Living with colitis or Crohn’s disease can make many everyday tasks more complicated, and for many people, applying for life insurance feels like one more challenge added to the list. At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we work with individuals navigating inflammatory bowel diseases every day, helping them find life insurance options that fit their needs, their medical history, and their long-term goals. Our advisors understand the underwriting process on a deep level and know exactly which insurance companies offer the most favorable reviews for applicants with chronic gastrointestinal conditions. With access to over 100 top-rated carriers and decades of experience in high-risk underwriting, we know how to position your application for the best possible outcome.

Whether your condition is mild, well-controlled, moderate, or coming out of a flare, our goal is to match you with the right policy at the most competitive rate available. Many people are surprised to learn that even after a previous decline—sometimes from a direct-to-consumer company—they may still qualify for strong offers when their application is properly presented and submitted to the right carriers. Instead of guessing which company might be a fit, you can lean on a team that works with inflammatory bowel disease cases every week and understands which underwriters are most open to these conditions.

How Colitis and Crohn’s Affect Life Insurance Underwriting

Colitis and Crohn’s disease are evaluated carefully because they can vary widely in severity. Some people experience only occasional, mild flare-ups, while others manage symptoms daily or live with complications such as anemia, nutritional deficiencies, or past hospitalizations. Life insurance companies focus on these differences when they underwrite your application.

Underwriters begin by identifying the type of condition you have—ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or indeterminate colitis. They then look at how frequently symptoms occur, how long flares last, and what your overall pattern of disease control looks like. Occasional, brief flare-ups that respond quickly to treatment are viewed much more favorably than frequent, severe episodes that require aggressive therapy.

Medication history is another key factor. Applicants using milder treatments, such as mesalamine or other non-steroid maintenance drugs, are often seen as more stable than those who require long-term steroids or biologic therapies to keep symptoms under control. That does not mean biologic use is an automatic red flag—it simply means underwriters will look more closely at the overall picture: how well the treatment is working, how long you have been on it, and whether it has successfully reduced flares and stabilized your condition.

Hospitalizations and surgeries also play a role. If you have had bowel resections, hospital stays for severe flares, or complications like strictures or perforations, those events will be reviewed. However, they do not necessarily disqualify you from coverage. Often, what matters most is what happened afterward: Are symptoms now better controlled? Have you been stable for a meaningful period? Is your gastrointestinal specialist satisfied with your current management plan?

Insurers will also evaluate any related health concerns such as anemia, weight loss, malnutrition, or a history of cancers linked to chronic inflammation. These details help them understand whether your condition is localized and well-managed or part of a larger pattern of complex health issues. Every case is different, which is why having an experienced advocate who can explain your history clearly to an underwriter makes such a difference.

Who This Coverage Is Best For

Life insurance for colitis and Crohn’s is particularly valuable for people who want to protect their families financially even when their health isn’t perfect. Applicants with mild or well-managed disease—especially those who have been in remission for at least a year—often have the strongest outcomes. If your symptoms are infrequent, your follow-up care is consistent, and your specialist is happy with your current regimen, you may be eligible for standard or near-standard rates with traditional carriers.

People who have recently been diagnosed but are already seeing improvement on medication can still be good candidates for coverage. Even if your disease is not yet in long-term remission, some insurers are willing to consider your history if they see clear signs of stabilization, adherence to treatment, and no significant complications. In many cases, you can secure foundational coverage now and revisit additional protection in the future as your condition continues to improve.

This coverage is also an important solution for individuals who have already been declined elsewhere. Many direct-to-consumer platforms apply simplified rules that are not friendly to chronic conditions, especially anything involving the gastrointestinal tract. A decline on one platform does not mean you are uninsurable; it usually means the application wasn’t placed with a carrier that understands inflammatory bowel disease. Our job is to correct that by steering your case to insurers that routinely underwrite IBD and are more comfortable offering meaningful coverage.

Typical Life Insurance Outcomes for Colitis and Crohn’s

When your disease is mild and your symptoms are infrequent, standard or near-standard rates are often possible. This is especially true when you’ve been in remission for at least 12 months, have no recent hospitalizations, and your medication regimen is stable and relatively conservative. In these scenarios, underwriters may view your risk profile as similar to that of an otherwise healthy applicant with a well-controlled chronic condition.

For moderate disease—where symptoms are somewhat more frequent or medications are stronger—carriers may approve coverage with mild table ratings. This means your premiums may be higher than standard rates, but you still gain access to traditional term or permanent policies with strong benefit amounts. Many clients are comfortable with this trade-off, especially when they understand that the alternative might be no coverage at all if they applied through a less flexible carrier.

In cases of severe, active disease or recent complications, coverage may still be available, but the insurer may wait for a period of stabilization or offer coverage at higher ratings. Sometimes, alternative solutions such as simplified-issue or guaranteed-issue policies can fill the gap until your condition improves. The key is to work with a team that will be honest about what is realistic today while also helping you plan for future improvements and potential policy upgrades.

Every case is different, and we shop your application to carriers with the most favorable guidelines for inflammatory bowel conditions.

Why Work With Diversified Insurance Brokers

Working with Diversified Insurance Brokers means you are not limited to a single carrier or a single underwriting philosophy. We partner with more than 100 A-rated insurers, giving us the flexibility to match your health profile with companies best suited to handle your unique situation. That breadth of choice often translates into better approval odds, more favorable classifications, and lower long-term premiums.

Our team brings deep high-risk underwriting experience to every case. We know which carriers are more lenient with colitis and Crohn’s, which ones prefer long periods of remission, and which are comfortable issuing policies when a client is still fine-tuning their treatment plan. We also understand how to present your history in a clear, organized way so underwriters see a full, accurate picture rather than making assumptions based on a diagnosis alone.

Confidentiality and personalized service are at the core of our approach. Digestive health can feel like a sensitive topic, and many clients worry about disclosing personal details. We handle all information discreetly and professionally, focusing on what truly matters for underwriting while making the process as comfortable as possible. At the same time, we work with you to determine the right type of coverage—whether that’s term insurance for income replacement, permanent coverage for long-term estate planning, or a combination of both.

Example Case

Consider the example of a 38-year-old man with mild ulcerative colitis, managed with oral medication, who had been symptom-free for 18 months. After being declined by a direct-to-consumer carrier, he came to us assuming life insurance was out of reach. We reviewed his medical history, gathered clear documentation from his physician, and submitted his application to an insurer experienced in underwriting IBD cases. The result was a $500,000 20-year term policy at Standard rates, saving him over $700 annually compared to the alternative offers he had received—or in some cases, the lack of offers altogether.

Stories like this are common. Most people living with colitis or Crohn’s are not uninsurable; they simply have not worked with a broker who understands which carriers to approach and how to frame their application accurately.

Take the Next Step

If you’ve been told “no” before, or if you are just beginning to explore life insurance options with colitis or Crohn’s, there is a better path forward. Our team will review your full medical and occupational profile, identify the carriers most likely to view your case favorably, and advocate for the strongest outcome possible.

The easiest way to begin is to complete our secure request form and let us shop the market for you: Complete our secure colitis and Crohn’s life insurance request form below and we’ll follow up with clear options tailored to your situation.