Life insurance is still possible with HIV.

Yes. For most of the last decade, several major carriers have offered fully underwritten life insurance to people living with HIV who are on treatment with a suppressed viral load. If you do not qualify for those, guaranteed issue coverage is available to almost everyone within the age limits. See the carriers that approve HIV-positive applicants.

Not always. Guaranteed issue whole life and accidental death coverage have no exam and no health questions. Fully underwritten policies usually include labs, but those labs are also what unlock the best rates when your numbers are strong. One warning: “simplified issue” no-exam policies still ask about HIV and decline it. Learn more about guaranteed issue and why simplified issue rarely works with HIV.

They are the most important factors. An undetectable viral load and a stable CD4 count tell carriers your treatment is working, which is what makes standard-style coverage possible. We help you understand your numbers before applying. Read our guides on viral load, CD4 counts and what U=U means for your coverage.

Very often, yes. A decline from one carrier reflects that one company’s rules, not the whole market. Placing your application with a carrier that understands HIV frequently changes the outcome. Here is what to do after a decline.

It depends on your age, the type of policy, and how well-controlled your HIV is. Rates have come down significantly as underwriting has modernized. The only way to know your number is to compare — and that is free. See sample 2026 rates for HIV-positive applicants.

Yes. Health questions on a life insurance application must be answered truthfully, and carriers verify answers through prescription history and medical records. Leaving HIV off an application can void the policy and leave your family with nothing. The good news is that you do not need to hide it: the carriers I work with underwrite HIV openly and approve well-managed cases. See the questions carriers will ask about HIV.

It depends on the carrier. Most that offer fully underwritten coverage want to see roughly six to twelve months on antiretroviral therapy with a suppressed viral load and stable CD4 count. If you were diagnosed more recently, guaranteed-issue coverage can start right away, and you can re-apply for a better policy once your labs have a track record. Read our guide for people recently diagnosed with HIV and the 2026 underwriting guidelines.

With fully underwritten term or whole life, several carriers will consider $250,000 to $1,000,000 or more for HIV-positive applicants who meet their treatment guidelines. Guaranteed-issue whole life is smaller, usually $5,000 to $25,000 per policy, which is why it works best for final expenses or as a backup while you qualify for more. Compare term, whole life and all the policy types available with HIV.

Yes. A fully underwritten policy pays the full death benefit for any cause of death once it is in force, as long as the application was truthful. Guaranteed-issue policies usually have a two- to three-year graded period for death from natural causes, after which they pay in full; accidental death is typically covered in full from day one. See how guaranteed issue and accidental death coverage work.

Only the insurance carrier that is underwriting your application, and it is protected health information under federal privacy law. I never send your details to lead vendors or multiple companies at once. We choose one carrier that is likely to approve you and apply there, so your information is not shopped around. Read about the challenges people face getting insurance with HIV and how we avoid them.

Guaranteed-issue coverage can be approved in a few days. Fully underwritten coverage, which offers the most coverage at the lowest cost, typically takes three to six weeks because the carrier reviews your medical records and lab history. Start with our getting-started guide.

Often, yes. Carriers look at the whole picture, and a second condition that is well controlled does not automatically close the door. We have written specific guides on HIV and diabetes, HIV and hepatitis C co-infection, and HIV with depression or anxiety that explain what underwriters want to see.