Life Insurance With Epilepsy: Seizure Control, Rates and Options

Many people can get life insurance with epilepsy, and those whose seizures are well controlled often qualify for regular term coverage. What decides your offer is your seizure history: the type of seizures you have, how often they happen, when the last one was, and how well your medicine works. This guide explains how underwriters read that history, what epilepsy life insurance rates can look like, and how to prepare.

Octans Insurance is an independent agency based in Massachusetts. Our licensed agents compare 120+ carriers, and seizure underwriting varies a lot from one carrier to the next. The same history can earn very different offers at different companies. This page is general education, not medical advice. Your neurologist is the right person to guide your treatment.

Can you get life insurance with epilepsy?

Yes, in many cases. The CDC reports that about 2.9 million U.S. adults had active epilepsy in 2021 to 2022, about 1% of adults, plus about 456,000 children. Underwriters see seizure histories regularly.

Treatment works for many people. The CDC says medicines “work for about 2 in 3 people with epilepsy,” and that many people “do well with epilepsy treatment and live a full life.” That is good news for life insurance with seizures, because control is what underwriters reward most.

Why do insurers ask? Seizures can cause injuries, and the CDC describes sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). It says that for every 1,000 U.S. adults with epilepsy, one may die from SUDEP each year. The CDC names generalized seizures and uncontrolled or frequent seizures as the main risk factors. That is why life insurance with epilepsy depends so heavily on control.

Seizure types and why underwriters ask

The CDC groups seizures by where they start in the brain. Underwriters often ask which type you have, because the type affects how they view the risk.

In broad terms, seizures without loss of consciousness tend to be viewed more favorably than seizures with it. Policygenius, an online insurance marketplace, says applicants with a history of tonic-clonic seizures will “most likely be assigned a Substandard risk classification.” That is one commercial site’s summary, not a carrier rule, but it shows why the type of seizure matters.

The CDC says a seizure “is a change in normal brain activity that lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes,” and epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. If you had one seizure that was never diagnosed as epilepsy, say so clearly and bring the records. A single provoked event reads differently from an ongoing seizure disorder, and the right records can keep it from being treated as life insurance with seizure disorder.

How underwriters evaluate life insurance with seizure disorder

MoneyGeek, a commercial comparison site, lists the factors underwriters weigh for life insurance with seizure disorder:

• Seizure frequency and the date of your last seizure.
• Whether you were diagnosed, or had a first seizure, in the past six months.
• Type of epilepsy and seizure classification.
• Age at diagnosis and how long you have had the condition.
• Medication compliance and effectiveness.
• Whether seizures involve loss of consciousness.
• The underlying cause, such as a known brain injury versus no known cause.
• Lifestyle impact and activity restrictions.

MoneyGeek says applicants with no seizures in the past two to three years receive better rates than those with recent episodes, and that most insurers will postpone an application if you were diagnosed in the past six months. Policygenius adds that prolonged unconsciousness during a seizure, or several seizure-related hospital stays, can mean higher rates or a decline.

Medication matters in two ways. Staying on your prescribed medicine shows control, and the CDC says taking seizure medicine exactly as prescribed is the most important step to lower SUDEP risk. Pharmacy records will show your refill history, so a steady record helps your case for life insurance with seizures.

Other treatments may come up too. The CDC lists surgery for seizures that start in one area of the brain, devices such as vagus nerve stimulation and responsive nerve stimulation, and a ketogenic diet, mostly for children. If you had surgery or a device implanted, bring the dates and your seizure history since.

Epilepsy life insurance rates by seizure history

No carrier publishes separate epilepsy life insurance rates. Your price comes from the class you are assigned. Two commercial sites describe the classes differently, which itself shows how much carriers vary:

MoneyGeek says Table 2 adds 50%, Table 4 adds 100%, Table 6 adds 150% and Table 8 adds 200% to the Standard premium. Neither site’s table is a carrier rule. Treat both as rough guides and ask each carrier.

Policygenius also published sample monthly prices for $500,000 of 20-year term for nonsmokers, valid as of January 1, 2024. They are one site’s averages, not quotes:

The pattern is what matters. In this sample, a 40-year-old man at Table 3 paid about two and a half times the Preferred price.

The gaps grow with age. At 50, a man paid $102.50 a month at Preferred and $250.95 at Table 3, a difference of $148.45 a month, or $148.45 × 240 = $35,628 over a 20-year term. A woman of the same age paid $78.29 and $196.96, a gap of $118.67 a month. If you are older, time spent building a seizure-free record can be worth even more, which is why epilepsy life insurance rates are worth comparing carefully before you apply.

What applications ask about seizures

Short-form applications can treat life insurance with seizures very differently from full underwriting. Two real examples:

• Final expense. A Transamerica final expense application we reviewed (form L122 1012T, Pennsylvania) asks whether you have “had more than 12 seizures” within the past 1 year, and again within the past 2 years. On that form, a “yes” for the past year, if it is your only “yes” in that section, points toward a graded benefit product. A “yes” only for the past 2 years, if it is your only “yes” in its section, points toward Standard rather than Preferred.
• Group life evidence of insurability. A Life Insurance Company of North America form (TL-009320) asks about heart attack, stroke, cancer, COPD, HIV, diabetes, liver disease and substance abuse in the last 5 years. It does not ask about seizures.

Those are two forms, not the market. Other carriers’ short forms may ask about epilepsy directly. Read every question exactly as written and answer only what it asks, truthfully.

The Transamerica wording shows why counting matters. A person with a few seizures a year would answer “no” to a question about more than 12, while someone with frequent seizures would answer “yes.” Keep an accurate count for each year so you can answer questions like this correctly. If you are unsure whether an event counts as a seizure, ask your neurologist before you apply for life insurance with epilepsy, and use the same terms your records use.

Fully underwritten policies usually ask detailed questions: diagnosis date, seizure type, number of seizures each year, date of the last one, medications, and any hospital stays. They may request your neurologist’s records, and your application may be reported to MIB, an information exchange among insurers.

Hypothetical example: what two seizure-free years can save

Hypothetical example: Maria is 40, a nonsmoker, and wants $500,000 of 20-year term. Her last tonic-clonic seizure was 14 months ago, after a medication change. All prices are illustrations based on Policygenius’s published averages, not quotes.

• Scenario A: she applies now. Say a carrier offers Table 3. Using the $89.65 average, she pays $89.65 a month.
• Scenario B: she applies after two seizure-free years on the same medicine. Say the carrier offers Standard at the $53.51 average. She pays $53.51 a month.

Over 20 years, Scenario A costs $89.65 × 12 × 20 = $21,516. Scenario B costs $53.51 × 12 × 20 = $12,842.40. The difference is $21,516 − $12,842.40 = $8,673.60 for the same coverage.

For a 40-year-old man the gap is larger: $109.99 × 240 = $26,397.60 at Table 3, against $67.19 × 240 = $16,125.60 at Standard, a difference of $10,272.

The lesson is not to stay uninsured. If Maria’s family needs protection now, she can buy at Table 3 and ask about a review, or re-shop, after two seizure-free years. Not every carrier will reconsider a rating, so ask before you buy. Epilepsy life insurance rates reward a documented, stable record.

How to improve your offer for life insurance with epilepsy

Your seizure history is not fixed forever. Each seizure-free year adds to your record, and several of the steps that help your health also help your application for life insurance with epilepsy. The CDC’s advice for lowering SUDEP risk overlaps closely with what underwriters like to see:

• Take seizure medicine exactly as prescribed. The CDC calls this the most important step. Steady refills also show up well in pharmacy records.
• Tell your provider if seizures continue. The CDC suggests considering an epilepsy specialist if they do. A documented plan reads better than an unaddressed problem.
• Avoid known triggers and get enough sleep. Fewer seizures means a better record.
• Keep a seizure diary. Dates, type and length of each seizure give the underwriter facts instead of guesses.
• See your neurologist regularly. Recent visit notes confirm your current status.

Timing your application helps too. If your last seizure was recent, or your medicine was just changed, a few more months may move you to a better class. If your family needs coverage now, apply now and ask the carrier about a review later. Policygenius notes that if your condition improves after you buy, you can ask about re-rating. Not every carrier will agree, so ask before you buy.

Finally, let an agent pre-screen carriers. Policygenius suggests informal inquiries before formal applications, since formal applications may be reported to MIB. That way your life insurance with seizures goes first to carriers whose rules fit your history.

Group, final expense and guaranteed issue options

If fully underwritten coverage is not available yet, there are other routes to life insurance with epilepsy:

• Group life at work. Enrolling when first eligible, at the guaranteed amount, may avoid health questions. The LINA form above asks health questions only above the guaranteed amount or for late enrollment. See group life and health insurance.
• No-exam policies, which rely on health questions and records checks. See no exam life insurance.
• Final expense, small whole life policies for older buyers. See final expense insurance.
• Guaranteed issue. MoneyGeek says guaranteed acceptance is open to applicants 45 and older regardless of seizure history, usually up to age 85, with coverage that usually caps at $25,000 to $30,000. See guaranteed issue life insurance.

Guaranteed issue policies usually have a graded period, often two years, during which a natural-cause death pays only a limited benefit. See life insurance with no waiting period for how that works. Young adults with epilepsy may also find our guide to life insurance when you are young useful.

Common mistakes we see with life insurance with seizure disorder:

• Applying right after a seizure or medication change. A few more seizure-free months can change the class.
• Calling seizures “spells” or “episodes.” Use the words in your medical records.
• Leaving out a medication. Pharmacy records will show it.
• Applying to many carriers at once. Ask an agent to send informal inquiries first.

Checklist: applying for life insurance with epilepsy

1. Write down your diagnosis date and your seizure type, using your neurologist’s terms.
2. List the date of your last seizure and how many you had in each of the past five years.
3. Note whether your seizures involve loss of consciousness.
4. List your medications, doses and start dates, and any recent changes.
5. Note any hospital stays, surgery, or implanted device, with dates.
6. Ask your neurologist for a short note on your control and current treatment.
7. Check whether you can enroll in group life at work on time.
8. Request your free MIB file if you applied for coverage in the last seven years.
9. Answer every question truthfully. In Massachusetts, a policy becomes incontestable after two years in force (M.G.L. c.175 §132), and before then a misstatement made with intent to deceive, or that increased the risk, can void it (§186).
10. Compare carriers through our life insurance quotes page, or call (617) 935-9220.

Our hub on life insurance with pre-existing conditions explains how other health issues are handled.

Life insurance with epilepsy: frequently asked questions

Can you be denied life insurance for epilepsy?

Yes, especially with frequent or recent seizures. Policygenius says seven or more seizures a year generally rules out traditional coverage, and both Policygenius and MoneyGeek say a diagnosis in the past six months usually means postponement. Guaranteed issue remains a fallback for older applicants.

How long do I need to be seizure-free?

There is no single rule. MoneyGeek says two to three seizure-free years bring better rates than recent episodes. Policygenius says about two years may reach Standard and five or more may reach Preferred, while MoneyGeek calls Preferred very rare. Ask each carrier.

Does taking seizure medicine hurt my rate?

Not by itself. Medicine that keeps you seizure-free is usually the strongest part of your file for life insurance with epilepsy. Missed doses are a concern, both for underwriters and, the CDC says, for SUDEP risk.

Do absence seizures count the same as tonic-clonic seizures?

Generally not. Policygenius treats recent tonic-clonic seizures as likely Substandard, while long-past absence seizures may reach Preferred at some carriers. Bring records that name your seizure type.

Can I get life insurance with seizures through work?

Often, yes. Group life taken when you are first eligible, up to the guaranteed amount, may not ask health questions at all. Check your enrollment window.

What if I had seizure surgery or have a nerve stimulator?

Tell the insurer and bring the dates and your seizure history since. The CDC lists surgery and devices such as vagus nerve stimulation as epilepsy treatments. Underwriters usually focus on how well your seizures are controlled after the treatment, so a seizure-free stretch since surgery helps your life insurance with seizure disorder application.

Will the policy pay if I die during a seizure?

Yes, if the policy is in force and your application was truthful. A fully underwritten policy pays the full benefit from the start. A graded or guaranteed issue policy may pay only a limited benefit for natural-cause deaths in its first years.

How Octans helps you compare

Octans Insurance is an independent life and health insurance agency based in Massachusetts. We are not tied to one insurer. Our licensed agents compare 120+ carriers, so we can look for the companies whose seizure underwriting fits your type, history and treatment.

There is no fee to talk with us about life insurance with epilepsy. We will tell you which records to gather, which carriers are worth trying first, and whether a few more seizure-free months could lower your price. Call (617) 935-9220 or start with our life insurance quotes page.

Keep Reading: Related Guides

• Life insurance with pre-existing conditions
• No-exam life insurance
• Life insurance with multiple sclerosis
• Guaranteed issue life insurance

Important: Octans Insurance agents are licensed in the states in which they operate. Coverage availability and rates may vary by state. Premium examples, when provided, are illustrative samples from published sources, not quotes. Final rates are determined by the insurance carrier based on underwriting and applicable policy criteria. Policy terms, exclusions, limitations, riders, and availability vary by carrier and state.

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