Life insurance with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis begins with the health questions on the application, and the Legal & General and Royal London forms quoted below name both conditions. What those forms want is practical: when you were diagnosed, how often and how recently symptoms have flared, whether there has been surgery or a hospital stay, and what treatment you take.

This guide goes through those questions in the forms' own terms. It cannot tell you what an insurer would offer, because the forms do not say. Someone can look at your own history with you: send the free form here, and an FCA-authorised broker phones to talk it through.

Where do Crohn's and colitis appear on an application?

The NHS describes Crohn's disease as "a long-term condition where part of your gut becomes inflamed", and ulcerative colitis as one where "parts of your large bowel (colon) and rectum become inflamed (swollen)". On both forms below, neither has a question of its own: each is an example inside a wider digestive or bowel question.

The Legal & General wording comes from its Business Protection application form (W13430 03/26). That is adviser literature for cover a business takes out, such as key person protection, not a personal policy, and its first page says it "does not always match" the insurer's interactive application. In its five-year health section it asks whether you have been "in contact with a doctor, nurse or other health professional" for "any condition affecting your stomach, oesophagus or bowel, for example Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis?" Diarrhoea, food poisoning, sickness and stomach bugs can be left out, provided no hospital investigation was advised or completed. A yes leads to a medical questionnaire.

Royal London's Personal Menu Plan application form (July 2025, P1A0023/24), a personal-cover form completed through an adviser, covers the same ground with "Any stomach, digestive system, bowel, liver or blood disorder?", listing bowel disorder, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis among its examples. A later question, on the last three years, asks about investigations, including those using "an internal camera such as an endoscopy, colonoscopy or laparoscopy".

The two forms differ in time window and wording, and a direct application may differ again, so answer the question in front of you. Medical questions for life insurance covers the rest of a typical application.

How do insurers ask about a flare-up?

The NHS says Crohn's symptoms "usually come and go over time, called flare-ups and remissions", and that a flare-up can last from a few days to several months. For ulcerative colitis it describes a period of little or no symptoms (remission) followed by an episode of very bad symptoms, called a flare-up (relapse).

The medical questionnaire in the Legal & General business protection form asks "How long ago was your last major attack?" and defines the term: "a sudden increase in the severity of symptoms, or need for treatment other than your usual medicine or tablets". Royal London's additional medical details section asks whether symptoms recur and, if they do, how many episodes or attacks there have been since the condition began.

Royal London's medical conditions tool (adviser site, undated, for advisers only) lists, for each of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, what would help on an application: the date of diagnosis, the date of the last major attack or flare-up, and whether there has been time off work. If your symptoms do not fit a form's definition neatly, ask the insurer or a broker before answering.

What do they ask about surgery and hospital stays?

The NHS says surgery may be offered for Crohn's disease if symptoms only affect certain parts of the gut, or if they are severe and medicines are not working. It may involve removing the damaged part of the gut and joining healthy sections together (a bowel resection), or bringing the end of the bowel through an opening made in the tummy (a stoma).

The business protection questionnaire asks: "In the last five years, have you had surgery or an operation, or any other hospital admission (including an overnight stay) for this condition?" It then asks whether you expect to have, or are waiting for, surgery, an admission or a specialist referral, and how much time off work or daily activities you have had. Royal London's additional medical details section asks whether you have had any surgery, investigations or tests for the condition, and how many days you have been off work because of it.

So a planned operation or a place on a waiting list is asked about as well as surgery in the past. The forms set out the questions; what an answer means for the terms is something to ask the insurer or a broker. Crohn's & Colitis UK suggests having recent medical information ready, such as details of treatments or hospital stays.

Does medication change anything?

The NHS lists several types of medicine for Crohn's disease, among them medicines to reduce the activity of your immune system (immunosuppressants) and biological therapy such as adalimumab or infliximab, and says you'll probably need different treatments over time.

The business protection questionnaire asks whether you are currently receiving treatment. Legal & General's consumer page on pre-existing conditions (16 March 2026) lists the medication you take, and the date you started, among the details you may need to provide. Royal London's form asks what treatment you have been prescribed and whether it is continuing, then asks you to pick the description of severity that fits.

Aviva's page on high-risk life insurance (6 May 2026) gives a general principle: some conditions can increase the amount you pay or affect the type of cover offered, depending on things like how well controlled the condition is, and a well-managed condition may not be treated as higher risk at all. That is Aviva's general statement, not a rule for these conditions.

If putting your dates and medicines in order feels like a lot, a broker can go through them with you once you send the form here; it is free.

What must you tell the insurer, and what happens next?

Crohn's & Colitis UK says you should tell an insurer about a diagnosis "even if your condition is well-controlled or you have not needed treatment for a long time", and that otherwise your insurance might be invalid or you could have problems if you need to make a claim. Behind that sits the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, which asks you to take reasonable care that your answers are not misleading; what you must disclose explains the duty. Where you are unsure whether to mention a condition, the Legal & General business protection form's instruction is to tell the insurer anyway.

After the form, an insurer may want more. Royal London says the details it asks for will help assess the application, but it "may still need to ask for more information". Legal & General's consumer page says a medical report from your doctor needs your consent, and that if one is requested you will be told and have 21 days to arrange a consultation with your doctor to review it, if you wish. What a wrong answer can mean at claim time is in can a life insurance company refuse to pay.

What if an insurer declines or postpones?

Legal & General says a lot of medical conditions will still allow cover, that every individual is different, and that it may be best to speak to an adviser or an insurance provider. A broker can ask several insurers how they would view your answers; no broker can promise an offer.

The next steps are in what to do if you are declined and life insurance with medical conditions. Critical illness and income protection are separate products with their own questions: see critical illness cover with pre-existing conditions and income protection and pre-existing conditions. Lupus has its own page, life insurance with lupus, and other health questions are gathered under health and underwriting.

Where can you get support?

Crohn's & Colitis UK introduces its helpline in its own words: "We provide up-to-date, evidence-based information and can support you to live well with Crohn’s or Colitis." It is open 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday (except English bank holidays), on 0300 222 5700. The charity says that for specific medical advice your GP or IBD team will be best placed to help. On insurance, it says it cannot recommend particular companies or policies, and suggests starting a search with the British Insurance Brokers' Association, whose lists include life insurance with medical conditions, or the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get life insurance with ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis sits beside Crohn's disease in the health questions on both forms quoted above, Royal London's personal application and Legal & General's business protection form. Each insurer decides on the answers it receives.

Is life insurance more expensive with Crohn's disease?

Aviva says some conditions can increase the amount you pay, depending on history, test results and how well controlled the condition is. A figure for you needs a quote based on your own details.

Does IBS count as inflammatory bowel disease on a form?

The NHS says Crohn's symptoms can be similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis, and warns against trying to diagnose yourself. Royal London's adviser tool has a separate IBS entry, which asks among other things "Has the customer experienced any rectal bleeding or weight loss?" Answer the condition your doctor has named.

Do I need to mention Crohn's in remission?

Crohn's & Colitis UK says to tell insurers even if the condition is well controlled. Forms also set their own time windows, such as the last five years, so check the one you are given and ask if you are unsure.

Whenever it suits you, the form here puts your answers in front of a broker, who calls to go over them with you; there is no charge.

Sources

  • NHS, Crohn's disease (page last reviewed 14 April 2025), read 20 October 2026. nhs.uk
  • NHS, Ulcerative colitis (page last reviewed 20 August 2026), read 20 October 2026. nhs.uk
  • Legal & General, Business Protection application form (W13430 03/26; adviser literature, business protection only), read 20 October 2026. legalandgeneral.com
  • Legal & General, Life insurance with pre-existing medical conditions (16 March 2026), read 20 October 2026. legalandgeneral.com
  • Royal London, Personal Menu Plan application form (July 2025, P1A0023/24; adviser literature), read 20 October 2026. adviser.royallondon.com
  • Royal London, Medical conditions tool (adviser site, for financial advisers only; undated page), read 20 October 2026. adviser.royallondon.com
  • Aviva, High risk life insurance (6 May 2026), read 20 October 2026. aviva.co.uk
  • Crohn's & Colitis UK, Money and finding financial support (insurance section; last updated September 2026), read 20 October 2026. crohnsandcolitis.org.uk
  • Crohn's & Colitis UK, Helpline service, read 20 October 2026. crohnsandcolitis.org.uk
  • Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 2, read 20 October 2026. legislation.gov.uk