Life Insurance for People with ADD or ADHD: What Underwriters Want to Know, Best Companies, & Case Studies

Last Updated: March 2021

Finding the best term life insurance for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder (ADHD) all comes down to your unique situation. Life insurance rates with ADD will be different for everyone.

Life insurance with ADD and ADHD can be impacted by many factors.

In this article, we will cover what underwriters will need to know, rates you can expect, case studies, top companies, and more, for people with ADD and ADHD.

Underwriting: What Life Insurance Companies Will Ask About Your ADD or ADHD
Life Insurance Rates You Can Expect with ADD and ADHD
No Exam Life Insurance Coverage Options for People with ADD and ADHD
The Best Life Insurance Companies for People with ADD & ADHD
How to Apply for Life Insurance with ADD and ADHD

Life Insurance is Boring. Let’s Get To The Root Of It! Here are the key takeaways…

It is possible to obtain life insurance with ADD and ADHD. Many applicants can still obtain life insurance at preferred plus rates which is the best rate class and lowest premium class you can achieve with ADD and ADHD. Work with an independent agent to find the best policy and the lowest rates for your situation.

Underwriting: What Life Insurance Companies Will Ask About Your ADD or ADHD

First, let’s go over what a life insurance underwriter and your agent will need to know about your Attention Deficit Disorder:

When were you diagnosed?
Are you on disability?
Any hospitalizations or suicide attempts?
Any recreational drug use in the past?
Any other health, mental, or mood disorders?
What medications are you taking?

Common medications include for ADD include: Adderall, Aventyl, Pamelor, Ritalin, Strattera, Tofranil, Welbutrin, and Zyban.

All of these medications for ADD are insurable.

If you don’t hear your current agent being inquisitive towards your issues, then he probably won’t give you accurate quotes. Whether or not you have other mental health issues will determine if you are eligible for “Preferred” life insurance rates.

Life Insurance Rates You Can Expect with ADD and ADHD

People with ADD tend to be inattentive and easily distracted, none of which will affect your life insurance rates.

It’s the problems associated with ADD like alcoholism, drug use, depression, and extreme risk-taking where rates become very high and even uninsurable.

Life insurance quotes will be determined by the answers to the questions above. However, to get an idea of the rates yourself, here are the general underwriting guidelines.

Preferred Plus: Mild ADD with no other health, mental, or mood disorders. No hospitalizations or drug use either. You must be working (not on disability). Mild medications are okay.

Preferred: This is the best health class possible for homemakers or those who don’t work. Same mild ADD stipulations as listed for Preferred Plus.

Standard: Mild to Moderate ADD. No hospitalizations or drug use in your past. Mild-Moderate medications are okay. Mild depression medications along with ADD medications are ok with some life insurance companies, but not all.

Table Rating (substandard): Moderate to Severe ADD. This will likely be noted in your medical records. This includes strong ADD medications or signs of lacking stability.

Declined: Recent hospitalizations or uncontrolled ADD, drug use, or alcoholism.

If you can put yourself in the Preferred Plus to Standard health classifications, you can run instant quotes without providing any contact information here: Instant Life Insurance Quotes.

Case Studies for Life Insurance Rates with ADD and ADHD

Getting approved for life insurance with Attention Deficit Disorder usually isn’t a problem. However, every life insurance company will view your ADD differently. Take these recent case studies as an example:

Case Study #1:

Male, 44 y/o, non-smoker, well-controlled ADD on Adderall. No health issues.

Our client received Standard offers from other life insurance agencies before working with us, which may seem fair to most consumers. We were able to obtain Preferred Plus rates with a well-drafted cover letter to the underwriter explaining his healthy lifestyle habits and stable work history, which is something not asked in the application or noted in his medical records.

Case Study #2:

Female, 36 y/o, non-smoker, takes Ritalin (ADD) and Lexapro (depression). No other health issues.

While most companies would give Standard and even Sub-Standard rates, we were able to obtain a Preferred health classification with one company. This life insurance company conducts a phone interview for those with depression, something no other life insurance company does. After the phone interview, they decided to offer Preferred rates, which are the best rates on the market for her risk by far.

No Exam Life Insurance Coverage Options for People with ADD and ADHD

Another option you can consider if you have ADD or ADHD for life insurance is what is called no exam life insurance.

It is exactly as it sounds. You can purchase life insurance without the need to undergo any medical exam.

While your ADD and ADHD will still be factored into your application and it is likely that you will pay more for coverage, it is still a great option to consider.

It is fast, often completed and placed in force within a few days, and can eliminate some of the additional hassle work that often has consumers hesitating to purchase life insurance altogether.

The Best Life Insurance Companies for People with ADD & ADHD

Excellent life insurance companies are available offering this no-exam life insurance such as the following companies:

Sagicor Life
Foresters
American National

It’s usually best to compare more than just 3 companies. Fill out our quote form to compare over a dozen top carriers.

How to Apply for Life Insurance with ADD and ADHD

When you are ready to apply for life insurance and have ADD or ADHD, you have a few things you can do to improve your odds of achieving the best rates.

First and foremost, stick to our advice laid out thus far and work with an independent agency that is capable and knowledgeable in underwriting high-risk life insurance.
Secondly, try to take a moment and write down the important dates and the information that is pertinent to your ADD and ADHD. When did you begin your medication and how long have you been taking your medication? When was your last doctor’s visit? The more information you can relay to your life insurance agent, the better off you will be.
This allows your agent to tell your story to the life insurance company and perhaps even draft a cover letter explaining your situation and fighting for better rates on your behalf.
Ultimately, the individuals who have their information organized and ready to present are the same individuals that we often obtain preferred or preferred best rates for.

As you can see from the case studies above, the agent you choose to represent you and the life insurance company you use has a big impact on your life insurance rates. Our advice is to use an agent experienced in underwriting ADD or ADHD.

If you are ready to buy life insurance and have and form of ADHD, including ADD, please call us for quotes or fill out our quote request form on the right. We’ll use our expertise to find the best rates on the market.

Also, be sure to check out our other guides below to learn more about how different types of mental health conditions can affect life insurance approval and rates: