It can. Life insurance is not covered by the federal genetic non-discrimination protections that apply to health insurance, so a known result may be considered — though what you have done about it matters as much as the result.
This is a genuine gap in the law that surprises people, and it is worth understanding before testing rather than after.
What GINA does and does not cover
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act restricts the use of genetic information in health insurance and employment. It does not extend to life insurance, disability or long-term care. Some states have added their own protections, so the position varies by where you live.
In practice, carriers generally do not order genetic testing. What they can do is consider a result that already exists in your medical record, and ask about it on the application.
Mitigation counts
A BRCA-positive result is a statement about risk, not a diagnosis. What you have done about it materially changes the file. Risk-reducing surgery, documented enhanced surveillance, and a clear history to date all bear on how the risk is assessed — a positive result with completed prophylactic surgery is a different file from a positive result with no follow-up.
The practical sequence
If you are considering testing and you know you will want life insurance, the order matters: applying before testing means there is nothing in the record to disclose. That is a real consideration and not an invitation to conceal anything — an existing result must be disclosed if asked, and non-disclosure is what the contestability period exists to catch.
Family history is asked about regardless of whether anyone has been tested.
The full treatment of this topic is on Cancer history.