According to the American Heart Association, about 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, a form of arrhythmia to some degree. It seems like this year about half of them have inquired about life insurance through our office. Like most health issues, life insurance underwriters want to know if someone with atrial fib has the condition well controlled, is compliant with their cardiologist’s recommendations, and cares enough to educate themselves about their situation.
I can tell you that the last thing, education, does not seem to be a high priority amongst those atrial fibbers I’ve talked to. There are those that truly understand what atrial fibrillation is and what the cost of not controlling it is. They are the minority.
So what is it that concerns life insurance underwriters about atrial fibrillation? What’s the big deal with a bit of irregular heart beat?
First, what is it? The AHA defines atrial fibrillation as “the heart’s two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively.” Probably just about all of us have felt a skipped beat or an irregular beat occasionally. It’s really quite common, especially with us more aged types.
The rare, occasional beat isn’t that big a deal, but when your heart is in atrial fibrillation, blood isn’t being pumped out of the heart efficiently. When this happens over too long a period, blood can actually pool and clot. If a clot is pumped out of your heart there is a good chance of it coming to a screeching halt at a narrow point in it’s journey through your brain, and, if you’re lucky, you wake up with someone trying to explain through the fog that you’ve had a stroke.
Atrial fib can be controlled, treated and in some cases actually cured. There are medicines that can moderate and control the heart beat to an extent that prevents it, in some cases, from going into arrhythmia. In more stubborn cases, the are a little more invasive ways of disrupting the electrical impulses that cause the normal rhythm to lose control. Radio frequency ablation and surgery can actually do away with the cause of the problem in some cases. And we’ve all heard of pacemakers. Not as common these days, but still used.
So back to the worried underwriter! His concerns go way beyond the quiver. Uncontrolled or poorly controlled atrial fibrillation can lead to a stroke or heart attack, issues that have a definite place on the mortality charts.
So, who gets the best life insurance rates with atrial fib? A client who is educated enough about their condition to be concerned enough to keep it under control by being compliant with their cardiologist’s recommendations. Can good life insurance rates be had after a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation? Absolutely. Get a good independent agent on your side and take care of your end of the business and the reward is good rates.
This post is somewhat dated. Life insurance underwriting is changing and evolving continually. For more updated information check out some of the key word links. If you have a specific question or topic you need information for do a search. If you don’t find the answers you need contact me and we’ll make sure you get the information that is important to you.
My 20 years of experience give me the knowledge and leverage to find reasonably-priced life insurance for people who have been declined or are paying more than they need to.
Wow, what a negative spin on heart patients. The news that one has a heart issue is absolutely terrifying, and many of us spend years being told it’s all in our heads, we’re having panic attacks, etc. only to find out we’re not crazy when we pass out and crash our cars, or have some other big symptom beyond just feeling the arrhythmia that docs can rarely ever hear with a stethoscope. We then spend months on the internet, reading books, asking specialist after specialist, and often getting better information from our nurses than from our cardiologists or electrophysiologists. After seeing 3 cardiologists I said “I want to wear a holter monitor” (a term I found on the internet) and that monitor is what brought about my AVNRT diagnosis. Most of us eventually learn to say to cardiologists, “I don’t understand what you just said. Can you rephrase it in layman’s terms?” when we finally do get a diagnosis and are seeking treatment and advice. So, the road to being well informed about your condition is not an easy one; it’s a freaking battle. Perhaps, rather than being disinterested boobs, as you imply, your poor customers are simply just midway in the hellish journey that is getting a diagnosis of arrhythmia, and then treatment. Believe me, when folks are told there is something wrong with the heart, they are plenty interested. Short of cancer, it’s about the scariest thing one can hear.
Disinterested boobs? You are perhaps the exception in your drive to be educated. Far too many people just take the diagnosis, take the medicine and never push their cardiologist for the information they need and deserve. I think the people I refer to would be plenty interested if the cardiologist would take the initiative by not starting out by saying, “You’ve got atrial fibrillation. If you take this medicine, it’s no big deal.”
If I had been referring to clients who are newly diagnosed, I think you would have a valid point. In many cases I am talking to clients who were diagnosed with atrial fib years ago and know little or nothing about it. No different than a diabetic who doesn’t know what their hbA1c is. No different than someone with prostate cancer who doesn’t know what the stage and the grade of the cancer is.
I agree that they may be plenty interested if they are told there is something wrong with their heart. That interest soon fades when the cardiologist convinces them there is nothing to worry about.
Thanks for your input.
I agree with 100% with Del’s comments. I’ve been saying for years that something was wrong but no one took me seriously as I didn’t smoke, didn’t have a history (I’m adopted) and I’m relatively young (30’s). It was intermittent and the couple times I had an EKG it showed fine. So out of frustration I gave up seeking help for a few years and just ‘dealt with it’ until I finally went for a physical this year where the doctor managed to hear it. Went for another EKG and they were able to record it. Had an ultrasound done and apparently 3 of my 4 chambers have issues. On top of that it’s now gone from occuring occasionally to me being in a constant state of defib. So now suddenly they’re wanting to push all kinds of medicine on me because suddenly it’s a crisis. But no, by all means blame the stupid person suffering for years as being ignorant.
You agree with Del, but look at the steps that Del took to educate himself that you didn’t.
What kind of rate for life insurance is fair when you have A-Fib? My wife inquired today where she is employed part-time. In order to get me life insurance she has to add voluntary life insurance for herself as well. They already pay hers and she would get–(double what she earns) and she already has a previous policy until the age of 85. So, I am interested in knowing what it would cost say for $50,000? for just myself. I am 68.
Thank You,