Heart Conditions and Receiving Life Insurance
The most desirable time to apply
for life insurance is when you are completely
healthy. Unfortunately, this is not always
possible. Medical conditions and obesity
are concerns for people trying to qualify
for life insurance, but heart conditions
are usually thought of as automatic denial.
“Buying life insurance after a heart
attack,” written by Insure.com, illustrates
how someone can qualify for life insurance
with affordable rates, even if he or she
has had a heart attack.
"We spend our lives underwriting diseases,’
says Dr. Robert Gleeson, a vice president
and medical underwriter at Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company. ‘And,
as an industry, we've had a lot of experience
with coronary disease.’"
Gleeson says that many people who have had
heart attacks and have heart diseases, have
gone on to live out a predictable life expectancy.
The more predictable your life expectancy,
the more willing insurers will be to sell
you a life insurance plan.
"We are able to offer an insurance
policy to the vast majority of people
with a history of heart disease,’
agrees Christopher Graham, vice president
and chief underwriter for Hartford Life.”
Although a heart attack will most likely
deny someone from “preferred”
rates, many people with heart conditions
qualify for the best “standard”
rates.
The first thing to do to receive the
best possible life insurance rate after
a heart attack is to wait a while. "For
many impairments, the more recent the occurrence,
the less favorable the rates,’ says
Graham. ‘We want to look at what happens
afterwards.’"
Take care of your health. Regardless of
why or how your heart condition was created,
do the best within your ability to remain
healthy.
"The longer a person goes and is able
to demonstrate things like low cholesterol,
a good cardiogram reading things that show
that they are taking care of themselves
— the better their rating would be,”
Gleeson said.
While you are waiting for your health to
improve, you should follow doctor’s
orders. Graham continued to explain, "Your
doctor will tell you to lower your cholesterol,
change your diet, keep track of your blood
pressure, take your medications, and exercise.
It's tried and true and the best advice.”
The last step towards getting the best possible
rate is to make sure that your insurer knows
everything about your medical history. Do
not intentionally leave anything out.
"If someone tells me that they have
high blood pressure but doesn't give me
any more information, I don't feel very
good about issuing a policy without getting
more information,’ Gleeson said. Patients
who are more proactive and show they are
paying attention to their health tend to
reassure underwriters.”
Be honest and aggressive. If the insurer
is undecided about whether you should be
insured, he or she is more likely to side
with someone who is truthful and sincere.
