Does Life Insurance Cover the Coronavirus?

Yes, in most circumstances an existing Life Insurance policy will pay out if you unfortunately contract coronavirus and pass away, assuming you took out the cover before contracting the virus.

This means that if you have a policy in force and you contract the virus and subsequently pass away, you should be covered by the policy. Most insurers prepare for the losses a pandemic might bring with reinsurance, so this shouldn’t impact your policy in any way.

There don’t tend to be exclusions for pandemics as standard in most Life Insurance policies. However, the situation is developing rapidly and some insurers may look to add these as time goes on for new policies taken out after a certain date.

Is Coronavirus Covered by New Life Insurance Policies?

If you take out a new Life Insurance policy from today, then it’s common to be asked questions about travel when you take out a policy.

If you attempt to take out a new Life Insurance policy and there’s been recent travel to China or other virus hotspots, or you’re being investigated for the virus, there’s likely going to be a postponement of the underwriting decision until the insurer has more information or any tests required have come back all-clear.

Whether you can get cover will depend on your circumstances, including your current state of health and whether you’re exhibiting any symptoms.

It will also depend on the various insurers’ coronavirus policies and contingency plans. Some insurers may look to exclude coronavirus deaths from new policies taken out after a certain date, so if you’re unsure the best thing to do is check with an adviser for more information.