Living with Diabetes or High Blood Pressure: Can I Still Get Final Expense Insurance?

I hear it all the time, usually with a little embarrassment: "Mario, I have diabetes, there's no way they'll accept me." Sometimes it's high blood pressure. Sometimes it's both, weekly pill organizer and all. And a lot of the time the person has already given up before even asking. I've been doing this for 15 years, and I want to answer you as honestly as I would answer my own family. The short answer is yes, many people with diabetes or high blood pressure can get final expense insurance. The longer answer has a few details, and they're worth knowing before you decide anything.

Why these conditions aren't always a no

The final expense insurance I work with doesn't require a medical exam. No nurse comes to your house, nobody draws blood, you don't have to go to a lab. Instead, you answer some questions about your health, and the insurance company makes its decision with that information. Diabetes and high blood pressure are some of the most common conditions in our families, and this kind of coverage is designed to accept common conditions like those. That doesn't mean everyone gets approved, because every case is different. But having diabetes or taking medicine for your blood pressure shouldn't be the reason you never even try.

What they'll ask you, and why the truth matters

The health questions are usually straightforward: what conditions you have, what medications you take, whether you've been in the hospital recently. The exact questions change from one insurance company to another, which is why I like to go over them with you calmly before anything gets filled out. It helps a lot to have your medication list with the doses, a rough idea of when you were diagnosed, and the full name of the person you want as your beneficiary.

Now, the most important advice in this whole article: answer everything truthfully. I understand the temptation to downplay things so the price comes out lower or the approval comes easier. Please don't. If the information you gave isn't accurate, the insurance company can refuse to pay right when your family needs it most. A policy that doesn't pay is worse than having no policy at all, because your family was counting on it.

A policy that doesn't pay is worse than having no policy at all, because your family was counting on it.

What I can tell you in real numbers

I don't like scaring anyone, but numbers help put things in perspective. A funeral in Texas costs about $9,200 on average, according to the NFDA, and the real quotes I've seen go from $4,000 to $18,000, depending on what the family chooses. Final expense insurance starts at $30 a month, you can apply between ages 30 and 85, and approval takes around 48 hours. The money goes straight to your beneficiary, so they don't have to wait or borrow. With diabetes or high blood pressure, your price may be different from someone with no conditions, because it depends on your age and your health. I'll tell you that clearly up front, before you decide.

If what worries you is health insurance

A lot of people mix the two up, so let me clear it up. Final expense insurance is for when you're gone. Health insurance is for taking care of yourself now: your doctor visits, your medications, your blood sugar and blood pressure checkups. That's what ACA (Obamacare) health plans are for, and there the law is very clear: no plan can turn you down or charge you more for a preexisting condition. Many Hispanic families, if they qualify based on income and household size, pay $0 or close to $0 a month. Open enrollment runs from November 1 to January 15, and my help costs you nothing. If you want to understand it better, I have a guide at /hablemos-de-obamacare.

My honest recommendation

Don't rule yourself out on your own. I've talked with many people who spent years assuming they didn't qualify, without ever asking. A short call clears up the doubt. If it turns out this coverage isn't right for you, I'll tell you just as plainly. And if it is, we'll look together at how much you really need, with no pressure and without selling you more than you need.

All coverage is subject to approval by the insurance company; price and eligibility vary by age and health. Mario Barrera, licensed insurance agent. TX Lic. #3008095, NPN 17440153. Licensed in Texas, California, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, Virginia, and Maryland.

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