Life insurance and mental health explained

This guide covers how mental health conditions may impact life cover. We look at life insurance for conditions such as depression, anxiety and bi-polar. As well as exploring what insurers might ask during your application.

What is a mental health condition?

Mental health issues covers a wide range of conditions. It can be any disorder that affects your mood, behaviour or thinking. Mental health conditions include depression, anxiety, bi-polar, schizophrenia, eating disorders and more. The NHS reports that one in four people in the UK will face a mental health issue at some point in their lives.¹

Does life insurance cover mental health conditions?

If you have a pre-existing physical or mental health condition, it doesn’t mean you can’t get life insurance. However, it might lead to higher premiums, which are the amounts you pay for the plan.

In some cases, if your condition is very serious, an insurer may not be able to cover you at all. If that happens, you might still find cover with another insurance company. So it’s important to compare different insurance companies to see how their application processes could affect you.

Read more: Life insurance premiums explained

How does mental health affect life insurance?

The way mental health and life insurance is assessed changes from one insurer to the next.

For conditions, such as anxiety, life insurance premiums might not be affected. However, for more severe conditions, you might pay more or cover may not be possible.

One insurer might say that anyone who has had mental health condition has a higher possibility of an earlier payout so that person would pay higher premiums. A different insurer might look more in-depth. For example, if you had mental health condition three years ago but are now fully recovered. They might decide the premium will be the same as someone who has not had a mental health condition. This is why it’s worth getting quotes from a few different insurers.

There might be clauses in your policy relating to your mental health conditions. For example, if you have a history of self-harm, the insurer may place a waiting period before you can make a claim. They may also have their own policies around suicide. For example, periods at the beginning of a policy where a payout wouldn’t be granted. You should always check the policy terms and conditions.

Learn more: Life insurance payouts explained

Applying for life insurance with a mental health condition

When you’re applying for life insurance, insurer will ask about mental health conditions past and present. If you have had any mental health conditions, insurers may ask additional questions.

Additional questions may include details of the diagnosis, when you last had symptoms, any treatment, time off work or impact on normal activities and who you have consulted. There may also be questions about suicide or self-harm, any time in hospital or referrals to a psychiatrist.

Insurers might ask how the condition affects your daily life. ‘Does it stop you from working?’, for instance. They could ask if you’ve had suicidal thoughts or if you’ve ever harmed yourself. 

Insurers may ask your GP for your medical records. It is important that you give full and honest answers regarding your mental health as this can impact the insurer paying a claim.

Questions about your mental health can feel intrusive but insurers do need to understand how your mental health has impacted you.

* VitalityLife Claims and Shared Value Report 2025

¹ Source: NHS England - Mental Health