Can you get affordable life insurance if you have asthma?
Yes, it is often possible to get affordable life insurance to protect your family with asthma, especially if your symptoms are mild and well-managed. Premiums for life insurance with asthma can vary dramatically from one insurer to another, and the cost can be significantly higher for people with more serious breathing problems or steroid treatment. It is important to get a range of quotes from different insurers to make sure that you’re paying a fair price. Asthmatics can use a fee-free specialist broker to compare quotes more quickly and find cheaper cover.
Does asthma always affect life insurance premiums?
Not always. Mild, well-managed asthma with infrequent symptoms may have little or no impact on your premiums, while more severe or poorly controlled asthma is more likely to lead to higher prices or extra underwriting checks from the insurer.
Will asthma stop me getting life insurance?
Generally, asthma would not prevent you from being able to get life cover to protect your loved ones, and typically premiums can be affordable. If you have been refused life insurance in the past because of your asthma, then you should speak to a medical life insurance specialist broker.
Can lifestyle changes reduce the cost of asthma life cover?
Improving your lifestyle by quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and following your asthma action plan can all help reduce the risk you present to an insurer, which in turn can make it easier to secure cheaper premiums.
Should I use a life insurance broker if I have asthma?
Using a specialist life insurance broker who regularly helps people with pre-existing conditions can save time and money, as they understand which insurers are most sympathetic to asthma and how to present your application in the best light.
Key Points: Life insurance with asthma guide UK 2026.
- Most people with asthma in the UK can get life insurance, including those with more severe symptoms.
- Insurers will ask about your asthma diagnosis, treatments, flare ups and any hospital admissions before offering terms.
- Mild, well controlled asthma is usually treated as a low risk pre existing condition, which helps keep premiums down.
- Smoking, high BMI, unmanaged symptoms or frequent steroid use can all increase the cost of cover.
- You can choose different policy types, including level term, decreasing term, whole of life and over 50s plans.
- Life cover can help your family repay a mortgage, meet day to day living costs, clear debts and cover funeral expenses.
- Accurate disclosure of your asthma is essential, or your policy could be cancelled and future claims rejected.
- Comparing quotes from several insurers is one of the best ways for asthmatics to find cheap, suitable cover.
Most insurance companies will view asthma as a ‘mild’ medical condition, especially if your symptoms are minimal or well managed. When you’re looking for a new policy, the key is to choose the best and most affordable option to protect your family and home if something happens to you.
According to Asthma + Lung UK, there are:
- 7.2 million people are living with asthma in the UK.
- Around 8 in 100 UK adults have asthma.
- Four people die from asthma attacks every day in the UK.
- Around 5% of people with asthma experience severe symptoms.
Can I get life insurance with asthma?
If you’ve experienced a serious asthma attack, you will know exactly how frightening this is, and these attacks can be life-threatening in severe cases. It’s not fun to think about, but a situation like this is where having a life insurance policy can provide some peace of mind.
Your family would be financially protected if the worst were to happen, and they would receive a cash lump sum to help ease some financial pressure during an extremely difficult time.
According to the NHS, asthma is the most common respiratory condition in the UK. If you’re not sure of your best options for cover, an experienced medical life insurance specialist can explain which insurance companies might be best and cheapest for you.
Does asthma affect insurance?
So many people ask our experts if having a medical condition means that their life insurance policy won’t cover as many things, which is a fair question to ask if you are worried about this.
Your life insurance policy won’t be any different just because you have asthma, and you will be protected if you die because of complications from asthma. You will also be covered for any other conditions that you have, or any conditions that are diagnosed in the future.
How asthma affects your lungs | Asthma + Lung UK
This video from Asthma + Lung UK explains more about how asthma affects your lungs and your overall health.
Best life insurance with asthma
It is usually straightforward to buy life insurance with asthma, especially if your symptoms are mild to moderate. Most people who have asthma won’t suffer from severe symptoms, so life insurance companies generally won’t view someone with asthma as ‘high risk’ to insure.
There are four main types of life insurance for people with asthma, and the best policy for you will depend on what you need cover for and your budget.
| Type of cover | How it works | Key benefits | Underwriting for asthmatics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family life insurance (Level term) | A policy that runs for a set period and pays a fixed lump sum if you die during the term. | Useful for protecting an interest based mortgage, replacing lost income or covering family expenses. | Premiums can increase and underwriting may be more restricted for people with severe asthma symptoms, including steroid treatment or recent hospitalisation. |
| Mortgage life insurance (Decreasing term) | Cover that runs for a set term, but the payout decreases over time, usually in line with a repayment mortgage. | A popular way to help make sure your mortgage is cleared if you die before it is fully repaid. | Underwriting is the same as family life insurance and premiums can also increase in the same way for people with astma, but this may be a more affordable option to protect a mortgage. |
| Whole of life insurance | Provides lifelong cover and guarantees a payout whenever you die, as long as premiums are kept up. | Can fund a guaranteed inheritance or help with future costs such as funeral expenses or unpaid debts. | Usually more expensive than term cover and premiums may be higher for someone with asthma due to a shorter life-expectancy. |
| Over 50 life insurance | Guaranteed acceptance policy for UK residents typically aged 50 to 85, with no medical questions or underwriting. | Ideal if you have been declined standard cover due to your health or occupation and you want to leave funds for funeral costs or a small gift. | Your asthma will not affect eligibility or the cost of cover, although cover amounts are modest and there is usually a waiting period before full cover starts. |
Common questions when applying for asthma life insurance:
- How old were you when you were first diagnosed with asthma?
- Do you use inhalers, steroids, or medication to control your asthma symptoms?
- When did you experience your first asthma attack, and how severe was it?
- Have you ever been hospitalised and/or needed time off work due to asthma?
The insurance company might ask some extra questions when you apply to give them a better idea of how your asthma affects your general health and lifestyle. This isn’t anything to be too concerned about, and you should try and answer any medical questions as honestly as you can to make sure that your policy is valid.
Can I buy standard life insurance with asthma?
There’s a common misconception that traditional or standard life insurance won’t be available to people with pre-existing medical conditions, like asthma. Generally this isn’t the case, and the majority of people with medical conditions will be able to get standard life cover through a high street or traditional provider (e.g., Aviva, L&G, LV=, or Vitality).
It’s usually possible to buy asthma life insurance from many of the UK’s top life insurance companies, and often you can buy popular policies such as family life insurance, mortgage life insurance, and whole life insurance.
Is asthma covered by insurance?
There is no need to worry that your life insurance policy won’t cover your asthma diagnosis, as standard life insurance will always cover any pre-existing conditions.
This means that any conditions that you have when you buy your policy will be covered, as long as you tell the insurance company about them. Understandably, it can be tempting not to mention certain things about your health if you’re worried about the price of your cover.
Ultimately, this just isn’t worth it, as it can lead to your policy not paying out, which is the last thing that anyone would want.
Does life insurance pay out for asthma?
While asthma is often thought of as a ‘mild’ condition, complications from asthma can sometimes be life-threating. It is scary to think about what might happen to your family if you experience a fatal asthma attack or any serious complications (e.g., collapsed lung).
If this were to happen and you died, your life insurance policy should pay out a cash lump sum to support your loved ones. You can choose how much this amount will be, which can range from anywhere between £1,000 and £1,000,000 based on what you need.
This money would make a huge difference to your family’s financial situation, helping with important expenses such as:
- Mortgage repayments
- Repaying outstanding debts
- Covering any increased childcare costs
- Leaving a legacy for your children or grandchildren
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How much does asthma life insurance cost?
One of the main questions that we get asked is, ‘Will my life insurance be more expensive because I have asthma?’. In most cases, the answer to this is no, and it is often possible to buy life insurance with no increase in price or a very small price increase.
Our independent experts thought that it would be useful to highlight an example of a real customer with asthma that we spoke to this year. This example aims to give you an idea of how affordable life insurance policies can be, even if you have a condition like asthma.
This won’t be the price that every person with asthma will pay, but it does show that prices can often be very reasonable. Various things can affect the cost of your cover, including any other medical conditions, your job role, and any risky hobbies (e.g., rock climbing).
What do our experts say about asthma life insurance?
Life insurance for people with asthma is typically available through the normal high street insurance brands and often can be simple to apply for, especially if your asthma symptoms are mild and you’ve not experienced any severe attacks in the past five years.
If you’ve been hospitalised recently because of your asthma or if you’ve been treated with steroid tablets, then you might pay more for life insurance and you may be asked to provide medical evidence. The key point is to make sure that you apply to the best insurance provider for your circumstances to save you money and to get the best life cover to protect your family.
Dan Sharpe – Asthma life insurance specialist at iam|INSURED
Common Asthma-Related Questions
What is the asthma 2-2-2 rule?
There is a common term used in asthma treatment and medication called the “rule of two’s” which is used to describe an asthma patient who is classified as ‘well controlled’. This translates to someone diagnosed with asthma who uses a standard rescue inhailer fewer than two times per week in the daytime, two times a month at night, and no restrictions to their daily physical activity.
What is the asthma 4 4 4 rule?
The 4 4 4 rule is to help apply first aid to someone with asthma who is suffering from an asthma attack.
The 4 stages of the 4 4 4 rule
- Apply four puffs of a blue (reliever) inhaler, one breath at a time and allowing space between each breath.
- Wait for 4 minutes, and then if there are no signs of recovery, apply another four puffs.
- Repeat every 4 minutes until the emergency services arrive or symptoms improve.
- Contact emergency services immediately if breathing doesn’t improve or if a severe attack happens.
Always remember these points
- Use a spacer where possible to improve
medicine intake. - Shake inhalers before every puff.
- Follow your personal asthma action plan.
How do I find cheaper life insurance with asthma?
Sadly, we’re all aware that it has become more expensive to live in the UK recently, due to the cost-of-living crisis. If you are worried about paying too much or want to save some money, there are some simple ways to reduce the cost of your life insurance policy.
Money Saving Tips for Asthma Life Insurance
- Choose a shorter policy term (number of years covered).
- Choose a cheaper type of policy (e.g. family income benefit).
- Shop around for the best quotes and compare policies from several insurance companies.
- Review any existing policies, as you might be able to save money by switching to a new insurance company.
Will I need a medical when I apply for life insurance with asthma?
Sometimes life insurance companies will ask for extra medical information when you apply for life insurance, and this will often happen for people with medical conditions like asthma.
This isn’t anything that you need to worry about, and it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get the cover that you need. Believe it or not, it can be helpful to give the insurance company extra information, as it means that your family are less likely to run into issues if they need to claim.
What if I’ve been declined life insurance because of asthma?
It’s rare to be declined life insurance based solely on having asthma, so this isn’t something that you will normally need to worry about. There can be a few occasions where an insurance company might decline or postpone an application from someone with asthma, such as:
Recent hospitalisation because of asthma
Recent hospitalisations are a concern for insurance companies and especially where there has been steroid treatment. If you’ve been hospitalised recently then it’s likely a GP report will be required to find out more about it.
High dosage of medication
You might have to answer extra questions about your asthma medication or treatment where the levels required are high to manage and control asthma. For example, if you receive high levels of inhaler prescriptions then you might be asked to provide more information about this.
Smoking and asthma
Smokers with asthma are considered to be high risk by insurers purely because of how that can impact your lung capacity and breathing. If you’re struggling to find suitable cover, it may be worth cutting back on how much you smoke or quitting smoking completely.
We appreciate that it’s incredibly frustrating to be declined for the cover that you need, which is why we make sure that you only apply to the most suitable insurance companies. Being declined in the past isn’t necessarily a problem either, as insurance companies generally won’t care that you’ve applied to other insurers before.
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Can I get critical illness cover with asthma?
It’s definitely possible to buy critical illness insurance if you have asthma, and most insurance companies will be able to offer cover. Critical illness cover can be extremely useful, as it can pay out £10,000’s to support you and your loved ones if you are diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer.
Critical illness cover has been designed to help with any costs associated with a serious illness including:
- Private consultations or second opinions
- Replacing income if you can’t work for a while
- Adaptions to your home (if needed)
- Helping with bills like rent or mortgage payments
Does critical illness cover pay out for asthma?
Though asthma can affect your daily life, it’s not usually classed as a critical illness by insurance companies, so it’s unlikely that you would be able to claim for this. However, you might be able to claim for complications or related conditions like:
- Lung collapse
- Respiratory failure
- Severe COPD
- ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)
- Lung disease (end stage)
Being diagnosed with any of these conditions is distressing and will have a big impact on your life and your family. Critical illness cover has been designed to help ease any financial pressure that you might experience to make things easier for you and your family.
Frequently asked questions about asthma and life insurance
Is income protection available for people with asthma?
Most people with asthma will be able to get income protection insurance, and this can be useful if you need time off work due to asthma or any other medical issue.
On some rare occasions where the symptoms are more severe or your treatment is stronger, then there could be some limitations which an experienced advisor would be able to explain.
There are other similar products (e.g. personal accident insurance) that are available for people who are unable to get coverage through the normal routes.Income protection can be complicated because of the number of options available. Our skilled income protection experts will be able to advise you on which options will be most suitable for you.
How can asthma be triggered?
According to the CDC, common triggers for asthma symptoms include smoking, dust, allergies, weather changes, infections, cold or dry air, and even certain foods and smells.
It can be helpful to understand what triggers your asthma symptoms, as this can vary from person to person. Understanding your main triggers can help you to avoid these triggers and to prevent your asthma symptoms from worsening.
How do you relieve asthma symptoms?
The most common way to relieve asthma symptoms is by using an inhaler, which allows you to breathe in the medication that you need. You may also be prescribed tablets or other medication if your symptoms are very severe.
When you have been diagnosed with asthma, your doctor or nurse will usually work with you to create a ‘personal action plan’ for keeping your symptoms under control.
Is asthma a medical condition for insurance?
If you have asthma, this will be considered a ‘pre-existing condition’ for most types of insurance. This includes policies like life insurance, health insurance, and travel insurance.
Any medical condition that you have had in the past will be considered ‘pre-existing’, though some insurance companies will only ask about conditions where you have been treated or experienced symptoms within the last 5 years.
Do I need to declare asthma on life insurance?
If you have asthma and need life insurance, then you will need to provide insurers with information about your condition. You should always declare your pre-existing conditions when you apply for life insurance, as not doing so could make your policy invalid.
Asthma won’t usually cause issues when applying for life insurance, but it’s still important to make the insurance company aware of your diagnosis.
How do I find the best asthma life insurance quotes?
It can be hard to compare life insurance quotes if you’re not sure which policies and companies will work best for you. The easiest way to find the right life insurance policy is by comparing quotes with the help of an asthma life insurance specialist.
Compare Our Best Life Insurance Quotes
Find the right cover to protect you and your family. Compare quotes from some of the UK’s leading Life Insurance brands.
Useful resources
For further support for people with asthma or other lung conditions, you can get free help and guidance from Asthma + Lung UK, the UK’s leading respiratory conditions charity.
Asthma + Lung UK
Asthma + Lung UK are the UK's leading charity focusing on lung health and respiratory conditions. They consistently campaign for changes to improve the nation's access to better respiratory care, with their main mission being 'a world where everyone has healthy lungs'.
There are a lot of useful resources on their website, which includes links to find local support groups and free online guidance for living with lung conditions like COPD, asthma, sleep apnoea, and more.
Contact Asthma + Lung UK
Telephone - 0300 222 5800
Email - info@asthmaandlung.org.uk
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