Most life insurance coverage only becomes active after a thorough evaluation of your medical history — this includes a record of any pre-existing conditions, surgeries you’ve had, and even any prescriptions you take. But one factor that insurers won’t consider is whether or not you’re vaccinated against any illness. Whether that be for measles, hepatitis, or the flu, your vaccination status has no impact on your life insurance application or your active policy.
While insurers will want an in-depth understanding of your health, they’ll never ask about your vaccination status during the life insurance application process. Whether or not you have your basic vaccines won’t impact your eligibility for coverage or how much you pay for your policy.
Life insurance terms you should know
Beneficiaries: The people you name on your life insurance policy to receive the lump sum of money — also known as the death benefit — when you die.
Cash value: The portion of a permanent life insurance policy’s monetary value that grows tax-deferred over the life of the policy.
Death benefit: The amount of money the life insurance company will pay your beneficiaries when you die.
Face amount: The dollar amount, or death benefit, your beneficiaries receive if you die while your life insurance policy is active.
Insured: The person who is covered by the insurance policy.
Policy: The legal document that includes the terms and conditions of your life insurance contract.
Policyholder: The person who owns an insurance policy. Usually, this is the same person as the insured.
Permanent life insurance: A type of life insurance that lasts for the rest of your life and usually includes a cash value account.
Premium: The amount you pay your insurance company to keep your coverage active. Premiums are typically paid monthly or annually.
Riders: Add-ons to a life insurance policy that provide more robust coverage, sometimes for an extra cost.
Term life insurance: A life insurance policy that lasts for a set number of years before it expires. If you die before the term is up, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit.
Underwriting: The process where an insurance company evaluates the risk of insuring you and determines your final rate.
Getting coverage if you’re not vaccinated
The only instance where not having vaccinations would impact your life insurance policy is if it led to you developing a serious and life-threatening medical condition. For example, if you didn’t get the HPV vaccine and later develop cancer, that cancer diagnosis will make you ineligible for life insurance coverage.
On the flip side, a minor medical condition won’t have any ramifications for your policy. For example, if you don’t get a flu vaccine and then catch the flu while you’re applying for coverage, insurers won’t raise your prices.
Life insurance rates & vaccines
For the most part, if you’re not vaccinated, insurers won’t reject your application. Likewise, if you are vaccinated, you don’t get any brownie points — from insurers, at least.
“If you’re not vaccinated, you shouldn’t expect to pay any more for life insurance than a vaccinated applicant with the same background,” says Eloise Spinello, a life insurance expert and director of carrier relationship management at Policygenius.
Do vaccines void life insurance?
Getting a vaccine doesn’t void your life insurance policy. Under most circumstances, life insurance companies cannot cancel your policy unless you intentionally misled them during the application process — for example, if you said you were a nonsmoker but actually smoked a pack of cigarettes a week.
Other health concerns that can affect your life insurance
Certain pre-existing conditions and other health-related concerns can affect your life insurance options or costs. A Policygenius expert can help you find the right policy for your needs.
