Life Insurance with COPD and Asthma (2026)

You can get life insurance with COPD and asthma, though coverage options and rates vary based on your health condition and insurer's underwriting guidelines.  Mild asthma that's controlled with occasional inhaler use has minimal impact on coverage options. Moderate to severe COPD requires more specialized underwriting, but doesn't eliminate your options. 

Traditional policies, such as term and whole, work well for well-controlled cases. No-exam life insurance accepts applicants regardless of their health status or medical conditions.

Each insurer has different underwriting guidelines, so an application that one company declines another may approve. Compare multiple insurers to find the best policy and premiums.

Pulmonary function tests provide objective data that life insurance underwriters use to evaluate respiratory risk. Insurers review FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second, which measures how much air you can exhale in one second), FVC (Forced Vital Capacity, which is the total amount of air you can exhale), and the FEV1/FVC ratio, along with percent predicted values adjusted for age, sex and height. An FEV1/FVC ratio below 70% confirms airflow obstruction. Ratios of 70% or higher indicate normal airflow.

Severity depends mainly on FEV1 percent predicted. An FEV1 below 50% of predicted shows advanced airflow limitation and often leads to higher rate classifications, postponement or possible decline, depending on stability and treatment history.

Chest X-ray or CT findings showing emphysema, fibrosis or structural lung damage factor into risk assessment. Emergency room visits or hospitalizations within the past 24 to 36 months signal unstable disease and increase underwriting concern.

Asthma underwriting depends on severity, control and treatment history. Many insurers consider mild intermittent asthma with rescue inhaler use under two days per week eligible for standard rates, provided there are no recent hospitalizations or oral steroid use. Moderate or severe asthma requiring daily controller medication often results in table ratings or higher premiums.

Attack history carries weight. Applicants with no exacerbations, emergency visits or steroid bursts in the past 12 months receive better classifications than those with frequent episodes.

Medication patterns also signal risk. Infrequent albuterol use indicates well-controlled asthma. Daily inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting bronchodilators indicate persistent asthma and lead to higher rate classes.

Which life insurance policy type is best depends on how severe your COPD or asthma is. Mild, well-managed cases of either condition often qualify for standard term or whole life. Severe COPD, oxygen dependence or frequent asthma attacks that require hospitalization usually rule out traditional underwriting. No-exam or guaranteed issue coverage becomes the main option in that case.

Term life insurance provides coverage for set periods like 10, 20 or 30 years. This policy works best for people with mild to moderate respiratory conditions who can pass medical underwriting.

Whole life insurance provides permanent coverage for your entire lifetime, builds cash value you can borrow against and maintains level premiums throughout.

No-exam life insurance includes simplified issue policies, which require health questions but no exam, and guaranteed issue policies, which require neither. Both options serve people with severe COPD or poorly controlled asthma who can't qualify for traditional coverage.

Life insurance riders add benefits beyond the basic death benefit. Some riders are included automatically at no extra cost, depending on the insurer.

Standard life insurance applications require in-person medical exams. A paramedical examiner collects health information, measures vital signs and draws blood samples. Blood tests measure cholesterol levels, blood sugar and liver function. Insurance companies may require breathing tests or pulmonary tests for people buying COPD life insurance or those with asthma. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue policies waive medical exams entirely.

Insurers request attending physician statements when applications involve complex medical histories. These statements provide detailed medical records directly from your doctors.

After you submit, call your doctor's office and let them know an insurer will be requesting your records. It speeds up the process.

Life insurance with COPD or asthma costs an average of $32 to $1,321 a month for a 20-year term policy. This depends on your age, gender and health rating.

Rates are based on average quotes for a $500,000 life insurance policy for nonsmokers with a fair health rating. Actual costs will vary by insurer and specific condition.

No-exam term coverage costs 3% to 11% more than standard term, with the price gap narrowest at age 60 and widest at age 50. The whole life premium over term narrows steadily from age 30 to 70. At 30, whole life costs 12.3 times more than term. By 70, that price gap drops to 2.9 times.

This content is educational only and is not medical advice.

Life insurance is available to people with COPD and asthma, though coverage options and rates depend on the severity and management of their conditions. Mild to moderate respiratory conditions qualify for traditional policies, while severe cases are better suited to no-exam options, which carry higher premiums but guarantee acceptance.

Stable condition management improves insurability. Regular medical care and medication compliance support a stronger underwriting profile, and quitting smoking can improve your rate classification further. Request quotes from at least three insurers. If you use daily oxygen or need frequent steroid treatment for COPD or asthma, start with a no-exam quote instead of a traditional application to avoid a likely decline.