Does having a pacemaker affect auto insurance rates? (2025)

While having a pacemaker does not directly affect auto insurance rates, any at-fault accidents stemming from your pacemaker can cause your rates to go up by around 45%.

Read More: Auto Insurance for Drivers With Accidents

Keep reading to understand how a pacemaker of the heart can impact your car insurance premiums and compare pacemaker car insurance rates from the best auto insurance companies.

How a Pacemaker Can Affect Auto Insurance Rates

In general, simply possessing a pacemaker won’t by itself make it harder for you to get auto insurance or lead to unreasonable rates. This is because auto insurance companies usually do not look at your health when approving coverage.

Auto insurance companies consider several factors when reviewing potential or current policyholders. These may include your:

• Driving record
• Location
• Age
• Vehicle 
• Driving habits

They usually do not consider your medical condition, so they may never know that you have a pacemaker. However, there are two exceptions to this that may indirectly impact your auto insurance.

If your pacemaker results in you having vehicular accidents or your doctor feels that it endangers you while driving, it may impact your rates because either of these may lead to you being labeled as “high-risk.” As a high-risk driver, you may face reluctance from companies to grant you a policy. Read more about how to find cheap high-risk auto insurance with a pacemaker.

Pacemakers Come With Risks

While pacemakers are meant to help treat existing heart problems, they come with risks, including:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Stroke
• Heart failure

If these occur while you are behind the wheel, you could have a serious wreck. If you have a pacemaker and recently caused an accident, check out the rates below to see how much more you’ll pay for coverage:

Full Coverage Auto Insurance Monthly Rates: One Accident vs. Clean Record

While many individuals with pacemakers continue to live normal lives and can drive without problems, the possibility of issues is enough to put insurance companies on guard in the two instances where they usually notice a customer or potential customer has a pacemaker.

Pacemakers and Driving

A history of pacemaker-related incidents is a red flag to insurance companies. One way having a pacemaker can impact the cost of insurance is if you have a history of accidents and insurance claims that were in some way caused by your pacemaker.

Read More: How to Check My Auto Insurance Claims History

Insurance Companies Can Access Your Medical Record if Your Doctor Submits Them

If your doctor feels that your medical condition may affect your driving ability and safety, they will submit your medical documentation to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. They have a moral obligation to do so.

Your doctor may also place limits on your driving license. Examples of such limitations include:

• Only driving during the day
• Only driving with another licensed adult driver in the vehicle
• Only driving short distances

If your condition is severe enough, your physician may even remove your driving privileges completely. Limitations usually are not permanent and may be lifted over time. You are more likely to have restrictions placed on your license right after the pacemaker surgery since that is when symptoms are more likely to express themselves. Your doctor may also place restrictions initially if you have a long history of complex heart problems.

Insurance companies can access your medical documentation as long as the DMV has the records. They also look at your driver’s license, which means they will see any limitations placed on it. Most physicians will notify you if they send your medical documentation to the DMV.

How to Guard Against Future Pacemaker-Related Incidents

If your pacemaker has played a role in an accident or if your doctor submitted documentation to the DMV, you may no longer be eligible for traditional auto insurance at comfortable rates. However, there are companies that specialize in insuring high-risk drivers. Your state may also have assigned risk pools you can join so you can ensure you have the coverage you need. There are also steps you can take to prepare for and minimize the chance of accidents.

Invest in Additional Insurance Coverage

You must meet your state’s minimum auto insurance requirements to drive legally. Standard policies usually include liability auto insurance, which has bodily injury and property damage coverage. You can increase the levels of these coverages, though.

You may also want to acquire collision auto insurance and medical payments coverage. The first covers damages if you collide with another vehicle or an object such as a mailbox or telephone pole. The latter covers the medical bills and any lost wages if you suffer a serious injury in an accident. Having additional coverage will buffer the expenses if you have a wreck.

Maintain Your Health

Taking care of yourself can help prevent pacemaker failure. This involves simple tasks, such as:

• Attending regular check-ups
• Following your physician’s instructions exactly
• Contacting your physician if you notice abnormalities in your health or the pacemaker’s performance
• Including heart-healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains in your diet
• Incorporating more physical activity into your life without overstraining yourself

By maintaining your health, you lower the possibility of you having a wreck, which would lead to an increase in your rates.

How Pacemakers and Auto Insurance Rates Correlate

If you have a pacemaker, you should not have any trouble driving if your doctor clears you for it. Auto insurance companies generally do not consider whether you have a pacemaker or not when providing coverage, so your rates or ability to obtain insurance should not be directly affected.

However, if you have a record of accidents resulting from issues with your pacemaker or your doctor feels you may need restrictions on your license, you may need extra coverage and other solutions.