Home Life insurance Life insurance basics Covid-19 and life insurance: What you need to know? Covid-19 and life insurance: What you need to know? Written by Jeffrey Green Jeffrey Green Jeffrey M. Green has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry.Jeff has held life and health insurance licenses in multiple states and holds Certified Retirement Counselor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designations. | Reviewed by John McCormick John McCormick John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology. | Updated on: August 17, 2023 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Key TakeawaysYour life insurance policy doesn’t exclude Covid-19 or any other disease.Getting the coronavirus vaccine won’t affect your life insurance application.Most people who have had Covid-19 and recovered at home can apply for life insurance 30 days after the symptoms resolve.Getting life insurance is easier than you think.The outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) has had wide-ranging social and economic impacts on Americans. It’s changed how we work, travel, what we buy and how we shop, how we educate our children, the list goes on and on. On the other hand, the pandemic has prompted innovation in some industries that will have a positive effect. The life insurance industry is one of them. How is the coronavirus (Covid-19) affecting life insurance?Traditionally, the life insurance industry has responded to a public health crisis by making life insurance harder to buy.The AIDS crisis of the late-’80s and early’90s prompted life insurance companies to require most applicants to submit blood and urine samples. More tests were ordered and more paperwork was needed over time, eventually resulting in at best an unpleasant life insurance buying experience for the consumer.Although life insurance companies have made progress over the years, the pandemic forced them to accelerate innovations and change the way consumers buy their products. Lockdowns and social distancing shut down the traditional way of doing business. Agents were no longer able to meet with clients to take applications, and physical examinations were no longer possible. Covid-19 and life insurance applicationsAs a result of social distancing and quarantines, many people who were interested in getting life insurance weren’t able to have an in-person medical exam. Insurance companies had to find other ways to get applicant’s health information for medically-underwritten policies.One of the ways that life insurance companies started collecting health information was through the applicant’s physician. The underwriter could review the person’s medical history, lab test results, and past diagnoses to determine their eligibility and their life insurance premium.Some carriers also leveraged data from third-party medical databases, which store medical records and health information.Covid-19 and consumer attitudesLife insurance ownership has been on a steady decline for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed consumer attitudes about life insurance.According to a 2023 study from the Life Insurance Marketing Research Association (LIMRA), a record-high number of Americans say they intend to get life insurance within the next year.More than 50% of Americans surveyed said they currently have life insurance coverage. However, more than 40% of respondents said they don’t have enough life insurance to meet their family’s financial needs.The Covid-19 pandemic also convinced more young people to purchase life insurance for themselves and their families. The LIMRA study found that 44% of Gen Z adults and 50% of millennials intend to purchase life insurance coverage within the year following the study.“Covid-19 made millions of people reflect on their health and the health of their loved ones. It forced many families to ask important but difficult questions, and it convinced more people to purchase life insurance. This led to a surge of applications for life insurance from all age groups,” said David Brewer, CEO and Co-Founder of Protect Line, a U.K.-based life insurance brokerage.Mortality trends, pandemics and life insuranceThe worst consequences in terms of mortality may be behind us. So while the mortality ‘level’ certainly was affected by the pandemic, the future ‘trend’ may not be.Daniel BauerProfessor – Risk and InsuranceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WIDaniel “Dani” Bauer, professor of risk and insurance at the Wisconsin School of Business at University of Wisconsin-Madison, says it remains unclear whether and how the trend of mortality will be affected by Covid-19.“Assuming and hoping that the situation will improve,” he says, “that vaccines will be able to address potential mutations and that we will get better at treating Covid-19, the worst consequences in terms of mortality may be behind us. So while the mortality ‘level’ certainly was affected by the pandemic, the future ‘trend’ may not be.”Since Covid-19 was particularly dangerous for the elderly population and those with pre-existing conditions, Bauer maintains that the consequences on aggregate mortality weren’t as grave as previous pandemics. As referenced in his 2015 paper, The Risk of a Mortality Catastrophe, during the 1918 Spanish flu, mortality probabilities for 20 year olds doubled and were close to 1% (which is 1 in 100 20-year-olds dying).“The experience from Covid-19 was not like that,” he explains. “However, the point that my paper makes is that pandemics and similar events that have an abnormal effect on human mortality (wars, etc.) are a continuous threat, and given their infrequency, it is easy to forget that (or to portray that in today’s world, pandemics are less likely)…So, I believe consumers should integrate this into their decisions of whether and how to protect their families.”What if don’t have life insurance? Can I get it during the pandemic?Yes, for most people who recovered at home, life insurance companies will offer coverage 30 days after the symptoms have resolved. There will be no effect just because you had Covid-19.If you were hospitalized, the insurance company will want to wait 60 days to six months after recovery before considering your application, depending on the severity and treatment of the illness.Life insurance companies will base life insurance rates on the residual effect of the illness rather than Covid-19 itself. QuickTake How to get life insurance if you're uninsurable Who's who on a life insurance policy The life insurance contestability period: What you need to know What happens to the cash value of my whole life insurance policy when I die? Is accidental death and dismemberment insurance right for you? How to find a lost life insurance policy Comprehensive guide to life insurance: What it is and how it works How to make sure you have enough life insurance What is cash value life insurance and how does it work? 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What is an accelerated death benefit rider and how does it work? What is a contingent life insurance beneficiary? Life insurance for women Can you avoid estate taxes with a life insurance trust? What are per capita and per stirpes life insurance beneficiaries? Why it’s important for mothers, especially single mothers, to have life insurance Do I need a life insurance trust? What is an irrevocable life insurance beneficiary? How to buy life insurance Life insurance for parents How does the life insurance underwriting process work? How much life insurance do you need? Combination life insurance merges long-term care with your policy What is simplified issue term life insurance? Is life insurance taxable? How to convert a term life policy to permanent life insurance Life insurance tax surprise: The unholy trinity How life insurance rates are determined How to do a needs analysis before you buy life insurance Sports that could knock you out of contention for life insurance Variable life and variable annuity sub-accounts: The more the merrier? See more > Does life insurance cover Covid-19?Yes, life insurance companies can’t deny a claim because of Covid-19. There are no pandemic exclusions.Life insurance policies usually only contain one exclusion — suicide.However, all life insurance policies have a provision called incontestability. The life insurance company can’t deny a claim for any reason after the policy has been in force for two years, including suicide, unless you commit fraud.Does the coronavirus vaccine affect life insurance?Getting the Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t invalidate or affect a life insurance company’s decision to offer coverage.In fact, one life insurance company, John Hancock, actually rewards policyholders who participate in the Vitality healthy lifestyle program for getting the vaccine.How to apply for life insurance?If you’re between the ages of 18 and 60, healthy and applying for less than $1 million of coverage, you usually won’t have to submit to an exam or lab work.The process is simple. Your agent will help you fill out an online application. The insurance company will schedule a telephone interview to complete the application process.Here’s the information you should have ready:Personal informationSocial Security NumberDrivers license and details of moving violationsEmployment informationIncome and net worthDetails of any existing life insurance coverageHealth and lifestyle informationNames and addresses of any physicians that you have seen recentlyInformation about your medications and dosagesDetails of surgeries, treatments, hospitalizations and illnessesFamily medical history of heart disease and cancerAlcohol, tobacco and recreational drug useExercise and high-risk sportsAt the end of the interview, you’ll be asked to provide an electronic or voice signature.If you’re applying for larger amounts or have pre-existing conditions like diabetes or heart disease, you should discuss them with your agent. They’ll be able to help you get the best outcome for your circumstances.Types of life insuranceYou have multiple life insurance options. There are two basic types of life insurance: term and permanent life insurance, which includes whole life and universal life.Here are the differences:Term lifePermanent lifeLength of timeTerm life is for a limited time — usually between 10 to 30 yearsLasts your whole lifePremiumsOften less expensive with higher death benefitUsually more expensiveCash valueNo cash valueAccumulates cash value so you can tap into the policy while you’re alive if neededConversion optionTerm life policies often let policyholders convert to permanent lifeYou can’t convert from permanent life to term lifeWhich type of life insurance policy is right for you depends on your situation and what you want from a policy. Let’s look more into the differences.What is term life insurance?Term life insurance is for a limited period of time. Term life insurance policies are usually between five and 30 years.Term policies are usually cheaper than whole life insurance. Policyholders can outlive a term life insurance policy, so there’s no guarantee that a life insurance policy will have to pay a death benefit on term life.Term insurance policies can have a level premium or you may get a policy in which the rates increase as you age.You can often convert a term policy to permanent coverage. You may decide to convert to perm if you’re approaching the end of a term life insurance policy.A term life policy might be better if:You need a lot of coverage for a limited budget.You want to cover for a mortgage or debt.You don’t need the coverage after the policy expires.What is whole life insurance?Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance. A whole life policy is for life as long as you pay your premiums.A whole life policy has cash value. Cash value lets you tap into the policy during your lifetime.Whole life also offers more rider opportunities. Riders can be added to a policy to provide additional protection. Some of the most popular whole life insurance riders include:Long-term care riderAccidental death riderReturn of premium riderA permanent insurance policy, such as whole life insurance, could be a wise decision if:You need the life insurance benefit for more than 10 years. For example, if you plan on leaving a legacy or provide funds for a special needs child.You want to take advantage of the tax-advantaged cash value.You want to include long-term care and critical illness coverage.What is final expense insurance?For people who can’t get life insurance because of health issues, final expense insurance may be the only option. Final expense insurance is available in small amounts, typically $5,000 to $100,000.It comes in two forms — a guaranteed issue or a simplified issue life insurance policy.Here are the differences:A guaranteed plan gives you a policy without a medical exam. You also don’t have to provide information about your health history.A simplified issue policy doesn’t require a medical exam, but you’ll answer health questions. The life insurer will also likely check your history using insurance databases.These policies cost more than an underwritten life insurance policy. They may also have a “graded benefit.” That means in the first two years, the insurance company will only pay a death benefit of premiums paid plus interest.Most people can get better coverage with fully underwritten life insurance. Final expense coverage is a last resort.Group life insurance is another way to get a life insurance policyAnother option is group life insurance through an employer or association. Some employers pay for term coverage up to a multiple of salary.They may also offer voluntary group universal life. These policies usually don’t require a medical exam or health history to join.A group life plan can offer basic coverage or supplement your individual life insurance. Check with your employer’s benefits department and your groups. You may find that you’re already enrolled in a group policy.How much does life insurance cost?The cost of life insurance varies depending on multiple factors, including:Type of policyAge and health of personLength of policy if it’s a term life policyDeath benefitHere are the average rates by age, health status and smoking status for multiple ages for term life insurance:Health profile and level term lengthAge 30Age 40Age 50Age 60Female non-smoker 10-year term$224$307$575$1,190Female non-smoker 20-year term$316$480$961$2,323Female non-smoker 30-year term$432$697$1,541$7,300*Female smoker 10-year term$439$693$1,487$3,088Female smoker 20-year term$672$1,190$2,393$5,243Female smoker 30-year term$915$1,655$3,700$13,030*Male non-smoker 10-year term$264$359$737$1,722Male non-smoker 20-year term$370$568$1,231$3,154Male non-smoker 30-year term$530$877$2,027$7,300*Male smoker 10-year term$554$865$1,968$4,423Male smoker 20-year term$828$1,492$3,179$7,113Male smoker 30-year term$1,171$2,155$4,519$13,030**Limited quotes available. Data source: Compulife Quotation System as of December 2020.It’s a good idea to get multiple term life insurance quotes when you’re shopping for a policy. Life insurance companies gauge applicants’ risk differently. One life insurance provider may consider you a low risk, while another might charge you higher rates.So, it’s vital that you get life insurance quotes from multiple term life insurance companies.The same is true for permanent life insurance. Get quotes from more than one whole life insurance companies to make sure you get the best deal on your life insurance policy. × Get Free Life Insurance Quotes Today! Zip Code Please enter valid zip Age Age 16 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Coverage Amount Coverage Amount $50,000 – $100,000 $100,000 – $200,000 $200,000 – $300,000 $400,000 – $500,000 $500,000 – $1,000,000 $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 $2,000,000 – $5,000,000 $5,000,000+ Coverage Type Coverage Type Whole Life Term Life Final Expense Not Sure Gender Gender Male Female Non-Binary Tobacco Use Yes No Compare Quotes Jeffrey Green . .Jeffrey M. Green has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry.Jeff has held life and health insurance licenses in multiple states and holds Certified Retirement Counselor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designations. 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