Coeliac disease life insurance
Our team have been asked loads of questions about coeliac disease and life insurance over the years. We know it’s not always easy to figure out what your best option is, or which insurer is the right choice. That’s why we want to help you out and make things clear and simple for you.
We understand that buying life insurance can seem stressful and confusing, especially if you have a medical condition like coeliac disease. But guess what? There’s normally a lot more options available than you think – and at a price that won’t break the bank!
Choosing the right life insurance can be one of the most important financial decisions you make in your life. Our aim is to explain a bit more about how life insurance works to help you find the proper protection to look after your home and family.
Why are we coeliac disease life insurance experts?
We’ve been around for a long time (over 20 years experience!). This means we’ve talked to a lot of people with coeliac disease and know exactly which questions come up all the time.
Our team of experts can answer questions including:
- Will coeliac disease affect my life insurance?
- Can I save money on life insurance when I have coeliac disease?
- Which insurance companies are the best for someone with coeliac disease?
We’ve spoken to so many customers who need life insurance but simply don’t know how it works or how to get it. This is exactly why we’re here to bust all the myths surrounding life cover, to make it more accessible and understandable for everyone.
"This company went above & beyond to get me cover even though I have MS, I am very happy I managed to get cover, Amazing staff, Dean went above & beyond, I highly rate this company."
by Elizabeth Turner-Long - 9th August 2023
Can I get life insurance with coeliac disease?
YES – coeliac disease isn’t life threatening, so usually there won’t be any issues getting the life cover you need.
If your symptoms are mild or even moderate, you might find your policy costs a lot less than you thought it would. For most people there will be a wide range of options to choose from, which means you can choose the policy that feels right for you.
There are a range of different life insurance policies available including:
- Family life insurance (level term)
- Mortgage life insurance (decreasing term)
- Whole life insurance
- Joint life insurance
- Over 50s life insurance
- Family income benefit
- Business life insurance
If all these options are a little overwhelming, we’ve got loads of helpful info on our website explaining a bit more about each type of cover and how it works.
How does coeliac disease life insurance work?
Life insurance should be basically for everyone, even if you have coeliac disease. The main thing that will be slightly different is the application. Don’t worry, there aren’t millions of hoops to jump through to get the cover you need.
Most of the time, you will just be asked a few extra questions about your health and coeliac disease specifically. Insurers could ask things like:
- When were you diagnosed with coeliac disease?
- How often do your symptoms flare up?
- Do you follow a strict gluten free diet?
- Which medications do you take (if any)?
- Does coeliac disease ever prevent you from working?
- Do you have any complications or other health issues?
The good news is that usually this will be more than enough medical information and insurers can offer cover easily.
Every insurer is different though, so occasionally you could be asked for a medical report from your GP. This will depend on who you apply to and how severe your symptoms are. We’d always suggest getting some advice and doing a bit of research to make sure you apply to the most suitable insurers.
Does life insurance pay out for coeliac disease?
YES –it’s pretty rare these days for someone to pass away due to coeliac disease. Your life insurance should pay out if this happened though, or if you died from a condition linked to it.
Your life insurance will always be based on your health when you apply. This means it will cover you for any condition you had when you applied e.g. coeliac disease.
Rest assured, you’ll still be covered if you’re diagnosed with coeliac disease after the policy is in place too.
Does critical illness cover pay out for coeliac disease?
NO – most of the time critical illness cover won’t pay out for a coeliac disease diagnosis. This is because insurers don’t tend to class coeliac disease as serious enough to need a pay out.
This doesn’t mean critical illness cover isn’t worth it for someone with coeliac disease. You might worry about how you or your family would cope financially if you were to become really ill.
You could receive a cash lump sum if you were diagnosed with a serious condition like:
Does income protection pay out for coeliac disease?
YES – income protection will pay out for pretty much any sickness absence, provided you’re signed off work for 4 or more weeks.
If coeliac disease symptoms or complications mean needing time off to recover, income protection can act as a financial safety net. You’d receive a payment every month to cover a percentage of your usual income (normally 60%).
One thing we love about income protection is how flexible it is as a product. You can tailor your policy to what best suits you and your budget. This means choosing your deferred period (waiting period), how much cover you need and how long you want the policy to pay out for.
Will I need a medical to get coeliac disease life insurance?
Good news, most of the time you won’t need a medical for coeliac disease life insurance. Insurers will ask some additional medical questions, but shouldn’t require a report from your GP, nurse screening etc.
Every company is different, but most companies can provide coeliac disease life insurance easily without needing extra medical evidence.
How much does coeliac disease life insurance cost?
Insurers look at each life insurance application individually which means the price can vary massively from person to person. You could also end up paying more than you need to if you apply to the wrong companies.
When deciding on the cost of your cover, insurance companies will look at:
- Your age
- Your height and weight
- Lifestyle
- Occupation
- Type of policy
- Amount of cover (£s)
- How long you need cover for (policy term)
If you’ve got coeliac disease, other factors that can affect price include:
- When you were diagnosed
- Severity of symptoms
- Treatments/medications
Remember that although no one wants to pay too much, you’re paying for something that can be very valuable for your loved ones.
With life insurance, you’re taking care of the people you love the most. It’s all about making sure they won’t face financial difficulty when you’re not here to provide for them anymore.
How to get cheaper life insurance with coeliac disease
Here’s some of our top tips for saving on your life insurance when you have coeliac disease.
- Improve your lifestyle: A few small changes can make a BIG difference. Quitting smoking, exercising more, and losing weight can all lead to lower prices.
- Shop around: We’d always recommend doing some research and comparing what a few providers have to offer.
- Choose the right insurer: Often the main reason people pay too much is because they pick the wrong provider, where another would be more able to offer a good price.
- Speak to a life insurance specialist: Anyone with medical conditions can benefit from a little extra advice to find the right price and policy.
Frequently asked questions about coeliac disease and life insurance
Does coeliac disease affect life insurance? | You will be asked questions about coeliac disease when you apply, but it shouldn’t affect the policy itself. |
Do I need to declare coeliac disease when I apply for life insurance? | YES – if you’re living with coeliac disease, you will need to tell the insurer. It’s never worth the risk of not telling them, as this can lead to problems with paying out later on. |
Can you claim on life insurance for coeliac disease? | YES – you will be able to claim on life insurance when you have coeliac disease. Coeliac disease is unlikely to lead to a claim, but if it did your policy would pay out a cash lump sum to support your loved ones. |
More about coeliac disease
We’ve put together some helpful information about coeliac disease that hopefully you will find useful.
Medical conditions linked to coeliac disease
There are a number of conditions known to be linked with coeliac disease and some conditions that coeliac disease can lead to.
- Type 1 diabetes
- Anaemia
- Autoimmune diseases
- Osteoporosis
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Bowel Cancer
- IBS
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Fibromyalgia
- Migraines
Celebrities with coeliac disease
People with coeliac disease can control their symptoms through diet and can lead happy and successful lives. There are several public figures who have revealed they have coeliac disease including:
- Emmy Rossum (Actress)
- Zooey Deschanel (Actress)
- Meg Cabot (Author)
- Katherine, Duchess of Kent
- Amy Yoder Begley (Olympic athlete)
Many other celebrities have been diagnosed as gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive, leading them to remove gluten from their diets. This includes celebrities like:
- Justin Bieber (Singer)
- Victoria Beckham (Fashion designer, singer and TV personality)
- Ryan Phillippe (Actor)
- Geri Halliwell (Singer and actress)
- Novak Djokovic (Professional tennis player)
Coeliac disease charities and support UK
There are some brilliant charities working hard to support people with coeliac disease. These organisations provide useful information and resources for anyone learning more about coeliac disease and its impact.
Coeliac disease statistics UK
Leading charity Coeliac UK states:
- Coeliac disease affects 1 in 100 people in the UK and Europe
- It is believed only 30% of people with coeliac disease have an official diagnosis (UK)
- It can take up to 13 years to be diagnosed with coeliac disease from when symptoms begin
- If you have coeliac disease, there is a 1 in 10 chance a close family member will be diagnosed with coeliac as well
- 1 in 4 people with coeliac disease have been treated for IBS previously
Common questions about coeliac disease
What is coeliac disease? | Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which causes your body to attack itself when you eat gluten. |
What are the first signs of being coeliac? | Some common first symptoms of coeliac disease include: Fatigue Losing weight (unintentional) Diarrhoea Stomach aches Constipation Indigestion |
What can trigger coeliac disease? | The body mistakes gluten for a threat and then ends up attacking healthy tissue. Things that can trigger developing coeliac disease include genetics (family history) and your environment. |
Can you suddenly develop coeliac disease? | YES – Coeliac disease can develop at any age and symptoms may come on suddenly. |
Other types of insurance for people with coeliac disease
Useful resources
Guts UK – Coeliac disease: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Support