10 Questions about life insurance with H1B visa

Have you tried to secure life insurance with H1B visa? Have you been turned down for coverage because you are not a permanent resident? Well, if this is the case, you came to the right place. In this post, we would outline some of the keys topics that every H1B visa holder should consider when securing a life insurance policy in the US.

We would cover this topic in length. You can use the quick links to take you to the part of the post that you are most interested in.

What we will cover

• Quick stats about the visa
• What companies are looking for
• Options
• How we help you get covered
• What if you don’t qualify
  

This is a good time to mention that we specialize in helping foreign nationals find the coverage they need. We take the time to ask all of the right questions and match you with the right carrier the first time. It takes nothing, but a few minutes to reach out to us and let us protect what matters the most.

Let’s dive in…

Quick stats about the visa

We will not go in too much depth about H1B stats. We’re sure that’s not why you are here. However, we felt it’s important to mention that this type of visa has been around for almost 30 years. It basically allows U.S. employers to temporarily offer employment to foreign nationals in specialty professions. The Government keeps an eye to the number of approved visas and has put a cap on the maximum number of visas per year.

What companies are looking for

Now, we will turn out attention to what matters: what companies are looking for when reviewing an application for life insurance with H1B visa. We’ve created a list of 10 important things:

1. Valid visa and when does it expire

In order to qualify for this type of coverage, your visa needs to be valid and expire more than 60 days from the application date. If you don’t meet some of these requirements, please jump down to What if you don’t qualify.

2. How long you have been in the US

The longer you are, the better. Think of it like this, companies like stability and predictability. They believe that if you have been in the US longer, you have formed relationships, a life and you a greater need for a US-based policy

3. Do you have the intent to stay

This circles back to the first reason. Every time you are applying for life insurance without a green card, companies want to know what are plans. If your plan is to move back to your country of origin in the next year or so, you would be viewed as a higher risk and could deny your application. 

4. Country of origin 

This is important for several reasons:

The first one is that there are countries not allowing their residents to purchase life insurance outside of their home countries. Some of these countries are:

Argentina		Hungary		Portuglal
Belgium		Ireland		Puerto Rico
Canada		Italy		Singapore
Canary Islands		Japan		Spain
Costa Rica		Luxembourg		Switzerland
Czech Republic		Malta		United Arab Emirates
France		Monaco		Uruguay
Greece		Netherlands		Saint – Kitts
Bahamas		U.s. Virgin Island		etc.

The second reason is that there are countries that are considered too dangerous. Here is just an overview of some of these countries. Please keep in mind that this list is not all-inclusive and changes often as the world condition change. 

Afghanistan		Haiti		Niger
Albania		Honduras		North Korea
Algeria		Iran		Western Sahara
Angola		Iraq		Western Sahara
Armenia		Ivory Coast		Zambia
Azerbaijan		Nicaragua		Zimbabwe and etc

 

5. Occupation 

This is another important factor when companies are reviewing your application. They could deny your application if it falls into one of several categories:

• Politicians or government employees (including family and close business associates)
• Judges
• Public or private, police personnel •
• Military personnel •
• Trade union officials
• Journalists •
• Missionaries or proselytizers
• Private pilots and/or crew members
• Celebrities, prominent, famous, or public figures • Professional athletes (NFL, NHL, NBA, or MLB)
• Individuals listed on the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list
  

6. Ties to the US 

They want to ensure that you have financial ties to the US. Some of these include employment, being married to a US citizen, owning a real estate property and etc. 

7. Social Security Number and a US bank account

You need to have an SSN in order to apply for a life policy. Several companies would accept an ITIN instead. ITIN stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. You can apply online through the IRS website.

We have created a complete guide on life insurance with ITIN.

Also, they would require a US bank account that has been opened for more than 6 months.

8. Must comprehend the English language

Companies want to ensure that you understand all of the terms and conditions of the policy.

9. Health/lifestyle qualification

On top of foreign residency, you would need to otherwise qualify to purchase life insurance. In other words, companies would ask about your health, medical history, and lifestyle.

10. Medical records in English

They want to be able to look at and verify your medical history. If the majority of your health records are from your country of origin, please keep in mind that you might have to request them and get them translated into English. 

Options for life insurance with H1B visa

There are 2 types of policies available to non-permanent residents:

Term policies – it provides you with coverage for a specific time frame – 10,20 or even 30 years. Typically it does not build cash value and it is the lower-cost option.

Permanent insurance – it provides lifelong coverage. It also builds cash value and it is higher priced in comparison to term.

*Please keep in mind, some companies offer ONLY permanent options for non-permanent residents.

We’ve outlined a complete guide listing your life insurance options with H1B visa. We’ve covered what are your options, and things to consider, and answered the most common questions.

How we help you get covered

We understand that you have the option to work with other brokers, but here’s what makes us different:

• We specialize in finding foreign nationals to find the coverage they need. We’ve taken the time to research all of the available options and companies.

• Coordinate the entire process from start to finish – you will have an entire team working on your application. You can always reach out to us and talk to a person.

• We ask the right questions to pre-determine your eligibility. We are strong believers that by taking that extra time, we would save us and you a lot of time, frustration, and of course money.

• We match you with the right company – this is where expertise, experience, and professionalism come all together. 

What if you don’t qualify

If for some reason, you don’t meet any of the requirements or we discover you don’t qualify for a policy, we have 2 separate options that you might want to consider.

Solution 1:

If your visa had expired or you are not able to renew, we’ve created a separate outlining the available option for undocumented immigrants.

Solution 2:

Please keep in mind that if you are not able to qualify for coverage due to residency status and /or health reasons, we have access to a guaranteed issue product. It allows you to get life insurance coverage without asking a single question about your visa and health.

We also have access to a carrier offering global life insurance.

In conclusion,

When it comes to life insurance with H1B visa, we have the companies and the answers. Please reach out to us and let us get you the coverage you need.