Life Insurance and Mental Health: Can You Still Get Cover?
Written by Check Financial · 6 min read
The short answer
Yes. Many people with a history of mental health conditions get life insurance, and often income protection and critical illness cover too. Insurers look at your whole picture, not a diagnosis on its own: how things were, what help you had, and how you are now. Approaching the right insurers in the right way makes a real difference.
Why a Mental Health History Doesn't Mean a Decline
Mental health conditions are common, and insurers see them every day. A GP visit for stress, a course of counselling or a few years on antidepressants is something they are used to assessing.
What matters is the detail. Two people with the same diagnosis can get very different outcomes, depending on how severe it was, how it was treated and how long things have been settled.
Insurers also differ in how they view mental health. One may decline where another offers standard terms. That is why a decline, especially from an automated online application, is rarely the end of the road.
What Insurers Usually Look At
Every insurer asks slightly different questions, but they generally want to understand:
- The condition and how severe it was: mild, moderate or severe, and whether it was a single episode or has come and gone.
- When it was: when it started, and how long ago your last symptoms or episode were.
- The help you had: GP support, talking therapy, medication, and whether you were ever treated in hospital or by a specialist mental health team.
- Time off work: whether you needed any, and how much.
- How things are now: whether you are well, still having treatment, or still receiving support.
- Anything more serious: any history of self-harm, suicidal thoughts or attempts, or alcohol or drug use.
In general, a condition that was mild, well managed and some time ago is viewed very differently from one that is recent, severe or ongoing.
How It Differs Between Types of Cover
Mental health affects each type of cover differently, because each pays out for different things.
| Cover | How mental health is usually viewed |
|---|---|
| Life insurance | Often the most straightforward. Many people with a mild or moderate history, now well managed, get standard terms. |
| Critical illness cover | Mental health conditions aren't usually among the illnesses it pays out for, so a history often has less effect. The insurer still asks, and may apply terms. |
| Income protection | Looked at most closely, because mental health is a common reason people can't work. Some insurers may exclude mental health claims or offer a longer waiting period, while others may offer full cover. |
This is why insurer choice matters most for income protection. It's also why it can be worth arranging each cover separately rather than accepting one insurer's view for everything.
The Possible Outcomes, Explained
When an insurer assesses your application, the outcome is usually one of these:
| Outcome | What it means |
|---|---|
| Standard terms | The same price anyone of your age and health would pay, with no conditions added. |
| Higher premium | Cover is offered, but at a higher monthly cost to reflect the insurer's view of the risk. |
| Exclusion | Cover is offered, but claims relating to mental health aren't paid. Most common on income protection. |
| Postponement | The insurer asks you to reapply later, often when a recent episode or treatment is further in the past. |
| Decline | That insurer won't offer cover. Another insurer may view it differently. |
We explain any offer in plain English before you decide, including what an exclusion would mean in practice.
Condition by Condition
The same principles apply to every condition. Here is what tends to matter for each.
Anxiety and Depression
These are the conditions insurers see most. A mild or moderate history that is well managed, with little or no time off work, often leads to standard terms for life insurance. Our anxiety guide goes into more detail.
Eating Disorders
This includes anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Insurers look at when it was, the treatment you had, including any time in hospital, and how long you've been well. A history that is some years in the past, with recovery maintained, is viewed very differently from something recent or ongoing.
PTSD
Insurers consider what caused it, the treatment you had and how you are now. People in the armed forces, emergency services and healthcare often come to us with this history, and cover is often still possible.
Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and Psychosis
These usually involve more detailed questions, and outcomes vary more between insurers. Being stable on treatment, with no recent hospital admissions, helps. Specialist advice is especially valuable here.
OCD and ADHD
These are usually assessed in a similar way to anxiety. When well managed, they often have little effect on life insurance.
Past Self-Harm or a Suicide Attempt
Insurers treat this sensitively. They generally consider how long ago it was, the support you had and how stable things have been since. If it was recent, an insurer may ask you to reapply later, but it doesn't mean cover will never be possible.
Alcohol or Drug Use
Insurers ask about past and current use. A history of dependency that you've recovered from, with time since, can often be assessed positively, particularly with evidence of ongoing recovery.
Why Honest Answers Matter, and What Happens with Your GP
It can be tempting to leave out a mental health history, but please don't. You must take reasonable care to answer the insurer's questions accurately. If something relevant is missed, a future claim could be reduced or refused, just when your family needs it most.
We never tell clients to hide anything. Instead, we help you answer each question clearly and accurately, and choose insurers whose approach suits your history.
For some applications, the insurer asks your GP for a report. This only happens with your written consent, and you can ask to see the report before it is sent.
How We Help
- 1. A confidential conversation first. We talk through your history before any application, and tell you honestly what to expect, so there are no surprises.
- 2. The right insurers, in the right order. We're whole of market, so we can approach insurers whose view suits your circumstances, rather than trying one after another.
- 3. Checking first where it helps. Where appropriate, we can ask an insurer how they would likely view your history before a full application is made.
- 4. Every offer explained. We explain any terms or exclusions in plain English, and why we recommend what we do.
Real scenario
Details changed for confidentiality
Declined Twice Online, Accepted at Standard Rates
History of anxiety and antidepressants triggered automatic online declines.
Outcome: We approached specialist insurers with full context. The client secured £300,000 of life cover at standard rates with no exclusions. They had assumed they were permanently uninsurable.
Read the case study →If You're Struggling Right Now
Frequently Asked Questions
Will seeing my GP about stress affect my application?+
You'll need to mention it if the insurer asks, but a short period of stress that has passed is something insurers see all the time. On its own, it often has little or no effect.
Does counselling or therapy count?+
If the insurer asks about treatment or support for your mental health, yes. Having had talking therapy is often viewed positively, as it shows you got the right help.
Can I get income protection with a history of depression?+
Often, yes. Some insurers may exclude mental health claims or offer different terms, while others may offer full cover. This is where comparing insurers matters most.
Do I need to mention something I never saw a doctor about?+
Answer each question exactly as the insurer asks it. If you're unsure whether something applies, talk it through with us first and we'll help you answer accurately.
Can terms change later if I stay well?+
Some insurers will review a higher premium or an exclusion after a period of good health. We can tell you which insurers do this, and check back with you when the time comes.
I've already been declined. Can you still help?+
Yes. A decline from one insurer doesn't decide what others will do. See our guide to being previously declined.
Related Guides
Life Insurance with Anxiety
What insurers assess and what's genuinely possible, including after an online decline.
Read guide →Pre-Existing Conditions
A medical history doesn't automatically mean a decline or high premiums. Here's how specialist underwriting works and how to get cover with a condition such as diabetes.
Read guide →Previously Declined for Life Insurance
Why declines happen, what they mean, and how a specialist adviser can help.
Read guide →This guide is general information, not personal advice. Check Financial Ltd is an appointed representative of Capital Protect Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.