High cholesterol is one of the most common medical conditions in Australia, and it’s also one of biggest obstacles to getting optimum life insurance coverage. Because many insurance companies use cholesterol levels as one of the benchmarks for assessing overall health, it often plays a major role in what type of high cholesterol life insurance you can get and how much it will cost.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may find it difficult to get the life insurance cover you’re happy with. But don’t give up just yet – with Special Risk Managers, you can get the coverage you need to adequately protect you and your family’s future. Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive life insurance package, income protection insurance, trauma insurance, or TPD insurance, we’ll help you get the level of protection you’re looking for.
Difficulties Getting Life Insurance For Cholesterol
As you may already know, getting adequate life insurance for high cholesterol can be difficult, especially if you’re looking for cover at a fair price.
The main reason for this is that high cholesterol is often a precursor to serious medical conditions like strokes and heart attacks. This considerably raises your level of risk in the eyes of insurance providers, making them hesitant to provide the level of cholesterol life insurance cover you want. And even if they do provide cover for it, it’ll likely come at a higher premium to reflect the higher level of risk they assume in your case.
Because high cholesterol is often a red flag for insurance providers, those diagnosed with this condition will usually find it difficult to get the cover they need at the prices they want.
Cholesterol Life Insurance In Australia
Just like the rest of the world, high cholesterol is one of the most prevalent medical conditions in Australia. According to the National Heart Foundation of Australia, 33% of Australians had high cholesterol during 2011/12. The Foundation also notes that it was the second greatest attributor to the total burden of heart disease in the country in 2010. This is an important statistic because heart disease is consistently one of the leading causes of the death in Australia year after year.
The Foundation also notes that high cholesterol seems to affect both genders equally, with 32.4% of males and 33.2% of females having the condition during this period. It was also most commonly seen among individuals in the 55-64 age group, and almost one in two people from this age category had high cholesterol.
Although finding the right cover for your condition can be difficult, it’s not impossible. At Special Risk Managers, we’ll help you find your best life insurance options for cholestrol. We’ll explore your different options and find affordable and comprehensive cover according to the severity of your condition. This way, you’re less likely to pay unnecessary premiums and fees.
Call us on 1300 665 356 to get started. We’re experts at helping patients find appropriate life insurance, trauma insurance, total & permanent disability cover, and income protection insurance for special and difficult conditions.
Common Causes of High Cholesterol
Given the serious medical conditions that high cholesterol can lead to, many people mistakenly think that all cholesterol is bad. This, however, isn’t true. There are actually two main types of cholesterol: Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) – the “bad” cholesterol – and High-density lipoproteins (HDL) – the “good” cholesterol.
High cholesterol occurs when there is too much cholesterol in your blood, which depends on your levels of LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides (a fatty substance similar to cholesterol) and their ratios compared to your overall cholesterol level. The more cholesterol you have in your blood, the higher your risk of medical complications.
There are many causes of high cholesterol, but the most recognised factors include:
- Poor diet – those whose diets are high in saturated fat typically exhibit higher levels of cholesterol
- Unhealthy lifestyle – a sedentary, inactive lifestyle has been linked to lower levels of HDL and higher cholesterol levels in general
- Smoking – smoking is linked to lowering levels of HDL cholesterol, which then results in higher levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood
- Being overweight – although people of all body types can have high cholesterol, those who are obese or overweight are more likely to exhibit high cholesterol levels
Aside from these, your likelihood of developing high cholesterol can also be affected by your family’s medical history, your age, and gender.
Complications With Extreme Levels of Cholesterol
There’s a reason why high cholesterol levels are red flags for many insurance providers: they’re directly linked to increased risks of many serious medical conditions.
High cholesterol indicates a high level of fat deposits in your blood, which can lead to constricted blood vessels and the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Constricted blood vessels, in turn, can cause life-threatening health conditions such as:
- Coronary Heart Disease – High cholesterol is directly linked to a greater risk of coronary heart disease, which is currently the leading cause of death in Australia. The higher your blood cholesterol level, the more likely you are to develop this serious medical condition.
- Stroke – According to the National Stroke Association in the USA, high cholesterol increases the likelihood of developing a stroke. This is due to the build-up of plaque in the arteries that can prevent blood from flowing to the brain and cause a stroke.
- Heart Attack – Similar to strokes, constricted blood vessels and plaque build-up in the arteries can block blood flow to the heart, which can result in a heart attack.
Aside from these medical conditions, high cholesterol levels can also lead to several other health complications like peripheral arterial disease and problems with the kidneys and stomach.
Get Life Insurance For High Cholesterol With Special Risk Managers
When it comes to getting cholesterol life insurance, trauma insurance, income protection, and TPD insurance for serious medical conditions, Special Risk Managers are the specialists to turn to. We’re experts at helping clients find their best insurance options, no matter what their medical conditions are and how severe they may be. We’re also known for our ability to find insurance options even for clients that other companies consider ‘uninsurable’.
So if you have high cholesterol and want appropriate life insurance for this condition, know that Special Risk Managers can help. We’ve developed strong relationships with life insurance providers and key players in the industry, allowing us to help clients find their best cholesterol insurance options for their condition.
To get started, fill out our form above to get a quote from our team. Alternatively, you can also call us on 1300 665 356 or email [email protected] for more information.