How To Get Life Insurance With Lupus In 2024
If you have Lupus and are in the market for life insurance, you may be wondering if you can get it and if so, how much it will cost. We understand that it can be confusing, and having done a lot of research, are here to help you get life insurance that fits your needs.
The information we’ve collected about life insurance for those with Lupus can help you make a more informed decision when it’s time to buy a policy. We’ve delved into life insurance and how it works if you’re living with Lupus, and tried to cover all important points.
Medical progress combined with more knowledge of Lupus has changed the process of getting life insurance for those with this condition. We’ll furnish information about the various types of life insurance, coverage, how to qualify for it, what to do if you have been denied coverage, and more.
Key Takeaways
The life insurance underwriting process for lupus might be lengthier and more complicated
Life insurance rates are typically higher for lupus
Life insurance is available for lupus
Can People With Lupus Get Life Insurance?
People with Lupus can get life insurance, although it may be more expensive than average. However, those with Lupus weren’t always able to buy life insurance. Before advancements in the medical realm and a greater understanding of Lupus altered the insurance industry’s view on this condition, people with Lupus were often denied insurance coverage. Many prominent insurers offer whole life insurance these days, and term life, too.
It’s good to know that more life insurance options are open for those with Lupus, but not all life insurance carriers will offer it. Still, there are many insurers that do provide coverage for this condition. So, if you need life insurance and have been diagnosed with Lupus, you can still get coverage.
Important: Life insurance for lupus is available, though the coverage might be limited and potentially more expensive.
How Lupus Affects Life Insurance
Those with Lupus might learn that traditional life insurance isn’t available to them. But, providers exist that offer specialized coverage and will issue life insurance even if you have this condition. If you have Lupus and you have been denied for life insurance, you might be eligible for group life insurance, or guaranteed issue life insurance.
Anyone looking into buying life insurance may find relevant information about it helpful. Research can take some time, but having life insurance is invaluable for the peace of mind it brings. If you are diagnosed with Lupus after taking out life insurance, your policy can’t be canceled. There are just two reasons a life insurance company can cancel an existing policy:
- False statements made on your insurance application
- Failure to pay your premiums
An insurance provider cannot raise your premiums for a diagnosis of Lupus after coverage was initiated.
Note: A life insurance policy can’t be rescinded or have the rates raised if you’re diagnosed with Lupus after the policy has been issued.
Life Insurance Underwriting Process For Lupus
When underwriters are evaluating an application of someone with Lupus, these things and more are considered:
- Duration of disease
- How long in remission
- Symptoms
- Medication
- Response to treatments
- Renal or cerebral involvement
- Presence of cardiovascular or respiratory impairment
What Do Life Insurance Companies Consider With Lupus?
Getting life insurance if you have Lupus involves multiple elements of underwriting.
For instance, underwriters will consider other health conditions you may have. They will review any tests you have done, too. Besides health conditions, insurance companies also take other facets of your life into consideration, such as:
- Family’s medical history
- Age
- Occupation
- Gender
- Drug use
- Tobacco use
- Alcohol use
- Driving record
- Height and Weight (BMI)
- Avocations (hobbies)
- Health
- Criminal history
- Citizenship
Insurance companies will also look at how well your symptoms are controlled , and whether or not you’re free of complications. Overall good health and a lifestyle tailored to manage your Lupus symptoms are also major points.
Best Type Of Life Insurance For Lupus
People diagnosed with Lupus do have choices for life insurance. While there are insurers that will decline your application, there are other companies that won’t. The best plan is to cast a wide net when looking for life insurance, and you’ll find plenty of possibilities.
Here are five types of life insurance that are viable options for those with Lupus:
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance provides coverage for a specified length of time, typically 10-25 years. It’s less costly than whole life insurance, and might be a better choice for someone with Lupus. If you want a large amount of coverage at a lower price than whole life insurance, this type might be a good fit for you.
Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance provides coverage for a lifetime. It doesn’t end after a certain period of time. Another benefit of whole life insurance is that it accrues cash value over time, and death benefits are guaranteed. Whole life insurance costs more than term life, even more so if you have Lupus.
Group Life Insurance
Group life insurance is a wonderful option if you can get it. It’s usually offered through an employer or other organization. If you have Lupus and access to group life insurance, there is no intensive application or physical examination, so it’s a safe bet.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
If you have Lupus, you don’t need to worry about being declined for coverage by all insurance providers. Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance, for instance, really is guaranteed. No matter what your health condition might be, Guaranteed Issue life insurance will provide you with coverage.
Final Expense Life Insurance
Final Expense Life Insurance is specifically geared for end of life expenses such as cremation, funeral, burial costs, and more. It has more lenient underwriting than traditional life insurance. If you have Lupus, this could be an acceptable option.
Tip: Living benefit riders can also be a lifeline for individuals living with Lupus. These optional additions to your policy can allow you to access a portion of your death benefit while still alive to help cover treatment expenses.
How You Can Buy Life Insurance With Lupus
Here are four tips to help you get life insurance if you have Lupus:
Research Your Options
When you set out to find life insurance, you should probably start with research into the various types available, and which carriers will issue coverage to someone with Lupus. Most companies will insure you, while a few won’t. Just discard the ones who won’t and focus your search on about three that will insure you.
Understand The Underwriting Process
Applications for life insurance coverage will want information about your overall health and medical history. This process will be more intensive if you have a condition like Lupus. If you can get coverage, some policies may cost more than traditional life insurance.
Consider Employer Or Group Coverage
If you can get in on group life insurance, this might be your best option. A group policy generally offers coverage without an exhaustive application or physical exam. This makes it an excellent choice if you have Lupus.
Apply For Coverage
Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to one provider and type of policy that seems to suit requirements, submit your application. This could mean answering health questions, and/or having a medical exam.
How Much Does Life Insurance Cost If You Have Lupus?
Life insurance is probably going to be considerably more expensive for people with Lupus. Rates may vary significantly from one insurer to the next, so shop around before choosing a carrier.
| Age | $250,000 Male Monthly Rates | $250,000 Female Monthly Rates |
| 25 | $23.26 | $18.71 |
| 30 | $24.38 | $20.45 |
| 35 | $26.08 | $22.18 |
| 40 | $33.71 | $24.88 |
| 45 | $45.46 | $37.53 |
| 50 | $69.58 | $54.58 |
| 55 | $105.73 | $78.38 |
| 60 | $183.78 | $131.18 |
| 65 | $323.41 | $220.98 |
How To Qualify For Life Insurance With Lupus
There are quite a few things you can do to increase your chances of being approved for life insurance if you’re living with Lupus.
Be compliant about the treatment plan your doctor provides. If you smoke, quit. If you drink alcohol, do so infrequently and in moderation. Get plenty of sleep, fresh air and exercise. Be mindful of your weight and avoid being either underweight or overweight. See your doctor regularly for check-ups.
Can Insurance Companies Deny Coverage If You Have Lupus?
Yes, an insurance provider can decline coverage if you have Lupus. But, if you are proactive about managing your condition and have a healthy lifestyle, many insurers will issue coverage. You might have higher rates than standard, but if you’re in good health other than Lupus, you could get a decent rating.
What Will Insurers Ask About Your Condition?
Below are some things you may be asked about by an insurance underwriter if you make an application and have Lupus. The answers to these questions will determine how much you’ll pay for insurance. Prepare to answer questions on the following subjects:
- Overall Health: Being in good health, apart from Lupus, is essential to getting the best rates
- Exercise, Diet, Lifestyle: Your diet and how much you exercise you get on a regular basis will help to assess your lifestyle. Another major factor is smoking. Smokers may qualify for traditional insurance coverage but it’s often 2-3 times higher than for non-smokers.
- Diagnosis Date: An underwriter will want to see if your condition is being successfully treated and well-managed over time.
- Condition History: The underwriter will ask about what symptoms you’re experiencing, how often flare-ups occur, and when you last had symptoms.
- Treatments: What treatments you’re using to manage your condition and what medication regimen you’re on is also something an underwriter will want to know about.
- Doctor Visits: Visiting your doctor on a regular basis helps to ensure that you’re getting the best care and that the severity of your Lupus is being observed and tracked, so the underwriter will be interested in these aspects of your care.
Life Insurance Options If You Have Been Denied Coverage Due To Lupus
For people with Lupus, a Graded Death Benefit policy could be a reasonable alternative to traditional life insurance. The benefits build over time, so the longer you have the overage, the greater its value.
Group insurance is one of the very best alternatives if you’ve been denied traditional life insurance. In most cases, there’s no application or medical examination, and pre-existing conditions are not excluded from coverage.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance is another option if you’ve had your application for traditional life insurance denied, because it is guaranteed to be approved. It generally comes with a higher rate and a smaller amount of coverage. This means it may not be a good first choice for someone with Lupus.
Important: Guaranteed issue policies are an excellent option if other companies have denied your application for whole, universal, or term life insurance policies.
Tips For Choosing The Right Policy
For people living with Lupus, choosing a life insurance policy is a big step. Here are some tips to help simplify your search:
Here Are Three Tips To Make Your Search Easier:
- Know Your Needs: Before purchasing life insurance, it’s imperative that you know how much coverage you need. You don’t need to have too much insurance, but you need to have enough. If you’re not sure how to go about calculating the amount of life insurance you actually need, meeting with an agent might be a good idea. A professional, like an insurance agent, who understands life insurance can help you in figuring your needs.
- Explore Policy Types: For people with Lupus, a graded death benefit or guaranteed issue policy could be acceptable options for your life insurance needs. These types of life insurance are designed especially for people with a pre-existing condition.
- Use Specialized Services: A specialized service like Insuranceopedia collects quotes from different insurers and lets you compare life insurance rates, which can be a lot of help when you’re scouting around for the best life insurance.
What Is Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that might affect any part of your body, including your skin, organs, and joints. It’s caused by your immune system attacking itself.
There isn’t a cure for Lupus. Most people who have it must deal with it throughout their lives. Although incurable, Lupus is treatable, and there are many treatments that are very effective at reducing symptoms.
This disease affects approximately 200,000 people in the US every year. A total of about 1.5 million Americans are currently living with Lupus.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lupus has a wide variety of symptoms. These symptoms flare up and subside on a regular basis. The most common of symptoms experienced by those with Lupus include:
- Joint stiffness
- Muscle pain
- Chest pain while breathing
- Red or scaly rashes
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Ulcers in mouth
- Hair loss
- Depression
Other Health Concerns That Can Affect Your Life Insurance
Insurance underwriters will assess an applicant, then calculate their risk factor to determine whether or not the company will insure the person. This usually involves an application plus a medical exam.
Below are 17 health conditions that might affect your approval for life insurance:
- Obesity: Being overweight with a higher than optimal BMI (Body Mass Index) could make your insurance rates higher
- HIV: Medical advances have caused many insurance carriers to alter their position on insurance policies for people with HIV
- Kidney Disease: Chronic Kidney Disease usually means paying higher rates
- Heart Disease: Heart disease is a common but very serious health problem that may cause denial of life insurance or higher rates
- High Cholesterol: The normal cholesterol level is 200, so if yours exceeds that you may incur higher rates
- Cancer: Depending on the type and stage of cancer, it could have an influence on life insurance coverage
- Liver Disease: Fatty liver, cirrhosis of the liver, and other liver conditions may all increase the cost of your premiums
- Lung Disease: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, will ordinarily cause increased premiums
- Alzheimer’s/Dementia: These health conditions may have comorbidities like kidney failure, so they can affect your insurability
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid Arthritis is a serious and very painful chronic autoimmune disease, and will lead to higher insurance rates
- Diabetes: Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes usually causes increased insurance rates
- Depression: Mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, depression and others may impact insurance rates
- Sleep Apnea: This condition could cause your premiums to go up
- Stroke: A history of stroke, or Cardiovascular Accident (CVA) might cause insurance premiums to increase
- Substance Use Disorders: A history of drug and/or alcohol abuse might affect your insurance rates
- Life insurance for MS
- High Blood Pressure
- Epilepsy
- Bipolar Disorder
- Asthma
- Breast Cancer
- Down’s Syndrome
- Children With Autism
- Disabilities
- Kidney Transplant Patients
- Digestive Diseases
FAQs
Do People With Lupus Qualify For Life Insurance?
Yes, it’s very possible to qualify for life insurance after you’ve been diagnosed with Lupus. That said, the type and amount of coverage you may qualify for can be affected by the severity of your condition and things such as your age, and other factors.
Life insurance companies will usually ask you questions about your condition, such as the medications you take, when you were diagnosed, how frequently you experience symptoms, and more. They may also request access to your medical records, including any hospitalizations or emergency room trips related to Lupus.
If your Lupus is well managed and you haven’t had any recent flare-ups or hospitalizations, you might qualify for a standard or even a preferred rate. But, if your Lupus is a more severe case and means frequent hospitalizations or use of any oral steroids, you could be classified as a high risk applicant, and offered a substandard or rated policy, which will have a higher rate.
What Insurance Is Best For Lupus
For those with Lupus who have been denied coverage for traditional life insurance coverage, a Guaranteed Issue policy might be the best option.
Is Lupus Classed As Having a Critical Illness In Insurance?
Yes, Lupus is classed as a critical illness for insurance underwriting.
