At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we specialize in helping people find life insurance even after serious health events like a heart attack. With access to 100+ top-rated carriers and decades of underwriting experience, our team knows how to present your history in the best possible light. If you’ve been declined before—or aren’t sure what’s realistic—we can guide you toward the right coverage and give you a no-obligation quote.

Many of our clients come to us after being told they’re “too high risk.” In reality, they often just applied with the wrong carrier or the wrong product type. Because we regularly work on life insurance with pre-existing conditions, we know which companies are more flexible with heart history, sleep apnea, diabetes, and other cardiac-related issues.

Life Insurance Quoter

Can You Still Get Life Insurance After a Heart Attack?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to get approved for life insurance after a heart attack—especially when you work with an agency that specializes in high-risk cases. Carriers evaluate each case individually based on:

• How long it has been since the heart attack occurred
• Whether you had procedures such as stents, bypass, or angioplasty
• Your current medications and whether you follow up with a cardiologist
• Recent test results, such as EKGs, echocardiograms, or stress tests
• Other risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, or tobacco use

We know which carriers are most lenient with post-heart attack applicants and which ones tend to decline or heavily rate similar profiles. That allows us to match you with the best fit the first time and maximize your chances of approval.

Who Is a Good Fit for Life Insurance After a Heart Attack?

This type of coverage is ideal for individuals who:

• Had a heart attack at least 6–12 months ago and are now stable
• Have made lifestyle changes and are under regular doctor or cardiology supervision
• Can document recovery and stability through recent medical records
• Are open to term, whole life, or guaranteed-issue life insurance depending on severity

Even if you’ve been declined in the past, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. We often finish a case by issuing coverage after a previous decline—simply by redirecting it to a more appropriate carrier or product. For some clients, we may pair traditional coverage with a smaller guaranteed-issue policy so loved ones are protected no matter what.

Best Policy Types After a Heart Attack

The “right” policy depends on your age, budget, and medical details. Common options include:

• Fully underwritten term life: Best when enough time has passed and your heart condition is stable. Can be cost-effective for income replacement and debts.
• Permanent coverage (whole life or universal life): Ideal when you need lifelong coverage for estate planning or final expenses and can qualify medically.
• Simplified-issue policies: Fewer questions and no exam in many cases, but coverage amounts are smaller and premiums higher.
• Guaranteed-issue life insurance: Minimal or no health questions, used when recent or severe cardiac history makes other options difficult.

For some clients, especially older applicants or those mainly concerned with end-of-life costs, we may recommend a smaller permanent policy similar to the options discussed on our burial insurance pages, combined with other assets or coverage you already own.

Key Factors Underwriters Review

When an insurance company evaluates life insurance after a heart attack, they look far beyond just the date of the event. Common underwriting questions include:

• Exact date and type of heart attack (e.g., STEMI, NSTEMI)
• How many vessels were involved and whether stents or bypass were performed
• Current ejection fraction and any heart failure diagnosis
• Control of blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes
• Smoking status, height/weight, and exercise habits
• Any additional heart events, hospitalizations, or ER visits

This is why working with an agency that understands how life insurance underwriting works is so important. We help you gather the right medical records up front and make sure your application is framed accurately and completely.

What If You Were Already Declined?

A decline doesn’t mean you are uninsurable forever. It usually means you applied with a carrier that wasn’t a fit for your profile, or you applied too soon after the event. We often help clients:

• Wait an appropriate amount of time for stabilization and updated test results
• Re-apply with more cardiac-friendly carriers that better understand your profile
• Adjust the benefit amount or product type to fit within underwriting guidelines
• Use a combination of term and smaller permanent or guaranteed issue coverage

We also routinely help clients who have other health issues on top of a heart attack—like sleep apnea, COPD, or cancer history—similar to the cases we discuss on our life insurance for cancer survivors page.

How Diversified Insurance Brokers Helps

At Diversified Insurance Brokers, high-risk life insurance is a core part of what we do. We’ll:

• Review your timeline: date of heart attack, procedures, and follow-up care
• Identify carriers most likely to approve your specific profile
• Pre-screen your case anonymously where appropriate to avoid unnecessary declines
• Compare multiple offers so you understand cost and trade-offs between companies

Our goal is to help you protect the people who depend on you with coverage that is both realistic and affordable. Whether that means a traditional term policy, a smaller permanent plan, or a guaranteed issue option, we’ll build a custom strategy around your health history and long-term goals.