug served as President of the Auburn Opelika Association of Financial Advisors and has been a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He obtained Life Millionaire status at Horace Mann Insurance Company and was awarded the Life Agent of the Year Award. Later in his career with New York Life he was an Executive Council Member. Doug currently serves as President of Ogletree Financial, a managing general agency serving life insurance agents and clients in all parts of the United States. Today, Doug’s main focus is servicing 1000s of policyholders and growing the agency through the reach of  insurancequotes2day.com.

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