When Being Young Isn’t Enough: Why Some People Get Rejected for Health Insurance

For most people in their twenties or thirties, getting a health insurance policy seems like a straightforward process: fill a form, pay the premium, and you are covered. But that’s not always how it goes. Insurers don’t automatically approve every young applicant. Some end up being turned away because of medical conditions or lifestyle histories that make them appear “high risk.”

Even among young adults, lifestyle diseases are one of the biggest reasons for rejection.

Hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are showing up earlier than before, and for insurers, these are long-term health risks.

For instance, a 28-year-old individual with diabetes who is on a lifetime of medication needs routine check-ups and could face many other complications. All of these factors, combined together or separately, increase the insurer’s exposure to future claims.

Hence, many insurers will either deny such applications or postpone them until the individual’s condition is under control.

Then there are genetic and chronic illnesses that raise red flags, for example, conditions like:

• Parkinson’s disease

• Epilepsy

• Congenital heart defects, etc.

While these are not common in younger people, when they are disclosed, insurers tend to decline coverage or apply strict exclusions. It’s less about discrimination and more about how the business of insurance works: covering individuals who are statistically less likely to claim early or frequently.

Lifestyle choices also play a role in whether an individual gets comprehensive coverage or not.

Take, for example, an individual who regularly consumes alcohol or has a past record of drug use, could face difficulties finding good health insurance. Even if the applicant has quit, a history of rehabilitation or related health issues may be considered risky.

Some insurers may even look at behavioural patterns, like frequent traffic violations or reckless driving, since they indicate a higher chance of accident-related claims.

In some cases, past medical procedures can complicate things, too, like cosmetic or fertility treatments.

What catches many young people off guard is that these rejections are not always based on serious illnesses. Sometimes, a few borderline medical readings or disclosure gaps during the health questionnaire are enough to put an application on hold.

This is why experts keep insisting on one thing: buy health insurance early. The younger and healthier you are when you apply, the fewer questions insurers will ask, and the better your chances of being accepted without conditions. Once a lifestyle disease or chronic condition sets in, it becomes much harder to get through the door.

Health insurance is meant to be a cushion for uncertain times, but eligibility isn’t always guaranteed. Getting in early simply means you don’t have to worry about being left out when your health becomes less predictable.