60-second summary
Want a quick overview? Here’s what you need to know about applying for life insurance with a mental health condition:
You’ll typically be asked about any existing or previous mental health conditions when you apply for life insurance.
If you’re suffering from a mental health condition, or you have in the past, life insurance can still be an option, but you may have less choice.
Depending on the severity of the symptoms of your mental health condition and how it has affected you recently, you may also face higher premiums.
In the UK it’s illegal for insurance providers to discriminate against you based on a mental health condition, but they can refuse cover or charge more if they can show that it makes you a greater risk to insure.
It’s important to be honest about any previous or existing mental health conditions, as failing to disclose this information could mean your policy is invalidated or cancelled.
Read on for more details about how your mental health can affect your life insurance or compare cover with us today to search for a good fit.
What is a mental health condition?
A mental health condition is an illness that affects your psychological and emotional well-being, often through a disorder that can change your mood, thinking and behaviour.
There are many different types of mental health conditions that can affect our emotional wellbeing and ability to function in various ways, depending on the type and severity of the disorder. Some of the more common forms of mental health problems include:
Anxiety
Depression
Body dysmorphia
Eating disorders
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic attacks
Paranoia
Phobias
Postnatal depression
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Bipolar disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Schizophrenia.
Just like with physical health problems, effective treatment is available for people struggling with mental health conditions. And many of us do suffer from a mental health condition at some point in our lives.
If you believe you’re suffering from a mental health condition, speak to your GP. They should be able to give you a diagnosis and help you access support.
Can I get life insurance with depression or a mental health condition?
Most people who’ve experienced mental health conditions can still get life insurance. Even for those currently suffering from poor mental health, life insurance is still an option.
Life insurance providers look at factors like the severity and nature of your condition and how it has affected you recently. They may want to ask you follow up questions to better understand the risk.
In some cases, you may find that your options are limited. Certain insurance providers may see you as too great of a risk to insure, or they may agree to insure you, but for a higher premium.
If you’ve had a serious mental health condition for a long time, you could still find cover, but you might need to find a specialist provider.
What are my legal rights when applying for life insurance with a mental health condition?
Under the Equality Act 2010, insurance providers are not allowed to discriminate against you because of your mental health condition. But they can refuse to insure you or charge you more for cover if they can prove that your mental health condition means there’s a greater risk of them having to pay out a claim.
In practice, this means a life insurance provider could be discriminating against you based on your mental health if they refuse to insure you, or charge you more because of:
A past condition that you have fully recovered from
Any mental health condition you have disclosed that has no bearing on your likelihood of making a claim.
What could happen if I fail to disclose a mental health condition to my life insurance provider?
It can be tempting to keep quiet about any mental health concerns when applying for life insurance because of the threat of increased premiums. Perhaps you’re worried about taking out life insurance with a depression diagnosis, or maybe you’re fully recovered, and you want it left in the past.
But this could be a costly mistake. It’s always best to be open and honest about any medical conditions you have, physical or mental. When it comes to mental health and life insurance, failing to declare any medical information – intentionally or not – could have serious consequences. For example:
It could invalidate your policy - your provider is perfectly within their rights to invalidate your policy if they discover false information was provided, or important information left out.
Your loved ones may not get a pay-out - your insurance provider may refuse to pay out on a claim, even if the circumstances of your death had nothing to do with your mental health condition.
Your policy might be cancelled - you won’t receive a refund for your past premiums and you may find it difficult to get other types of insurance in the future.
You could be charged a lump-sum penalty fee - you may have to make up the difference between the rate you were paying and the rate you should have been charged had your insurance provider known about your condition.
You could face criminal prosecution - you could be charged for insurance fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.
Your family could be sued - your insurance provider could take out legal proceedings against your beneficiaries to recover the claim they paid, if they later find out you failed to disclose a condition.
What information on my mental health will I need to give to a life insurance provider?
When you apply for life insurance, an insurance provider will ask you key questions on your health, lifestyle and career to assess how likely you are to make a claim. They may ask for details on:
You and your family’s, medical history (including previous and existing conditions)
Medication taken during the past five years
Height and weight
Your GP’s name and practice address
Lifestyle and behaviours
Your occupation.
When it comes to any mental health conditions you’re disclosing, a provider typically needs to know:
When you were diagnosed
The severity of your symptoms
How regularly you experience these symptoms
How your illness affects your everyday life - for example, a provider might want to know of any absences from work due to your mental health
Whether or not you take medication for your illness and if so, how long you’ve taken it.
If you have any history of self-harm or suicide attempts.
How do I apply for life insurance with a mental health condition?
Applying for life insurance is increasingly accessible, with many providers accepting online applications.
If you’re ready to see what’s out there, we can help. We compare life insurance from 23[1] different life insurance providers, online and offline. So if you’re concerned about finding life insurance for depression and other mental health conditions, you can shop around and see what works for you.
[1] Correct as of March 2025.
Compare life insuranceCould life insurance cost more if I have a mental health condition?
Your life insurance premiums may be higher if you have a mental health condition, depending on how severe your symptoms are or have been in the past. Insurance providers assess risk to see how likely you are to make a claim. The more likely it is, the higher your premiums are likely to be.
For example, if you’ve recently been hospitalised because of your mental health, life insurance providers may assume you’re a greater risk than someone who suffered a less serious condition many years ago. That means you might be offered a more expensive premium.
Your insurance provider has the right to charge you more if they can prove that you’re a greater risk to insure, based on relevant, reliable and reasonable information. But you absolutely have the right to be treated fairly.
What should I do if I believe I’ve been treated unfairly by an insurance provider due to a mental health condition?
You can make a formal complaint to the insurance provider. Ask them to explain, in detail:
How they came to their quote or decision
What specific information or supporting data they based it on.
If you’re unhappy with their explanation or how they’ve dealt with your complaint, you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). If they find in your favour, you may be offered an official apology and/or compensation by the insurance provider.
If you decide to take legal action, Citizens Advice can offer helpful advice on what to do next. Just be aware that you’ll need to make your claim within six months of being refused insurance cover or being quoted an unreasonably high premium.
Is a mental health condition considered a pre-existing medical condition?
Any injury or illness that exists before or at the time you take out a life insurance policy is considered a pre-existing medical condition. And that includes mental health conditions.
It’s really important that you inform an insurance provider of any injury or illness when you apply for life insurance. If you don’t, and your insurance provider finds out, they could reduce, or completely reject, the payout from any claim.
Where can I get more help on life insurance?
If you’d like to get more information on life cover and how it relates to mental health conditions, you can talk to an insurance expert. The friendly advisers at LifeSearch are available to chat on 0800 072 1147.
Lines are open:
Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm
Saturday: 9am-2pm
Sunday: 10am-3.30pmAlternatively, it’s easy to compare your life insurance options with Compare the Market.
Compare life insurance for mental health conditions
Life insurance offers financial security for your loved ones after you die. A mental health condition, past or present, doesn’t have to stop you from protecting your family’s financial future. Compare life insurance quotes for mental health to see options that could work for you.
FAQs
Why is it more difficult to get life insurance with a mental health condition?
It can be more difficult to get suitable cover if you have a mental health condition because you may be considered a ‘high risk’ customer. This means there’s a higher probability of insurance providers having to pay out on a claim.
Unfortunately, this means you could pay a higher premium, and in some cases, you could be refused cover altogether.
What other challenges might customers with mental health problems face when looking for life insurance?
Depending on the severity of the mental health condition you’re suffering from, your life insurance options may be limited. Eligibility criteria varies among providers, but customers with mental health problems may face the following challenges:
You may be asked a very generic question, as in, ‘have you ever had a mental health problem?’ without being given the opportunity to explain your condition in more detail.
You may still be considered a ‘high risk’ customer, even if you had mental health issues in the past and are now fully recovered.
Insurance providers may refuse your application without offering a proper explanation.
You may have to pay more for your premium if you’re unable to work because of your mental health condition.
Do life insurance products offer extra support for mental health conditions?
Some life insurance comes with a wide range of added-value support that could be helpful for people with mental health conditions. This could include, for example counselling sessions or consultations with a mental health professional.
If included, this support often comes as part of the policy, doesn’t cost anything extra and starts from the day the cover begins. If you have an existing life insurance policy and you start to struggle with your mental health, it’s worth looking into how your provider could help.
For over 20 years, Tim’s been building and managing relationships with big brands for the benefit of customers. As our expert on all things life, health and income protection, he’s working hard to find the right products that look after you and those you love most.
Our content is written by a Compare the Market expert, backed by data and enhanced by AI. Find out how we ensure accuracy and quality in our Editorial Guidelines.
