Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which your breathing stops and starts intermittently, can cause complications ranging from mild to life-threatening. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you should be aware that this disorder may impact your ability to get life insurance. In this article, we’ll walk you through how sleep apnea can affect your life insurance eligibility and the coverage options available to you.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. If you snore loudly and still feel tired after a full night’s sleep, you may have untreated sleep apnea. Other symptoms include irritability, dry mouth, headache, insomnia, or hypersomnia. If left untreated, sleep apnea can potentially lead to hypertension, lung damage, and heart problems.
What causes sleep apnea?
When the throat and tongue muscles are relaxed while sleeping, the soft tissue can cause your airway to become blocked. The most common cause of sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity, but there are many other factors associated with the condition in adults. Typically men, overweight individuals, and people over 40 are at greater risk for sleep apnea.
Types of Sleep Apnea
The main types of sleep apnea are:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The most common type that occurs when the throat muscles relax.
Central Sleep Apnea: When the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
Complex Sleep Apnea: Occurs when someone has both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, waking up with a dry mouth, and difficulty staying asleep.
Sleep Apnea and Life Insurance
Unfortunately, sleep apnea can be considered a pre-existing condition for life insurance companies, meaning the life insurance applications of those with sleep apnea may be denied. Insurers use the Apnea-hypopnea index, which indicates the severity of your sleep apnea, to determine your rates. The good news is that complying with sleep apnea treatments, such as using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, can make it possible for those with sleep apnea to find affordable life insurance coverage.
Managing Sleep Apnea to Lower Your Life Insurance Rates
As with any chronic condition, it’s necessary to be completely honest about your health when applying for life insurance. It’s important to provide as much information as possible about your compliance with your treatments, as life insurance companies want to see an applicant has put forth effort to control their condition. If your sleep apnea is an effect of being overweight, making the effort to lose weight is a good indication of your commitment to achieving better health that will be viewed favorably by underwriters.
Affordable Life Insurance for Individuals with Sleep Apnea
Term life insurance is pre-existing condition-friendly, making it a good option for those with sleep apnea. If you’re concerned about how the results of a life insurance medical exam may affect your eligibility, you can also consider simplified issue or guaranteed issue life insurance. These options allow you to bypass the medical exam process, and coverage is typically guaranteed for those aged 45-85.
SelectQuote Can Help Individuals with Sleep Apnea Find Affordable Life Insurance
Navigating the life insurance application process as someone with a pre-existing condition like sleep apnea can be overwhelming, but SelectQuote is here to help. We have nearly 40 years of experience helping people with different needs and priorities find life insurance. Our licensed insurance agents will compare quotes from a variety of carriers on your behalf to find the right fit for your needs and budget.
