Coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attacks, angioplasty and bypass surgery are generally enough to make the average life insurance agent run for the hills. As they close the door or hang up the phone they will probably be sputtering something about uninsurable. Time to seek out an experienced and knowledgeable independent life insurance agent for those quotes. Get someone who understands that heart attacks don’t always kill people and don’t generally make people uninsurable.
Some life insurance companies really do believe that heart issues are the end of the world and therein lies the logic of the independent agent. A good independent agent will have four or five companies that are good with just about any impairment that pops up, whether heart related, build related (height and weight challenged), diabetes or cancer related. Not all companies are good with everything, but generally speaking there are usually a few “go to” companies for most health problems.
What the underwriters want to see is a clear picture of the history of the problem. For heart related issues that would mean a copy of a stress test. For cancer, a pathology report , and for diabetes a blood workup. Then they want to know what was done about it and how it is being currently treated and monitored. Underwriters are definitely up for giving a break to someone who is doing all the right things.
What they don’t want to see is someone who is ignoring sound medical advice, such as continuing to smoke after a cardiac event, only taking medication when you feel like you need it rather than as prescribed, and skipping regularly scheduled followup.
In a nutshell, take your health problem seriously and the insurance companies will bend in your favor.
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.
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