Been declined life insurance because of epilepsy?
Being declined by one insurer does not mean every insurer will say no. Different insurers assess epilepsy differently, and a decline often means you applied to one whose criteria did not fit your situation, not that cover is impossible. That is exactly the kind of case we help with.
Reviewed by Andy Stevens, Co-Founder and Epilepsy Insurance Specialist, Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (CII) and Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, at More Than Money Ltd. Last reviewed: 29 August 2026.
Why people with epilepsy get declined
There are a few common reasons:
- The application went to an insurer whose criteria did not suit recent or more frequent seizures.
- The diagnosis or last seizure was very recent, so the insurer preferred to wait.
- The medical picture was incomplete, so the insurer could not properly assess it.
A decline is a decision by one insurer on one day, based on their own rules. It does not set the rule for everyone else.
Postponed or declined? They are not the same thing
A postponement means the insurer wants to wait, usually until more time has passed since a diagnosis, a seizure or a treatment change, and then look again. A decline is a no from that insurer for now. Both feel like rejection, but a postponement in particular is often just a matter of timing.
Does a decline follow you around?
This is the worry we hear most, and the honest answer is that it matters less than people fear, but you do need to handle it properly.
What a new insurer will ask
Life insurance applications routinely ask whether you have ever been declined, postponed or offered non-standard terms. So a previous decline usually comes up because you are asked directly, not because insurers share a list of names between them.
Do you have to tell them?
Yes. If you are asked, answer honestly. Non-disclosure is one of the main reasons claims fail, and a policy that does not pay out when your family needs it is worth nothing. A previous decline is something insurers deal with all the time and it does not stop an application on its own. Being straight about it, with the full picture alongside it, is what gets a fair decision.
Why we check quietly first
Where it helps, we can talk to insurers about your situation informally before anything formal is submitted. That way you find out where you stand without adding another decline to the list of things you have to declare later.
What to do after a decline
A few practical steps make a real difference:
01
Try not to keep reapplying at random. Repeated applications rarely help.
02
Speak to a specialist who knows which insurers tend to suit which situations.
03
Get your facts together: your diagnosis date, when your seizures were, and your current medication. A clear, accurate picture is what insurers need to say yes.
Speaking to a specialist is the step you can take today. It's free, there's no obligation, and it doesn't affect anything on your record.
How long should you wait before applying again?
There is no fixed waiting period, and it depends on why you were turned down.
If the decline was about timing, such as a recent diagnosis, a recent seizure or a recent change to your medication, then time genuinely works in your favour and waiting can change the answer. If it was about the insurer's criteria rather than your circumstances, waiting achieves nothing, because a different insurer may look at exactly the same information differently today. That is the difference worth knowing before you apply again, and it is the first thing we will tell you.
Can you still get cover after being declined?
Often, yes. Depending on your circumstances, there are usually a few routes worth looking at.
A different mainstream insurer
Insurers set their own criteria, and they do not all draw the line in the same place. A history that falls outside one insurer's rules can sit comfortably inside another's. This is the most common reason a case that was declined once gets accepted later.
A specialist insurer
Some insurers are used to assessing conditions like epilepsy in detail rather than applying a blanket rule. Terms may come with a higher premium, but an offer with a loading is still an offer, and it is a very different outcome from a no.
An over-50s plan
For the right age group, an over-50s plan is a product category that does not ask health questions. Cover amounts are smaller and there is usually a waiting period at the start, so it will not suit everyone. It is worth knowing it exists as an option rather than assuming there is nothing left.
We cannot promise acceptance or a particular price, because that depends on your situation and the insurer. But a previous decline is very rarely the end of the road.
No pressure, no judgement, no obligation. Tell us what happened and we'll tell you honestly what's possible. Want to understand what insurers actually look at first? Read how insurers assess epilepsy.
Reviewed by Andy Stevens, Co-Founder and Epilepsy Insurance Specialist, Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (CII) and Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, at More Than Money Ltd.