Health

You may qualify for enhanced annuity rates if you are in ill health or have had any previous illness or major surgery, which is likely to reduce your life span. These types of annuities can take longer to set up than normal, as correspondence between your doctor and the annuity companies will often increase the administration time by a few weeks.

The illnesses include diabetes, liver impairment, hypertension (which cannot be controlled by medication), heart conditions and many types of cancer, whether or not you are in remission. Some illnesses can result in a significant increase in your income.

If you are including a spouses or partners pension, his or her health should be also assessed, because it may improve your income.