Final expense insurance is specifically designed to accept seniors with health issues. So if you have pre-existing conditions, that alone won’t prevent you from qualifying.
In fact, most people can still get a policy with no waiting period, even if they’ve had serious chronic illnesses.
How Does Final Expense Insurance Work & What Are Your Options?
Final expense insurance is a type of whole life insurance with simplified underwriting. That means:
- No medical exam required
- Coverage never decreases
- Premiums never go up
- It never expires due to age
- Pays a tax-free lump sum to your beneficiaries
Coverage amounts usually range from $2,000 to $50,000, and there are two kinds of plans you can apply for:
Plans With Health Questions (No Waiting Period)
These are called simplified issue policies. To qualify, you just answer some basic health questions — no medical exam needed. The insurance company will also review your prescription history.
If approved, your coverage starts immediately. That means if you pass away even a day after the policy goes into effect, the insurer must still pay the full death benefit.
These plans also cost less because the insurer knows you’re not dealing with a severe terminal condition.
Plans With No Health Questions (Guaranteed Acceptance)
Guaranteed issue plans have no health questions and are available to anyone — no matter what medical conditions they have.
But there’s a big catch:
All guaranteed issue plans come with a 2-year waiting period. If you die during this time, the insurance company will only refund your premiums — no death benefit.
They’re also more expensive, since the insurance company is accepting everyone without knowing their health risk.
→ Important: If you want a policy with no waiting period, you must answer health questions. There’s no way around this.
Are There Guaranteed Acceptance Plans With No Waiting Period?
No. Some websites claim there are, but they’re wrong.
No life insurance company offers a guaranteed issue final expense policy with no health questions and immediate coverage. It’s not financially possible.
The only way to skip the waiting period is to apply for a simplified issue policy and get approved by answering health questions.
How To Find The Best Final Expense Insurance With Health Conditions
The key is to apply with a company that accepts all your health conditions.
Ideally, you want to say “No” to all the health questions — which usually gets you:
- No waiting period
- Lowest possible rate
That said, even if you have to say “Yes” to one or two questions, you may still qualify for immediate coverage — it just depends on the company.
For example, if you have COPD, nearly every insurer will ask about it. But some still approve COPD applicants for no-waiting-period coverage.
Most companies that offer simplified issue policies only sell through licensed agencies, like us at Horizon Senior Benefits.
We’ll compare your options across multiple top-rated carriers and match you with one that fits your specific health profile.
Burial Insurance With Pre-Existing Conditions (A–Z Guide)
Below is an alphabetical breakdown of over 60 health conditions and how they affect your eligibility for no-waiting-period coverage.
A
- AIDS – Not eligible for immediate coverage
- Amputation Due To Diabetes – Eligible after 24 months
- Aneurysm – Eligible, more options if over 24 months since repair
- Angina – Eligible
- Arthritis – Eligible
- Asthma – Eligible
- Atrial Fibrillation – Eligible
B
- Bipolar Disorder – Eligible
- Blindness – Eligible (look for voice signature carriers)
- Blood Clots / Blood Thinners – Eligible (timing of stroke/heart attack matters)
C
- Cancer
- Basal/squamous cell: No issue
All others:
- Treatment ended 12–24 months: Partial coverage possible
- Treatment ended 24+ months: Eligible for full coverage
- Metastatic or multiple diagnoses: Limited options
- Chewing Tobacco - Eligible (usually higher pricing)
- Cholesterol - Eligible
- Cigars - Eligible
- Circulatory Surgery - Eligible after 12 months
- Cirrhosis - Eligible (unless transplant/liver failure)
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) - Not eligible for immediate coverage
- COPD - Eligible (unless oxygen prescribed)
- Coronavirus - Eligible after 30 days
- Crohn’s Disease - Eligible
- Cystic Fibrosis - Eligible (unless on oxygen)
D
- Defibrillator
- Eligible after 12 months
- If you have CHF, a waiting period is required
- Dementia - Not eligible for immediate coverage
- Depression - Eligible
- Diabetes - Eligible (diagnosis age, complications, and meds may affect)
- Diabetic Coma - Eligible after 24 months
- Dialysis - Not eligible (unless due to non-CKD and over 1 year ago)
- Disability - Eligible (Direct Express card may limit options)
- Diverticulitis - Eligible
E
- Epilepsy - Eligible
F
- Fibromyalgia - Eligible
G
- Graves’ Disease - Eligible
H
- Heart Attack - Eligible after 12 months
- Heart Surgery - Eligible after 12 months
- Hepatitis - Eligible (more options if cured 24+ months ago)
- High Blood Pressure - Eligible
- HIV - Not eligible for immediate coverage
- Home Health Care - Most carriers impose a waiting period
I
- Insulin Shock - Eligible after 24 months
K
- Kidney Disease - Eligible (unless on dialysis)
L
- Lupus - Eligible
M
- Multiple Sclerosis - Eligible
N
- Nephropathy (Diabetic Kidney Disease) - Not eligible for immediate coverage
O
- Overweight - Eligible (some carriers don’t even ask height/weight)
- Oxygen - Not eligible, unless for sleep apnea
P
- Pacemaker - Eligible after 12 months
- Parkinson’s Disease - Eligible (unless wheelchair required)
- Pipe Smokers - Eligible (some non-tobacco pricing available)
R
- Retinopathy - Eligible
S
- Sarcoidosis - Eligible
- Schizophrenia - Eligible
- Scleroderma - Eligible
- Seizures - Eligible
- Sickle Cell Anemia - Eligible if over 50
- Sleep Apnea - Eligible
- Smokers - Eligible (tobacco rating applies)
- Stroke - Eligible after 12 months
- TIA (Mini Stroke) - Eligible (some carriers allow immediate coverage anytime)
- Tumors - Eligible if benign or 24+ months since treatment
W
- Wheelchair Usage - Eligible if not due to chronic illness or disease
Helpful Advice From An Experienced Final Expense Insurance Advisor
We do this every day. And here’s what you need to know:
- You don’t have to settle. Most agents only quote one company. We shop the market for you.
- Don’t assume you're uninsurable. Most of our applicants get immediate coverage — even with serious conditions.
Health conditions don’t automatically disqualify you. You just need the right company — and someone who knows how to find it.
→ Call now or request a quote. At Horizon Senior Benefits, we’ll ask a few simple questions, shop the top-rated carriers, and lock in the best deal with no pressure, no hard pitch. Just straight answers from experts who’ve done this before.
“Our plans are…based on yours.”
- Compare prices from 25+ companies
- Access no-waiting-period plans
- Never get spam or robo calls