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Getting Life Insurance with Arthritis

Licensed Life Insurance Agent/Marketing Manager
April 11, 2020

There is no one size fits all company when it comes to arthritis. The key to finding the right company is to choose from among the life insurance companies when it comes to their guidelines for arthritis.

This article will cover the following:

  1. Can I get life insurance if I have arthritis?
  2. How much will life insurance cost with asthma?
  3. What is the process of obtaining life insurance with arthritis?

Can I get life insurance with arthritis?

The quick answer is, yes.

The life insurance company will likely ask you more questions about your arthritis such as:

  • The type of arthritis you have
  • How much discomfort or pain you are in
  • What medications you take
  • What date you were first diagnosed

How much does life insurance cost with arthritis?

The amount that you will have to pay for a life insurance policy will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to your age, health, gender, and lifestyle. 

The severity of your arthritis will also play a role in determining your costs. For example, if you experience mild pain you can still get a very affordable rate

If you have severe rheumatoid arthritis then you would want to consider a guaranteed issue life insurance policy where there is no exam and no health questions. As long as you are in the approved age bracket you can qualify for coverage. Though the coverage amount on guaranteed issue policies tends to be much lower than what is available with a traditional life insurance policy.

The type of life insurance policy you choose will also impact how much you pay for life insurance. A guaranteed issue policy will cost more for the same coverage amount than a traditional policy. With traditional policies term is going to be your cheapest option, however, it is only meant to last for a set period of time. If you are looking for coverage to last your lifetime you may want to consider a whole life or universal life insurance policy. 

Lastly, the amount of coverage that you are looking for will also impact your cost. In short, the more coverage you want, the more expensive your policy will be. 

What is the process to apply for life insurance?

The process is also dependent on the type of life insurance policy you choose. We already talked a bit about guaranteed issue, but there are still a couple of other options: a traditional policy will full underwriting or a no exam policy.

In short, fully underwritten means that you will go through a more in-depth screening process for the insurance company. This type of policy requires a life insurance medical exam. In this process, typically an examiner will come to your house and look at things like height and weight. They will also take a blood and/or urine sample. The life insurance company can then request your medical records along with any prescriptions you are currently or have previously taken. The company will use your health information along with your application to determine if you qualify for life insurance and how much it will be.

A simplified issue, no medical exam life insurance policy might be available for mild to moderate arthritis sufferers. The more appealing type of no exam life insurance involves a series of questions on your health and lifestyle as well as a background check on the prescription medications you take. However, there are other simplified issue no exam policies available that only ask a handful of health questions and do not run any background checks. What no exam policy you qualify will be determined by the severity of your arthritis and the medication(s) you currently take. Considering a no exam policy? See our article on exam versus no exam life insurance.

Conclusion

The life insurance industry is just like every other industry out there.  Competition is constantly driving insurance companies to compete for your business. As a result, companies have varying views of arthritis and some companies are going to have better options for you than others. 

The key for those with arthritis is to shop around and find the right life insurance company. Don't know where to start? Give us a call and a life insurance agent can guide you to the right company for you.

Written by
Chelsie Ball
Chelsie is fixated on developing innovative ways to present complex ideas and maneuvering people to the information they need. She has worked in digital marketing for the past eight years and has been a licensed life insurance agent since 2010. When she isn’t looking out for the user, you can find her watching Netflix or desperately trying to find a real hobby.