Getting Insurance After a Heart Attack, Stent or Bypass in NZ
A heart attack, coronary stent or bypass does not automatically rule out life, trauma or health insurance in New Zealand. Insurers ask for cardiology reports and recent test results, then respond with one of a small set of outcomes: standard rates, a premium loading, a cardiac exclusion, or a postponement until the condition has been stable for a period the insurer sets case by case. Trauma cover is usually the most affected, because it pays a lump sum on the very cardiac events being assessed, while life cover is more often loaded than excluded outright. QuoteHub's licensed advisers present a case to a panel of insurers rather than one, because cardiac underwriting appetite genuinely differs between insurers.
In short
- Heart disease affects an estimated 195,000 New Zealanders, more than one in 23 adults, and cardiovascular disease causes almost 30% of NZ deaths each year (Heart Foundation NZ).
- ACC does not pay out for a heart attack, because ACC covers injury caused by an accident, not disease (ACC).
- The Contracts of Insurance Act 2024 will replace today's disclosure duty with a "reasonable care" standard for consumer insurance, but it does not commence until 15 November 2027 (Financial Markets Authority).
- One Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman case saw an insurer cancel trauma cover from inception and apply a 75% loading to life cover after undisclosed cardiology investigations came to light at claim time (IFSO Scheme).
New Zealanders who have had a heart attack, a stent fitted or bypass surgery often assume insurance is off the table. In practice, an accepted application with a loading or an exclusion is far more common than a decline, and a well-managed risk factor on its own, such as treated cholesterol or blood pressure, rarely needs more than standard terms. This guide sets out how life insurance, trauma cover and health insurance generally respond to a cardiac history and what an insurer asks for. It is general information, not medical advice, and not a prediction of any individual's outcome.
Can you get life insurance after a heart attack, stent or bypass in NZ?
In most cases, yes, though terms depend on the event. A single risk factor, well controlled, is usually accepted at standard or lightly loaded terms; a completed event such as a heart attack, stent or bypass graft (CABG) more often means a loading, postponement, or, for heart failure or repeated events, a decline.
Five NZ insurers write trauma cover through the adviser channel: AIA, Asteron Life, Chubb Life, Fidelity Life and Partners Life. Each defines heart attack and CABG in its own policy wording, and underwriters weigh a cardiac history differently, which is why a case loaded by one insurer can sometimes be accepted on better terms by another.
What do insurers actually ask about a heart condition?
An insurer assessing a cardiac history asks for evidence a cardiologist already holds, generally requested through the applicant's own GP.
| Document | Why it is requested |
|---|---|
| Cardiologist letter | Confirms diagnosis, treatment and prognosis |
| Echocardiogram, stress test or angiogram | Shows current heart function |
| GP notes / medical attendant report | Full history beyond the application form |
| Medication list | Confirms active management |
Fidelity Life's published underwriting guide shows this scales with sum insured and age, from a simple form up to a full GP medical, blood tests and an exercise ECG or NT-pro-BNP, a blood marker used to help detect heart problems including heart failure.
How long will an insurer wait before deciding?
Postponement is a recognised outcome in its own right, distinct from a loading, an exclusion or a decline. After a recent cardiac event, insurers generally will not offer final terms until there is documented stability, evidenced by follow-up cardiology review, rather than by the calendar alone. No NZ insurer publishes a fixed waiting period: it depends on the type of event, how many coronary vessels were involved, and whether there have been further events since.
What does "yes, but" usually look like?
| Situation | Life insurance | Trauma cover | Health insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled risk factor only | Standard or small loading | Standard or small loading | Usually standard |
| Stent or angioplasty, stable | Loading likely | Cardiac exclusion likely | Cardiac exclusion likely |
| Heart attack, stable recovery | Loading likely | Exclusion or decline | Cardiac exclusion likely |
| Bypass surgery (CABG) | Loading, sometimes significant | Exclusion or decline | Cardiac exclusion likely |
| Heart failure or recurrence | Case by case, decline possible | Decline likely | Exclusion or decline |
These are general categories, not a prediction of any individual result: outcomes vary by insurer and by case, which is why a licensed adviser presents the case directly to underwriters rather than relying on a single insurer's view. A loading or exclusion is not always permanent: Fidelity Life's underwriting guide describes a formal review process where updated medical evidence can reduce a loading or remove an exclusion once risk has genuinely fallen.
Trauma cover and a heart condition: what changes
Trauma insurance pays a lump sum on diagnosis of a defined serious condition, commonly including heart attack, bypass surgery and heart valve surgery. That structure is why a pre-existing heart condition changes trauma cover more than life cover: the insurer is pricing the very event it may already know is more likely. Risk factors with no diagnosis can usually still get full cardiac cover; a prior heart attack or bypass will typically see future cardiac events excluded, while unrelated conditions such as cancer or stroke can still be covered. See the difference between life and trauma cover.
Health insurance, ACC and a heart diagnosis
Health insurance typically responds to a heart condition with a cardiac exclusion rather than a decline: unrelated hospital stays and surgery stay covered, while cardiac admissions and procedures are carved out.
ACC does not enter into this picture. ACC covers personal injury caused by an accident and explicitly excludes "illness, sickness, or contagious diseases" (ACC); a heart attack is an illness, not an accident. The product that responds to lost income after a cardiac event is income protection insurance, underwritten the same general way.
What does a standard premium look like before any loading?
A cardiac loading sits on top of the standard rate for the same age, sex and smoking status. The table below shows an indicative, unloaded price band across insurers' published rate cards, the base a loading is calculated from. Figures are rounded ranges, not a single insurer's rate, because the point here is the base a loading applies to, not which insurer is cheapest.
| Age | Life, $500,000, male non-smoker | Trauma, $100,000, male non-smoker |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | about $50 to $70 | about $60 to $80 |
| 50 | about $90 to $120 | about $110 to $130 |
| 55 | about $170 to $200 | about $190 to $225 |
| 60 | about $300 to $375 | about $300 to $375 |
Indicative monthly cost from insurers' published rate cards as at 8 September 2026 (see Fidelity Life: life cover for one insurer's own published rates).
Indicative monthly cost from insurers' published rate cards as at 8 September 2026 (AIA, Asteron Life, Chubb Life, Fidelity Life, Partners Life); see the full methodology at the QuoteHub Premium Index.
Monthly premiums, stepped, standard rates, occupation class 1, no loadings or exclusions, rounded to a range across the insurer panel rather than to a single cheapest quote. Indicative monthly cost from insurers' published rate cards as at 8 September 2026 (methodology; full Premium Index), indicative only, not a personal quote. See AIA, Fidelity Life, Asteron Life, Partners Life and Chubb Life. A cardiac loading is a percentage added on top of these figures, and varies by insurer and case.
Why disclosure matters more than the loading itself
New Zealand's duty of disclosure means an applicant must tell an insurer about material medical information, even symptoms or investigations that felt minor or happened years earlier. An IFSO Scheme case study shows the cost of getting this wrong. In 2016, "Danny" applied for life and trauma cover without disclosing cardiology investigations from late 2015 for mixed aortic valve disease. He claimed on the trauma benefit in 2023 after a stroke, and the insurer's review found the earlier investigations had never been declared. Underwriters consulted by IFSO confirmed the omission was material; the insurer cancelled the trauma cover from inception, refunding $15,612.27 in premiums, and applied a 75% loading to the life cover instead. IFSO upheld the insurer's decision.
This is not a typical loading for a disclosed condition; it shows what an insurer can do once a claim exposes an undeclared history. Full disclosure, including things that seem not to matter, keeps a policy enforceable later (FMA consumer guidance). The duty is also changing: the Contracts of Insurance Act 2024 will move consumers to a "reasonable care" standard, but it does not commence until 15 November 2027. See our guides to pre-existing conditions and how insurers access medical records.
How to apply well with a heart condition
Gather documentation before applying: cardiologist letters, test results, GP notes and a medication list. Disclose everything, including anything that feels resolved, as part of the underwriting process every application goes through. Ask whether a pre-assessment is available; some insurers, including Fidelity Life, offer an indicative view of likely terms before a formal application. And use a licensed financial adviser who works across a panel, since the insurer with the best terms for a given diagnosis is not the same one every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get life insurance after a heart attack in New Zealand?
In many cases, yes. Insurers want documented stability first, then assess current heart function and overall health. A loading is more likely than an outright decline for a well-recovered case, but every insurer and case differs.
Does trauma cover still pay out if I have already had a heart attack or bypass?
Usually not for a further cardiac event, since trauma cover pays on diagnosis of the event itself and insurers commonly exclude the condition already present. Unrelated conditions such as cancer or stroke can often still be covered under the same policy.
Will ACC cover me if I have a heart attack?
No. ACC covers injury caused by accident, not illness, and excludes conditions like heart disease (ACC). Income protection insurance, not ACC, is what can respond to lost income from a cardiac event.
What happens if I do not disclose a heart condition?
An undisclosed material fact can lead an insurer to cancel a policy from inception and apply a loading retrospectively, as happened in a real IFSO Scheme case involving undisclosed cardiology investigations. Full disclosure, even of things that feel minor, is the safer path.
Can a loading or exclusion be reviewed later?
Often, yes. Some insurers, including Fidelity Life, have a formal process to review terms once updated medical evidence shows the underlying risk has genuinely reduced.
Talk to a Licensed Adviser
A licensed adviser can gather your cardiology reports, present your case to more than one insurer, and pursue a pre-assessment before any formal application, with no obligation. Check your options with a licensed adviser or read more about life insurance in NZ.
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name. This article is general information, not personalised financial advice and not medical advice, and does not describe any individual's likely outcome. Insurance terms are subject to individual underwriting assessment.
References
- Heart Foundation NZ, Statistics
- ACC, Injuries we don't cover
- IFSO Scheme, Cardiology investigations not disclosed
- Financial Markets Authority, Letter to insurers on the Contracts of Insurance Act
- Contracts of Insurance Act 2024, Part 2, Disclosure duties, New Zealand Legislation
- Financial Markets Authority, Insurance guidance for consumers
- Fidelity Life, Quick reference underwriting guide, October 2025
- Fidelity Life, Trauma cover
- AIA New Zealand, Trauma Insurance
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