Applying for life insurance when you have various health conditions can be challenging.
Depending on the specific diagnosis that you have, it is possible that your application for coverage may require higher premiums in order to be approved, or it may be denied altogether.
There are, however, ways to improve your chances of being approved by the insurance company – and get a fair premium rate – provided that you know which carriers are more likely to underwrite you.
For those who have been diagnosed with thrombocytopenia, this can mean the difference between obtaining the life insurance coverage you need or going without important financial protection.
Life Insurance With Thrombocytopenia Factors
Because thrombocytopenia is a health condition that increases the chance of severe bleeding, it can also be an indication of other serious health issues.
Therefore, life insurance underwriters look very closely at this diagnosis when considering an applicant for coverage who possesses this ailment.
This means the underwriters will be reviewing information regarding how severe your condition is, as well as how well you manage it on a day to day basis.
Because life insurance applications are approved in large part based on a person’s life expectancy, the underwriters want to be sure they are taking on an acceptable risk for the insurer.
Therefore, you will be required to provide additional information regarding your condition such as:
- When you were initially diagnosed with thrombocytopenia
- The results of your most recent blood marrow results
- The known cause of your condition (if applicable)
- How your condition is being treated
- The date of your most recent CBC (complete blood count)
- The results of your most recent Hemoglobin, white blood count, Hematocrit, and Platelet count. (Thrombocytopenia occurs when one’s blood platelet count is below 150,000 / mm3)
- The names and amounts of any medications you are taking
In addition, the underwriters will also want to know about any other health issues that you may have, as this will also factor into their overall decision. Common conditions like high blood pressure are going to hurt your chances even more.
Ratings for Thrombocytopenia
Should your application for coverage be approved, the policy rating you receive will be dependent on several criteria.
In general, most “average” applicants for life insurance will fall into the Standard policy category.
This means that these individuals have an average life expectancy and are of average health.
Although all insurance companies are different, most have policy ratings such as the following:
Substandard / Table Rating
An insured with a sub-standard rating (meaning below the traditional Standard rating) presents one of the highest risks to the insurance company, meaning the insurer has a higher probability of loss with this particular insured.
This is the rating that is given to most applicants who are diagnosed with thrombocytopenia.
Standard
An individual who has thrombocytopenia could obtain a standard rating, provided that he or she has recovered following treatment, and / or if their CDB counts are normal and their blood platelet counts remain higher than 100,000 for at least two years.
This is typically the best rating that an applicant with thrombocytopenia can obtain.
Preferred
Those applicants who are in excellent health may be able to obtain a preferred rating.
While it is rare that an applicant with thrombocytopenia would qualify for a preferred rating, it could happen, provided that he or she has recovered from their condition following treatment.
Improving Chances of Getting Coverage with
Proper preparation is one of the key recommendations we have to increase your approval odds and lower your expected costs.
To start, you should gather all of your medical information so you will have the most accurate and up-to-date information ready when it is needed for the application.
In addition, you may also want to prepare any additional information that may be helpful to the underwriters in making their decision.
For example, if you exercise each day, you may want to prepare a statement that you can include with your application.
This will show that, although you have a health condition, you are still taking steps to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
Taking the Next Step for Coverage with Thrombocytopenia
In taking the next step towards obtaining life insurance coverage, it is also important you work with a life insurance agent who has experience in dealing with high-risk cases.
This way, the agent will be well versed in knowing what type of additional information and paperwork is required for those who possess a serious health condition.
Knowing this upfront can save a great deal of time in the overall underwriting process.
Choosing an agent who represents many different carriers will always yield you the lowest rates.
Make sure you seek out the advice of an independent agent, never a captive one.
You can compare rates for life insurance using our quote form on this page, or contact us to discuss your life insurance request with us at 800-712-8519.
