Chronic fatigue syndrome and life insurance key points:

  • There isn’t a specific life insurance policy for those with chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome life insurance simply refers to a life insurance policy taken out by someone with the condition
  • It could be possible to secure life insurance with chronic fatigue syndrome but your eligibility and the price you pay may be impacted by your condition
  • You’ll be asked additional questions about your condition during the application process so that insurers can get a better understanding of your personal circumstances (unless applying for an over 50s plan)
  • If you’ve struggled to secure cover in the past, you may find a specialist insurer or an over 50s plan a more suitable cover option

Can I get life insurance with chronic fatigue syndrome?

Yes, you could secure life insurance with chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME).

It can seem daunting when applying for life insurance with a pre-existing medical condition but the process doesn’t need to be difficult.

You’ll need to provide details about your condition during the application process in order for insurers to assess your eligibility for cover and the price you’ll pay if you’re offered a policy.

When using a life insurance broker, like Reassured, you can compare multiple insurers at once to find the best options from our panel of insurers.

Our award-winning service is fee-free, so why not get in touch?

How much life insurance do you need?

Find out how much life insurance may be right for you by using our simple calculator. Fill in the costs you would like your policy to cover.

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£121,687 is the estimated average outstanding mortgage per household in the UK.

Our property is generally the largest financial commitment any of us will make.

Your life insurance should cover this significant debt should you no longer be around.
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According to Money Advice Service, full-time childcare in the UK now costs £242 a week.

The loss of a parent could result in the need for additional childcare whilst the surviving parent increases their hours to account for lost income.

Your life insurance cover should factor in this additional required outgoing.
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The average level of debt (minus a mortgage) in the UK is £15,385.

Factoring in any outstanding debts in your name when arranging life insurance ensures this burden is not passed to loved ones.
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You may wish to leave your loved ones an inheritance or lump sum gift upon your passing.

Factoring in the gift amount when arranging your cover will ensure the pay out amount will be sufficient to provide your loved ones with this selfless gesture.
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According to SunLife, the average cost of a UK funeral is now £4,417, whilst the total cost of dying is £9,493.

This is a 130% increase over the past 16 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

A significant cost which should be factored into the amount of life insurance you secure.
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If you are one of the 65% of the UK who are lucky enough to have savings, this could be used as protection if you were to pass away.

Any pay outs from existing life insurance policies and investments can also be used as financial protection for your loved ones if you were no longer around.

Factor this into your required cover amount.
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Your total cover estimate

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Does chronic fatigue syndrome affect life insurance?

Yes, declaring that you have chronic fatigue syndrome could impact your life insurance application.

While chronic fatigue syndrome isn’t often life-threatening, those with the condition can suffer long term symptoms such as:

Those with mild or moderate symptoms may experience less of an impact on their application compared to those with severe symptoms and/or additional medical complications.

Comparing multiple insurers is essential in finding the right cover.

At Reassured we can take your personal circumstances into consideration to present you with our most suitable options.

What questions will I be asked during the application process?

In order for insurers to get a better understanding of your condition, you’ll likely be asked some additional questions regarding chronic fatigue syndrome.

These could include:

  • When were you diagnosed?
  • How often do you experience flare ups?
  • Are you taking any medication? (If yes, which medications?)
  • Are you receiving treatment (such as cognitive behaviour therapy or graded exercise therapy)?
  • Have you had to take time off from work?
  • Do you have any additional medical conditions (such as depression)?

It’s essential to be open and honest about your experience with chronic fatigue syndrome so that your policy can be accurately underwritten.

If you withhold information or provide false details this could invalidate your policy, meaning your loved ones wouldn’t benefit from the pay out when they need it.

Does life insurance cover chronic fatigue syndrome?

Yes, while the condition isn’t often fatal, you’ll be covered if you pass away as a result of chronic fatigue syndrome or any related conditions.

As long as your policy is active and all the information you gave during the application was correct, your loved ones will be able to make a claim as per the terms and conditions of your policy.

This could help your loved ones to cover essential living expenses and other key costs, such as:

  • Mortgage / rent payments
  • Household bills and daily living costs
  • Additional childcare costs
  • Outstanding debts
  • Funeral costs

When taking out life insurance through a broker, like Reassured, you’ll have access to a dedicated expert.

This means you can ask all the questions you need in order to understand what you’ll be covered for.

Simply get in touch to speak to one of our friendly experts.

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How much does life insurance with chronic fatigue syndrome cost?

The cost for life insurance as someone with chronic fatigue syndrome will depend on your personal circumstances.

During the application insurers will require a standard questionnaire to be completed which includes questions regarding:

  • Age
  • Health (both current and past)
  • Smoking status
  • Occupation
  • Lifestyle choices
  • Policy type
  • Policy term
  • Sum assured

You’ll also be asked further questions specifically relating to your condition.

The answers you provide will allow insurers to assess the level of risk you pose (the likelihood of a claim being made) and your eligibility and premium cost will be calculated accordingly.

You may experience ‘loaded’ (increased) premiums due to having a pre-existing medical condition.

At Reassured we work with both mainstream and specialist insurers (through our advised team), allowing us to find you our most suitable options.

What’s the best chronic fatigue syndrome life insurance?

There could still be a range of policy options available to you when applying for life insurance with chronic fatigue syndrome, the best one for you will depend on your personal circumstances and what you want to cover.

The most common forms of life insurance are:

Level term life insurance

Provides cover for a specified period (the term) and will pay out a fixed lump sum if you pass away during this time.

Often used to help cover an interest-only mortgage and/or family living costs.

You’ll need to provide details about your condition during the application process.

Decreasing term life insurance

Provides cover for a specified period, your sum assured (cover amount) will reduce throughout the policy term.

For this reason, it’s ideal for helping to protect a repayment mortgage.

You’ll need to provide details about your condition during the application process.

Whole of life insurance

Provides lifelong cover, offering a pay out to loved ones when you pass away, not if.

The pay out could help loved ones cover inheritance tax bills and/or provide them with an inheritance to spend as they wish.

You’ll need to provide details about your condition during the application process.

Over 50 life insurance

Provides lifelong cover and guaranteed acceptance to UK residents aged 50 - 85.

Most commonly used to help cover funeral costs.

No medical exam/information is required.

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Can I get critical illness cover with chronic fatigue syndrome?

Yes, it could be possible to secure critical illness cover with chronic fatigue syndrome.

As with life insurance, you may experience inflations to your premiums. It’s also likely you may have certain conditions (that are linked to chronic fatigue / ME) excluded from your cover.

Chronic fatigue syndrome isn’t typically included in the list of conditions covered.

Critical illness cover is available through Reassured when added to a term life insurance policy for an additional cost.

Simply get in touch to compare life insurance with critical illness cover quotes.

Can I get income protection with chronic fatigue syndrome?

Yes, it could be possible to secure income protection with chronic fatigue syndrome.

As with other forms of cover, your personal circumstances will be assessed during the application process so insurers can make a decision on your eligibility as well as the price you’ll pay if you’re offered a policy.

Income protection is designed to pay out a percentage of your income while you’re unable to work due to illness or injury.

It’s likely that exclusions will be made for chronic fatigue and any related conditions. This means you won’t be able to claim for these reasons.

Compare income protection from the whole of the market through the advised team at Reassured to find the best policy for your personal circumstances.

What if I have been declined in the past due to chronic fatigue syndrome?

Even if you have been declined cover in the past due to chronic fatigue syndrome, there could still be options available to you.

You may have been declined due your diagnosis being too recent or the insurer you applied with may not have been suitable for those with a pre-existing medical condition.

It could also be possible for you to secure cover through specialist insurer (who specialise in offering cover to non-standard applicants) or an over 50s plan (where no medical information is required).

Comparing multiple quotes could allow you to find the right insurer for your personal circumstances.

At Reassured we have a specialist impaired risk team who have a great track record of finding some form of cover for those who have been declined in the past.

Why not get in touch to find out about your options?

Will I need to undergo a medical exam?

Sometimes insurers may request a medical exam in order to gain a better understanding of your health.

If a medical exam is requested, it will be organised and paid for by the insurer and will be at a location that’s convenient for you.

Alternatively, with your permission, a medical report may be requested from your GP.

If you decline to undergo a medical exam or don’t give permission for insurers to obtain a medical report your application won’t be able to continue.

This is because insurers won’t have the information they need to underwrite your policy.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in the UK

Many sources state that there are around 250,000 people living with chronic fatigue syndrome / ME in the UK.

However, the ME Association suggest that this may not be the most accurate figure. This is due to the lack of up-to-date epidemiological research and difficulties in how the condition is defined.

Current evidence (based on one UK study) suggests:

  • At least 2 - 4 people per 1000 people are living with chronic fatigue syndrome[1]
  • The most common age of onset is early 20s to mid-40s
  • Women are 3 times more likely than men to develop the condition[2]

If you’re living with chronic fatigue syndrome / ME, there are a range of support resources available:

Compare life insurance for chronic fatigue quotes

Comparing life insurance quotes is essential when applying with a pre-existing medical condition, like chronic fatigue syndrome.

When using a life insurance broker, like Reassured, you can compare quotes from both mainstream and specialist insurers.

This will allow you to find a suitable insurer for your personal circumstances.

A friendly member of our team will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have and provide support throughout the entire application process.

Simply get in touch today to protect your loved ones.

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Sources:

[1] https://meassociation.org.uk/2024/05/how-many-people-have-me-cfs-in-the-uk/

[2] https://meassociation.org.uk/medical-matters/items/prevalence-population-estimates-mecfs/

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