Life insurance with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
Psoriasis is one of the most common autoimmune conditions in the UK, affecting around 2% of the population. For the majority of people with skin psoriasis alone, life insurance is straightforward. Where it gets more nuanced is when psoriatic arthritis is involved, or when treatment has escalated to biologic medications.
The short answer
Skin psoriasis alone is almost always insurable at standard rates. Psoriatic arthritis is treated more like rheumatoid arthritis by underwriters, with loadings depending on severity, joint damage, and medication. If you are on biologic treatments (adalimumab, etanercept, secukinumab), expect a minor to moderate loading. The key factors are body surface area affected, treatment level, and whether joints are involved.
What insurers actually ask about psoriasis
Insurers differentiate clearly between skin-only psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The questions they ask reflect this distinction.
Is it skin psoriasis only, or psoriatic arthritis?
This is the most important distinction. Skin psoriasis alone is viewed as a minor condition. Psoriatic arthritis involves joint inflammation and is assessed similarly to rheumatoid arthritis, with a much greater potential impact on premiums.
What percentage of body surface area is affected?
Mild psoriasis affecting less than 10% of the body surface area is viewed very favourably. Moderate (10-30%) and severe (over 30%) psoriasis may attract slightly more scrutiny, mainly because it indicates a more active autoimmune process.
What treatment are you on?
Topical treatments (creams, ointments) and phototherapy suggest mild to moderate disease and have minimal insurance impact. Systemic medications (methotrexate, ciclosporin) suggest moderate to severe disease. Biologic therapies indicate more significant disease and are the most impactful on underwriting.
If psoriatic arthritis: how many joints are affected?
The number of affected joints, whether there is any joint damage or deformity, and functional impact on daily activities all factor into the assessment. Mild oligoarticular disease (fewer than 5 joints) is viewed more favourably than polyarticular disease.
Any associated conditions?
Psoriasis can be associated with cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome, and depression. Insurers will assess these alongside the psoriasis itself. If your only condition is mild skin psoriasis, this is rarely a concern.
How severity affects your premiums
Mild skin psoriasis
Standard rates
Less than 10% body surface area, managed with topical treatments or phototherapy. No joint involvement. This is the most common presentation and has negligible impact on life insurance premiums. Most insurers will offer standard rates without hesitation.
Moderate to severe skin psoriasis
Standard to minor loading
More than 10% body surface area, on systemic treatments such as methotrexate. No joint involvement. Some insurers may apply a minor loading of up to 25%, though many will still offer standard rates. The loading reflects the systemic medication rather than the skin condition itself.
Psoriatic arthritis (mild)
Minor to moderate loading
Fewer than 5 joints involved, well-controlled on NSAIDs or low-dose methotrexate, no joint damage or deformity, good functional ability. Typical loading of 25-75%. Most mainstream insurers will offer terms.
Psoriatic arthritis (moderate to severe)
Moderate loading
Multiple joints involved, on biologic therapy (adalimumab, etanercept, secukinumab, ustekinumab), possible joint damage or erosion on imaging. Loading of 75-150% is typical. Cover is available from most insurers, but insurer selection matters. Some insurers are notably more lenient on autoimmune conditions than others.
On biologic treatment for psoriasis?
Biologic therapies are treated differently by different insurers. Our specialist brokers know which ones offer the best terms for your specific medication.
Get QuoteThe honest answer
If you have skin psoriasis without joint involvement, life insurance is straightforward. You should expect standard or very close to standard rates regardless of which insurer you approach. If you have psoriatic arthritis, your options are still good - this is not a condition that prevents you from getting cover. The loading depends on severity and medication, and the right insurer selection can make a meaningful difference to your premiums. Even on biologic therapy, cover is readily available.
Critical illness and income protection
Critical illness cover is generally available alongside life insurance for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Since psoriasis itself is not a listed critical illness condition, the impact is mainly through any associated autoimmune loading.
Income protection is where psoriatic arthritis may have a greater impact. If the condition has caused time off work, insurers may apply a musculoskeletal or autoimmune exclusion. This means the policy would not pay out for claims directly related to your psoriatic arthritis. Cover for all other conditions would remain in place.
Put your policy in trust
Regardless of your condition, every life insurance policy should be written in trust. This ensures the payout goes directly to your beneficiaries outside your estate, avoiding inheritance tax at 40% and months of probate delays. It is free and takes about 2 minutes. Our partner brokers set this up on every policy.
Read our full guide to trusts and estate planning
Frequently asked questions
Does mild psoriasis affect life insurance at all?
In practice, no. Mild skin psoriasis managed with topical treatments is one of the most straightforward conditions to insure. Most insurers will offer standard rates. You still need to declare it on your application, but it should not increase your premiums.
I am on methotrexate for psoriasis. How does this affect my insurance?
Methotrexate indicates more significant disease that requires systemic treatment. Some insurers will apply a minor loading, while others will still offer standard rates. The key is that methotrexate is a well-established treatment and underwriters are very familiar with it. Liver function monitoring (which you will be having regularly) is viewed positively as it shows responsible management.
Will my premiums decrease if my psoriasis improves?
Once your policy is in force with guaranteed premiums, those premiums are fixed. They will not increase if your condition worsens, and they will not decrease if it improves. If your condition significantly improves (for example, clearing on a new treatment), you could apply for a new policy at that point and potentially get better terms.
Is psoriatic arthritis the same as rheumatoid arthritis for insurance?
Not exactly, but they are assessed similarly. Both are inflammatory joint conditions, and insurers use comparable underwriting guidelines. However, psoriatic arthritis often has a slightly more favourable outlook than rheumatoid arthritis, particularly when fewer joints are affected and the condition is well-controlled.
Get a psoriasis life insurance quote
Tell us about your condition, treatment, and whether joints are involved. Our specialist brokers will match you with the right insurer in one free call.
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