Breast Cancer Impact On Life Insurance!
I haven’t talked for a while about my mother’s progress in fighting the breast cancer she was diagnosed with about 3 months ago. Kind of a disclaimer concerning this is that while I am using my mother as an example of how the different aspects of breast cancer are considered in reference to life insurance, I’m not just talking about my mom and in her case she is well past the point of needing to buy life insurance.
What I have been attempting to do with her example is to put into perspective what someone younger facing a similar diagnosis and prognosis might encounter in their quest for life insurance.
From a pathological standpoint what she has been dealing with is a stage 2 lump in the breast that upon removal and biopsy of lymph nodes in the area, was found to have spread to a number of the lymph nodes near the breast. An MRI didn’t show any metastasis or spread to other areas of the body.
The treatment prescribed was radiation in the breast/lymph node area where cancer was found. That was a six week series of treatments and she has almost completed that. Because of her age chemotherapy was not used. Instead she is taking an oral drug that has much the same impact without the hard hitting side affects of chemo. In a younger woman the treatment would have likely been chemotherapy.
So, from a life insurance standpoint using the younger woman example, she would be considered a postpone for at least one year after treatment. At that time, given no recurrence, insurance would likely be offered with an extra charge until she was five years out from treatment. Higher stages and grades would be treated differently, either incurring a longer postponement of a higher extra charge. If the cancer is stage 0 or 1 insitu, standard rates would likely be available after one year.
Bottom line. Breast cancer, especially with so much of it being detected a early stages and grades, is a very survivable and insurable cancer. If life insurance is something you know you will be wanting to look at and you’ve had or are going through treatment for breast cancer, consult with an independent agent about what you need to do and what you can expect.
Add comment September 17th, 2008
