With my 2007 reward for Redundiferous Excellence safely tucked away on my office shelf, I am, like Tiger Woods and the Fedex Cup, shooting for two in a row. I hope that I have left no chance unturned to drive home the point that life insurance underwriters want to see compliance with treatment and control of the health issue, almost no matter what health impairment we’re talking about.

For years we have tried to be very clear about what it takes to get fair and affordable life insurance rates with diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2. Underwriters want to know that you are compliant with treatment and monitoring. They really like that a person is concerned enough to make sure they do all the right things. Doing this, in most cases, will lead to control of the disease, which will lend itself to better overall health and a better mortality assumption.

Bipolar disorder is no different. There are extreme cases where treatment helps, but just never seems to put the disorder back on the shelf from which it came, but in most cases bipolar can be controlled. Like diabetes, reasonable life insurance rates are available if the bipolar is not severe or debilitating. This is generally measured by whether or not a person has been hospitalized for it and how stable their life is. If a person is able to carry on a relatively normal family and work life, and they are compliant with recommended treatment, decent rates should be available.

Bottom line. Don’t buy into the normal life insurance agent knee jerk reaction that bipolar = decline. A good independent agent will know what questions to ask and what insurance companies to shop to find what you need.