Life insurance after a heart attack

What underwriters generally consider

• When the event occurred
• The extent of damage and your current cardiac function
• What treatment or intervention followed
• How stable you've been since
• Adherence to medication and cardiac follow-up
• Whether you smoke, and whether that changed afterwards
• Other conditions present alongside it

Time since the event matters

Insurers generally want to see a period of stability following a cardiac event before assessing fully underwritten coverage, and how long varies by carrier and by the specifics of the case.

We deliberately don't quote a number here, because there isn't one that's true across insurers. The person helping you should be able to tell you which carriers are worth approaching now versus later.

What to do about coverage meanwhile

If you already hold a policy, keep it. A policy issued before the event is generally unaffected by it, and it is almost certainly better than anything available now.

If you have group coverage through an employer, check whether it can be converted or ported — those options usually carry deadlines.

If fully underwritten coverage isn't available yet

Guaranteed issue accepts applicants within an age band without health questions. The tradeoffs are real: smaller face amounts, higher cost per dollar of benefit, and an initial period during which death from natural causes typically returns premiums rather than paying the full benefit.

It's a legitimate option when others aren't available, and worth understanding properly rather than buying quickly.

Be accurate, without exception

A cardiac event will be in your medical records and prescription history. Beyond the practical reality that it will be found, the contestability period means an omission can cost your family the claim.