Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the upper airway repeatedly collapses or becomes blocked during sleep, causing breathing pauses, oxygen drops, and frequent awakenings. Typical symptoms include loud snoring, witnessed apneas, daytime fatigue, and morning headaches. Over time, untreated obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of hypertension, heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias, and accidents due to daytime sleepiness. Diagnosis usually involves a sleep study that measures apnea hypopnea index and oxygen saturation levels. Treatment often includes continuous positive airway pressure therapy, oral appliances, weight loss, or surgery. From an insurance standpoint, obstructive sleep apnea is significant because it both reflects and worsens cardiovascular risk, but controlled cases can be underwritten more favorably.

In real underwriting situations, advisors encounter obstructive sleep apnea frequently in middle-aged and older applicants, especially those who are overweight or report loud snoring. Carriers typically ask about formal diagnosis, severity, treatment type, and compliance, such as regular CPAP use documented by machine data. Applicants with mild to moderate apnea who use CPAP consistently, maintain good blood pressure, and have no serious cardiac complications often qualify for standard or even preferred rates at certain carriers. In contrast, severe untreated apnea with daytime sleepiness or cardiovascular disease usually results in higher ratings or postponements until treatment is underway. Advisors can improve outcomes by encouraging clients to complete sleep studies, follow treatment recommendations, and provide clear documentation of compliance and symptom improvement. They also coordinate with carriers that have experience and flexible guidelines in sleep apnea underwriting. By understanding obstructive sleep apnea clinically and operationally, producers can guide clients toward better health and more competitive insurance offers.