For over a decade, Burial Senior Insurance has helped seniors and families nationwide plan ahead with honest, affordable final expense coverage — no medical exams, no waiting periods, and no pressure. Our licensed agents guide you to the plan that fits your budget and your family’s needs.
Last Updated on: November 12, 2026
Reviewed by Kyle Wilson
About 2.9 million US adults and 456,000 children have active epilepsy, according to the CDC. Many of them assume life insurance is out of reach, but that’s rarely true. Insurers look at the details of each person’s condition, and people whose seizures are well controlled are often approved, sometimes at standard rates.
Quick answer: Yes, you can usually get life insurance with epilepsy. Insurers base the decision mainly on your seizure type, how often seizures happen, how long you’ve been seizure-free, and how stable your treatment is. Well-controlled epilepsy often qualifies for standard or modestly higher rates on a regular term or whole life policy, while frequent or recent seizures may lead to a postponement, a higher rating, or a guaranteed issue policy.
Yes. Epilepsy doesn’t automatically disqualify you from life insurance. Most applicants with well-controlled seizures can get a traditional policy, and those who can’t usually still have options such as guaranteed issue coverage.
Get Free Quotes
Customized Options Await
No. Insurers treat epilepsy as a condition to assess, not an automatic decline. Pinney Insurance’s underwriting team notes that standard to low or moderate table ratings are typical for epilepsy, and some insurers may offer preferred rates in ideal circumstances. The outcome depends on your own history, and two people with the same diagnosis can get very different offers.
Life insurers price policies on mortality risk. Research reviewed by the reinsurer Gen Re found that, as a group, people with epilepsy have higher mortality than the general population, but the risk varies enormously. It’s concentrated among people with poorly controlled seizures, especially tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. People who have been seizure-free for years carry much lower risk.
The Epilepsy Foundation reports that roughly 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy die each year from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), and that the greatest risk factor is tonic-clonic seizures. It also notes that people with only absence or myoclonic seizures are not known to have increased SUDEP risk. That’s why underwriters focus so closely on seizure type and control.
Because epilepsy covers such a wide range of conditions, the more complete your information, the better your chance of a fair rate. Underwriters want to know what kind of seizures you have, how often, when the last one happened, what treatment you take, and whether you’ve had complications. Vague answers often lead to a cautious, more expensive decision.
Note: Insurers’ rules for epilepsy differ. One insurer may offer standard rates where another offers a table rating or postpones. Comparing several insurers through an independent agent is one of the most effective ways to improve your result.
Underwriters look at five main things: the type of seizures, how often they happen, how long since the last one, how stable your treatment is, and whether there have been complications. A long seizure-free period on stable medication is the strongest positive factor.
Pinney Insurance lists the details underwriters typically want:
Insurers may also check your prescription history, medical records from your neurologist, and your driving record.
Seizure type has a big effect on risk. Gen Re’s review notes that simple and partial seizures are much less dangerous than seizures with tonic-clonic activity and loss of consciousness.
The longer you’ve gone without a seizure, the better. Applicants who have been seizure-free for several years on stable treatment generally get the best offers. Recent seizures, or several a year, usually lead to higher ratings. Some insurers postpone a decision after a new diagnosis or a recent seizure until your condition has been stable for a while.
Past epilepsy surgery, a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS), or a history of status epilepticus usually means the insurer will want full medical records. Successful surgery can be a positive factor: Gen Re notes that surgery can achieve cure, with mortality similar to people without epilepsy. Insurers may also ask whether you drive, since driving restrictions can signal how well seizures are controlled, and they’ll consider other conditions such as depression or alcohol use.
Your rate class decides your price. Applicants with long-controlled, mild epilepsy may get standard rates or better, while others receive a table rating, which adds a percentage to the standard premium. Very recent or frequent seizures can mean a postponement or a referral to guaranteed issue coverage.
When an applicant’s risk is higher than standard, many insurers apply a table rating. Tables are often labeled by number or letter, and each step commonly adds about 25% to the standard premium, though insurers’ scales differ. Here’s a hypothetical example based on a $40 standard monthly premium:
Rate class | Typical increase over standard | Example monthly premium |
Standard | None | $40 |
Table 1 (A) | About +25% | $50 |
Table 2 (B) | About +50% | $60 |
Table 3 (C) | About +75% | $70 |
Table 4 (D) | About +100% | $80 |
Some insurers instead add a “flat extra,” a fixed dollar amount per $1,000 of coverage for a set number of years.
The table below is a general guide to how insurers often view different epilepsy profiles. It isn’t any insurer’s actual guideline, and real decisions vary a great deal.
Seizure profile | Possible outcome | What helps |
Absence seizures only, well controlled, several years seizure-free | Preferred or standard possible | Neurologist records showing stable control |
Focal seizures, infrequent, stable on one medication | Standard to a low table rating | A long seizure-free period, complete testing |
Tonic-clonic seizures, seizure-free for several years | Standard to a moderate table rating | Proof of stable treatment, no complications |
Tonic-clonic seizures within the past year or two | Moderate to higher table rating, or postponement | Waiting until a longer seizure-free period |
Frequent seizures, several medications, or recent status epilepticus | Postponement or decline for traditional coverage | Guaranteed issue or simplified issue coverage |
New diagnosis, still adjusting treatment | Often postponed | Reapplying once treatment is stable |
Each insurer writes its own underwriting guidelines. One may accept a person with tonic-clonic seizures two years ago at standard rates, while another adds two tables for the same history. That’s why it pays to compare several insurers before applying, rather than applying to one and accepting its first offer.
Note: Many applications ask whether you’ve ever been declined, and medical information from applications can be shared through the MIB database used by insurers. Applying to many insurers on your own can make things harder. An agent can often get informal feedback from underwriters before you submit a full application.
Term life is usually the best life insurance with epilepsy for people whose seizures are controlled and who need large coverage for a mortgage or family. Whole life and final expense insurance suit people who want lifelong coverage, and guaranteed issue policies are a fallback when seizures are frequent or recent.
Term life covers you for a set period, such as 10, 20, or 30 years, and is the most affordable way to get a large death benefit. It’s a strong fit if your seizures are well controlled and you need to protect income, a mortgage, or young children. Expect a full application with health questions, medical records, and possibly an exam. Even with a table rating, term coverage is often far cheaper than permanent coverage.
Whole life lasts for life with level premiums and a cash value. Final expense insurance is a smaller whole life policy, often designed for people over 50, that covers funeral costs and final bills. Many final expense policies use simplified underwriting, meaning health questions but no medical exam. Depending on the insurer and your answers, well-controlled epilepsy may qualify for a level, full-benefit policy. Burial Senior Insurance explains burial insurance with pre-existing conditions.
Guaranteed issue policies don’t ask health questions, so you can’t be turned down for health reasons within the eligible age range. The trade-offs:
Guaranteed issue is best for people whose seizures are frequent, recent, or hard to control, and who have been postponed or declined elsewhere. See how guaranteed issue burial insurance works and what it costs.
Employer group life insurance often has no health questions for the basic amount, which makes it a useful extra layer. It usually ends when you leave the job, so it shouldn’t be your only coverage.
Policy type | Medical exam? | Seizure control usually needed | Best for |
Fully underwritten term | Often | Well controlled, ideally seizure-free for a period | Large coverage for family and debts |
Fully underwritten whole life | Often | Well controlled | Lifelong coverage and cash value |
Simplified issue final expense | No, health questions only | Depends on the insurer’s questions | Seniors wanting funeral coverage quickly |
Guaranteed issue | No exam or questions | None | Frequent or recent seizures, prior declines |
Employer group life | Usually not for basic amounts | None for basic coverage | A free extra layer while employed |
Children with epilepsy can sometimes get life insurance, but options are narrower than for adults, and insurers often want to see how the condition develops over time. Common routes are a child rider on a parent’s policy, a juvenile whole life policy, or waiting and applying once seizures are well controlled.
Parents usually buy life insurance for a child for two reasons: to cover funeral costs if the unthinkable happens, and to lock in some coverage the child can keep as an adult regardless of future health. For a child with a seizure disorder, the second reason can feel especially important.
Insurers ask the same core questions as for adults: seizure type, frequency, time since the last seizure, treatment, and test results. They may also ask about developmental conditions and whether the epilepsy is linked to another diagnosis. A letter from the child’s neurologist describing the diagnosis and control can help.
Note: Life insurance for a child is optional. Many families decide their money is better spent on the parents’ own coverage, which protects the child financially if a parent dies. Make sure your own coverage is in place first.
Beyond life insurance, people with epilepsy often need help with medication costs and good health coverage. Several nonprofits run copay assistance funds, ACA health plans can’t refuse you or charge more because of epilepsy, and with good control many people live full, active lives.
Most help comes as copay assistance or medication programs rather than cash grants. Places to look:
Resource | Who it helps | What it covers | Examples |
Copay assistance funds | Insured patients meeting income limits | Out-of-pocket costs for medications | PAN Foundation, HealthWell Foundation, Patient Advocate Foundation |
Manufacturer programs | Patients prescribed a specific brand | Copays or free medication | Programs run by drug makers |
Assistance databases | Anyone | Finding programs and discounts | NeedyMeds |
Patient organizations | People with epilepsy and families | Education, support, referrals | Epilepsy Foundation and affiliates |
Public programs | People meeting eligibility rules | Health coverage and support services | Medicaid, state programs |
Many people do. The Epilepsy Foundation reports that about 70% of people with epilepsy can control their seizures with medication, and options such as surgery, neurostimulation devices, and dietary therapies help many others. People whose seizures are well controlled can work, drive where state rules allow, and raise families. The biggest risks are tied to uncontrolled seizures, which is why taking medication consistently, getting enough sleep, avoiding known triggers, and limiting alcohol matter so much.
The best plan is the one that covers your neurologist and medications at a cost you can manage. Under the Affordable Care Act, Marketplace and most employer plans can’t deny coverage or charge you more because of a pre-existing condition like epilepsy. When comparing plans, check:
The best results come from preparation: gather your records, apply when your condition is stable, and compare insurers before you submit a full application. These steps can make the difference between a postponement and an approval at a fair rate.
Before you apply, collect:
A short letter from your neurologist confirming your diagnosis, treatment, and level of control can help underwriters understand your case.
If you were recently diagnosed, recently changed medication, or recently had a seizure, some insurers will postpone a decision until you’ve been stable for a while. If you don’t need coverage urgently, applying after a longer seizure-free period may lead to a better offer. If you do need coverage now, a guaranteed issue or simplified issue policy can fill the gap while you wait.
Insurers’ epilepsy guidelines vary widely. An independent agent can compare several insurers and, in many cases, ask underwriters informally how they’d view your history before you submit a full application.
Disclose your full seizure history and medications. During the contestable period, usually the first two years of a policy, an insurer can review and potentially deny a claim if the application left out material information. Insurers can usually see prescription histories, so leaving something out rarely works and can put your family’s claim at risk.
If you receive a table rating, ask what drove it. If your control improves, for example after another year seizure-free, some insurers will review the rating. You can also keep a smaller guaranteed issue policy and add a traditional one later.
Note: Keep taking your medication exactly as prescribed while you apply. A breakthrough seizure during underwriting can delay or change the decision.
Getting life insurance with epilepsy is very possible. Insurers judge each case on seizure type, frequency, time since the last seizure, and treatment, so people with well-controlled epilepsy often get traditional coverage at standard or modestly higher rates. Complete medical records, good timing, and comparing insurers make the biggest difference, and guaranteed issue coverage remains a backstop when traditional policies aren’t available.
Your situation | Where to start |
Absence or focal seizures, well controlled for years | Fully underwritten term or whole life |
Tonic-clonic seizures, seizure-free for several years | Term or whole life; compare several insurers |
Recent seizure or new diagnosis | Wait for stability if possible, or use guaranteed issue for now |
Frequent seizures or prior declines | Guaranteed issue final expense coverage |
Over 50, mainly want funeral coverage | Simplified issue or guaranteed issue final expense |
Parent of a child with epilepsy | Your own coverage first, then a child rider or juvenile policy |
If you’re looking for final expense or burial coverage with epilepsy, Burial Senior Insurance can help you compare simplified issue and guaranteed issue options and talk through your health history with a licensed agent. Explore policy options at Burial Senior Insurance, or call (800) 718-4568, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
No. Epilepsy doesn't automatically disqualify you. Insurers look at your seizure type, frequency, time since your last seizure, and treatment. People with well-controlled epilepsy often qualify at standard rates or with a modest table rating, while those with frequent or recent seizures may be postponed or offered guaranteed issue coverage instead. Rules differ between insurers, so comparing several helps.
Most financial help comes as copay assistance rather than cash grants. The PAN Foundation, HealthWell Foundation, and Patient Advocate Foundation run disease-specific copay funds that open and close during the year. Drug manufacturers often offer copay cards or free medication programs, NeedyMeds lists assistance programs and discounts, and the Epilepsy Foundation and its local affiliates can point you to local support.
Many people with epilepsy live full, active lives. The Epilepsy Foundation reports that about 70% of people with epilepsy achieve seizure control with medication, and surgery, devices, and dietary therapies help others. The main health risks come from uncontrolled seizures, so consistent treatment, regular care from a neurologist, good sleep, and avoiding triggers are key.
The best health insurance is a plan that covers your neurologist and your specific seizure medications at a cost you can manage. Under the Affordable Care Act, Marketplace and most employer plans can't refuse coverage or charge more for epilepsy. Compare each plan's drug formulary, provider network, and out-of-pocket maximum before enrolling.
Yes. Simplified issue policies ask health questions but don't require an exam, and some people with well-controlled epilepsy qualify. Guaranteed issue policies ask no health questions at all, so approval is assured within the eligible ages, but coverage amounts are small and there's usually a two-year waiting period before the full benefit is paid for death from natural causes.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not medical or insurance advice. Underwriting outcomes and rate examples are illustrations; every insurer sets its own guidelines and decides each application individually. Assistance programs change often, so check each organization’s current eligibility and fund status. Talk to your neurologist about your health and treatment.
Zach Johnson is a senior insurance writer at Burial Senior Insurance. He explains burial, final expense, life and cremation insurance in simple, honest language so seniors and their families can compare options and plan ahead. Every article he writes is reviewed by our licensed agents for accuracy.
Have Any Questions? Ask us anything — we’d love to answer!
Burial Senior Insurance provides information and services related to burial insurance for senior citizens, including policy options and end-of-life support services.
Copyright © Burial Senior Insurance 2026. All Right Reserved.
