Applying For Life Insurance While Pregnant!

There is a misconception about the life insurance underwriting stance on applications during pregnancy. For the most part, at least during the first two trimesters companies don’t have any issues with approving applications.

The tricky part comes in the third trimester and companies are kind of split on whether they will accept and process applications for women at this point. Some say no and their stance is based on pregnancy complications and also, because of the hormonal war going on, whether they can get lab results that have a close enough relationship to normal.

The companies that will process third trimester applications are generally more comfortable with the lab issue, knowing that there will be some fluctuation and it can be weighed against labs prior to or at least very early in the pregnancy. Generally their only caveat is that there can’t be any current complications and usually they don’t want to see any history of complications in previous pregnancies.

One issue that can come up is weight and if your weight in the third trimester moves you into a different rate class based on the company’s build chart. Some companies will work around the weight gain based on historic weight and not penalize you. Other companies will approve you based on your current weight and allow a reconsideration with a weight check a year later.

Bottom line. Make sure your agent does their homework before having you take an exam so they don’t send an application to a company that will postpone approval and tell you to wait until after the birth. Be sure to note on the application and to the examiner that you are pregnant and when the due date is.