ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => Insurance => Topic started by: tatianne on April 20, 2007, 11:30:16 am
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I dont have life insurance and im almost afraid to try and get some at this point.
I have three children and I honestly didnt ever really think about getting insurance until all of this. Ive been putting it off because I dont think they will cover me.
Does anyone have an experience with this ??
Has anyone received coverage since being diagnosed ??
thanks
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Hi, Tatianne- You are right to be concerned. If you can purchase group life insurance through your employer, you may be able to get around any questions regarding current health- those plans often insure everyone in the group with no questions asked. Some other insurers who will write everyone regardless of health advertise on TV for folks in certain age groups.
If, however, you are talking about a standard life insurance policy through an agent, questions are asked about your health (my current insurer keeps trying to get me to up my insurance but also wants to know about conditions affecting brain, CNS, etc). Unfortunately, writing a policy for someone with a brain tumor is considered "adverse selection" (makes it more likely they'll have to pay out sooner). Your best bet, though, it to check with a Life Insurance agent that you know and trust for information in your state. Hopefully, you'll have more options than we do in New York. Good luck! ::)
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well, this is what happened...
did bloods for Insurance May 19, two weeks later they tell me its on hold because they have ordered and extra blood test...two weeks later they tell me they have requested information from my neurotologist, two-three weeks later im informed that I have been denied because of my blood results ??!!!
I have to mail (not e-mail or fax) a letter to the insance company so they can MAIL the results to my doctor.
Im really worried about this, ever happened to anyone ??
and
maybe its more about the ear then they say.
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Hi, i was able to get life insurance after my surgery, through my current employer. The did ask alot of questions and they did contact my surgeon. I was approved about 60 days after I applied.
Denise
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Tatianne, denied because of something in the blood? This sounds strange. One wonders of the gatekeeper at the Insurance office knows what he is talking about. He needs to ask his boss what he is talking about. ;D
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tatianne,
I have to agree with Boppie.. this is strange, from my understanding (although I may be wrong).
I have been questioned by life insurance companies based on "pre-existing" conditions (ie: my back surgery done years prior to coverage, etc) but for them to tell you that.... I would also question the "gatekeeper" for more details as to what the heck that means... just my thought.
Phyl
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I was rejected for long term care insurance 2 yrs ago. They only read my surgeons records and had not talked to me or seen me. The reject letter was waiting for me as I got home from the 2005 symposium and the reasons for rejection were facial paralysis and unsteady gait. Interesting to know that I had unsteady gait after just tromping all over Disney World. I was and am still working as a hospital nurse( so I've seen my share of unsteady gaits!) I also had made one trip to a facial therapist for tightness and synkinesis after my face had improved. Evidentally they don't know the difference between the off balance feel and true problems walking. I still get upset over even thinking about it. I did not appeal as figure they would come up with some other reason. Having had more surgery since would do it now.
Looking forward to seeing everyone here soon in Philly. Our flight leaves at 1 tomorrow.
Cheryl R
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Thanks everyone.
Im hoping whatever is wrong im my blood is nothing too important or serious.
I mailed the letter requesting the results of my bloods be sent to my doctor, i will let you all
know what happens.
I was thinking that maybe because my AN has not been treated, is under observation, maybe be have added to them looking for any reason to deny me.
All of this had initiated the return of my anxiety in regards to my AN for some reason.
Thanks again everyone
Tania
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tania if your blood test shows up for type 2 diabetes they will more than likely deny you as a high risk. Hoping it was something simple like that.
I know it was a factor for me.
M
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tatianne-
Usually the insurance company will mail you the results of the blood test. I am an agent in Iowa and everyone who has blood work done with us receives a copy of the results.
This could be anything. High blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Call the insurance company and ask for a copy of the blood work.
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I was just quoted a 50% increase in life insurance premium as a result of my treated AN. I have not been able to determine how the underwriters came to the conclusion that a treated AN was such a threat. Can anyone shed some light on this?
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cpg -
unfortunately this isn't uncommon at all.
Afterall an acoustic neuroma is a brain tumor, albiet a benign one.
You have to disclose it on your life insurance application and it does usually result in denial of coverage or a higher premium.
Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that's the way of the world.
Jan
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Fortunately, I had purchased a life insurance policy a few years before my AN was diagnosed. Our financial advisor told me I was lucky I got it when I did and not to cancel it because I most likely would not be able to get insurance anywhere else and if I did, it would cost a fortune.
All the underwriters see is "brain tumor" and break out the "DENIED" stamp. They typically don't have any medical training and just rely on their medical dictionary for info. I know this because I was an insurance underwriter and that was before I had any medical training.
I guess on the bright side - none of us can afford to die, so we should be around for a good, long time! :D
Lori
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Lori....glad to hear you're an insurance expert....obviously you're a woman of many talents.
Several years ago (pre-AN discovery) I enrolled into group term life insurance thru the AICPA because it was quite a bit cheaper than similar coverage thru my employer. Guess they think accountants are not high risk people....got them fooled! Anyway, I was thinking recently to increase the coverage, but noticed that one of the questions on the application was "have you had surgery within the last 5 years"? Guess they'd break out the "DENIED" stamp for me on that one. I wonder what the answer would be after 5 years. Would us AN'ers be considered to have pre-existing conditions forever? I worry about this for medical coverage too in the future in case I wanted to retire early.
Patrick
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I've wrote about this before but I was denied long term care ins too. This was in 2005 after my surgery in 2001 and I was told it was because of my unsteady gait. I got the letter when I had just came home from Disney World and tromping all over there very nicely on my own. Plus still working as an RN in a hospital. I was not happy!
Cheryl R
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Lori....glad to hear you're an insurance expert....obviously you're a woman of many talents.
Ha...hardly an expert! I know just enough to be dangerous. :D I think most of what I knew leaked out of the hole in my skull! I just remember thinking "boy, this job would make a lot more sense if some of us had some medical knowledge!". And as for the many talents part - my mom likes to tell people I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.... ::)
I would guess if you waited past the 5 year point, you could honestly say "no, haven't had anything in the last 5 years". You just have to hope they don't change the question to cover the past 10 years before that! :o
Lori
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Patrick ~
I'm not an insurance 'expert' but I sold life insurance at one point in my career and my wife was a claims supervisor for a major insurance company, so I do have a working knowledge of the business.
My suggestion would be that you not risk trying to apply for more life insurance at this point. Although the '5 year' question can be answered honestly ('no') the application could ask about any surgeries you've had, without a specific time frame, forcing you to state your AN surgery (lying invalidates the policy) and possibly being denied coverage or at least having your premium jacked up. Because you took out your current policy before your AN diagnosis, it should cover you even if you died from something AN-related, although that is extremely unlikely to happen.
In the future, if you chose to take out a different life insurance policy (upon retirement) the '5-year' question will likely be asked. As long as the application doesn't ask about any surgeries - without a specific time-frame - you'll be fine. Should the AN surgery have to be revealed, it could raise your premium, but I doubt it would cause your application to be flatly denied. This is life insurance, not 'health'/medical insurance and there is a different standard for the underwriting. However, be aware that with life insurance, the higher the benefit amount, the more stringent the underwriting.
Jim
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Hii Taitiianne,
When applying for life insurance, regardless of what conditions you may have, there iis a risk factor that is reviiewd by the underwritiers. What happens is the more risks you are at, the less chances of coverage, or with some companies, the higher the premiums. Needless to say, that I don't expect the decline was due to the tumor, for one it is benign, and this is one factor they would be looking at. Conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes are also high risks. Another option that Life Insurance companies can do is place a rider for the condition that they are declining you for. This means that they would still accept your coverage but if G-d forbid you should have a claim in the future for the medical reason of the specific rider, the claim would not be declined. Hope this helps. Definitely find out what they are referring to with regard to your blood work.
Vivian
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You guys do realize this is a topic from back in 2007 and Tatianne already had GK in May 2009, right? I'm not sayin', just sayin'... Carry on. :) Heh
Regards,
Brian
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Brian -
you are absolutely right - and I did notice that. Tatianne's comments were old, but the thread was resurrected recently by cpg.
I was responding to that post.
And you thought I just wasn't paying attention ;)
Jan