Life Insurance with Back Pain

Will back pain affect your cover? Here’s what really happens.

Back pain is so common that most of us have had a brush with it at some point — lifting something wrong, long car journey, sleeping funny, or just being over 30. So it’s no surprise people applying for life insurance often ask:

Will my back issues mean higher premiums, exclusions, or being declined altogether?

The short answer? It depends.

The good news? For life insurance and mortgage protection, it’s rarely a big deal.

The not-so-good news? Income protection is where things can get awkward.

What counts as “back pain” to an insurer?

Not all back pain is the same. Insurers split it into two camps:

1. Occasional or minor back pain
You pulled something reaching for the remote. You saw a physio once, took Nurofen, cursed the bill, and moved on.

2. Ongoing or chronic back pain
Now we’re into things like:

• Recurrent lower back pain
• Slipped discs
• Sciatica
• Arthritis or scoliosis
• Osteoporosis
• Or anything needing long-term treatment, meds, or a regular parking space at the physio

If you’re in camp one — not so bad, you’ll pay the same price as everyone else.
If you’re in camp two, insurers will want a few more details.

But don’t panic.

Just because they ask questions doesn’t mean you’ll pay more.

Mortgage Protection: Usually fine

In most cases, back pain won’t affect your life insurance or mortgage protection. Even if you’ve had scans, physio, or medication, the insurer may just shrug and move on — especially if:

• You’re not off work
• You’re not on heavy meds
• You haven’t had surgery

You won’t be penalised for having a dodgy back.

Unless it’s serious-serious, you’re getting standard cover at the normal price.

Serious Illness Cover: Sometimes an exclusion

If your back’s been acting up for a while — or you’ve been off work with it — some insurers will slap on a PTD exclusion. That means if your back leads to something major like permanent disablement, it won’t be covered.

But if your issue was minor and in the past?
You’ll likely get full cover, no exclusions, no drama.

Income Protection: This is where it gets tricky

Back pain is one of the top reasons people claim on income protection.
So insurers get twitchy.

If in the lat 5 years, you’ve

• Taken time off work due to back pain
• Had an MRI showing damage
• Needed regular meds

…they’ll usually exclude back/spine claims from your policy.

That means if your back gives out again and you can’t work, you won’t be covered — but everything else (colds, cancers, Crohn’s) still is.

Silver lining? If your back’s been ok for years, we might be able to get you cover without an exclusion. There’s always a bit of negotiation room.

What the insurer will want to know

They’ll want to know:

• What caused the pain
• How often it happens
• What treatment you’ve had
• Whether you’ve needed time off work
• If you’re still on medication or under review

Basically, they want to know whether it’s “annoying but manageable” or “full-blown insurance risk.”

Will you need a medical report?

If the issue was minor and sorted, probably not.

If it was more complicated — time off work, surgery, ongoing meds — the insurer might ask your GP for a short report. We’ll give you a heads-up before anything is sent. No surprises.

Not all insurers handle back pain the same way

Some insurers act like you’re one sneeze away from snapping in half. Others take a more reasonable approach.

That’s where we come in. We know which insurer is most likely to say yes (without charging you like you’re made of glass).

And we’ll run a quick anonymous check before you apply — no pressure, no paper trail.

TL;DR

• Mild back pain? Probably fine — full cover, standard price
• Chronic or recurring? Life cover’s usually OK, but income protection will likely have exclusions
• Income protection? Trickiest of the bunch. Still worth doing — just go in with your eyes open
• Best move? Let us quietly ask the insurers first. Saves you time and awkward refusals

Want a hand?

Fill out this short questionnaire or drop me a message.

We’ll make sure you get proper cover — no vague advice, no vague exclusions.

Thanks for reading

— Nick
Making life insurance less crap since 2011. Even if your back is.