Speak with an experienced advisor! If you have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, you may be wondering about malignant melanoma life insurance eligibility. Getting life insurance with malignant melanoma is possible if you have the right insurance agent and insurance company.
Malignant melanoma is not the most common form of skin cancer, but it causes the most deaths. Malignant melanoma, like all cancers, should be taken seriously and medically treated as soon as possible.
What is malignant melanoma (MM)?
Malignant melanomas are abnormal growths or lesions that grow within pigment-producing melanocytes in the basal layer of your epidermis.
Melanomas often look like moles, and some melanomas develop from moles.
MM may look like:
- Black or brown color
- Skin colored, red, purple, pink, blue, or white
MM’s result from intense sun exposure (frequently leading to sunburn). Some people are more genetically predisposed to malignant melanoma than others.
Is MM a tumor?
Yes. Malignant melanomas can spread (metastasize) beyond the original tumor site. MM should not be taken lightly, as it can spread to other parts of your body and become a life-threatening illness. MM can be disfiguring if not treated correctly and promptly.
How common is MM?
Malignant melanoma is diagnosed in more than 80,000 people annually in the United States, and up to 10,000+ people die from MM each year in the United States.
What causes malignant melanoma?
Ultraviolent (UV) rays from the sun or tanning beds are the most frequent cause of Melanomas. When the skin is exposed to UV rays over time, the DNA within your skin is damaged. This DNA damage within the skin may cause cancer to form.
MM is most frequently diagnosed in sun-exposed areas of your body. This would include your head, neck, and back of your hands. SCC is frequently diagnosed on the backs of men and the legs of women. MM can be diagnosed on any part of the body.
People who have used tanning beds have a much higher risk of getting diagnosed with MM. They also get diagnosed with MM earlier in life.
What is the survivability MM?
Although MM is a cancer, it has high survivability rates if caught early, and it is highly curable. It can spread to other parts of your body, including tissues, bones, and lymph nodes. Once MM spreads to other parts of your body, it may become more difficult to treat.
How is MM medically treated?
Malignant melanoma is a more serious form of skin cancer than basal cell carcinoma or squanders cell carcinoma. Because malignant melanoma can be an aggressive form of cancer, it is treated more aggressively. Some treatment options are:
- Surgery – this is where the melanoma is surgically removed from your body.
- Chemotherapy – chemotherapy attempts to destroy the melanoma cells throughout the body.
Preventing malignant melanoma
There are many ways to help prevent MM and minimize your chances of being diagnosed with MM:
- Check your skin – be aware of what is going on with your body and check your skin frequently for any changes or growths.
- Avoid sun exposure – the more you are exposed to the sun, the higher the chance you will get SCC. Avoid sun exposure during the strongest daylight hours from 10 AM to 4 PM; this is when the sun’s UV burning rays are most intense.
- Use sunscreen – UVA rays from the sun are present all day. Wearing sunscreen daily will help minimize your chances of getting MM.
- Wear protective clothing – a broad-brimmed hat and long sleeve shirts and pants help prevent unnecessary exposure to the sun’s UVA rays.
Will I be able to get life insurance if I have malignant melanoma?
Yes, there are life insurance options with malignant melanoma. Because any form of cancer is a serious medical problem, the life insurance companies will review your malignant melanoma condition and the rest of your health information carefully before issuing a life insurance policy.
What kind of life insurance will I be able to purchase with malignant melanoma?
Term Life Insurance – Most forms of cancer will eliminate your ability to purchase term life insurance. Malignant melanoma is a serious form of cancer. Because malignant melanoma can spread to other parts of your body, the insurance companies will be more cautious when issuing term malignant melanoma life insurance policies when you are diagnosed with this condition.
You may have trouble qualifying for a term policy, depending on your current health and diagnosis.
Guaranteed Issue Whole Life (GIWL) – This insurance is available to malignant melanoma survivors. GIWL policies have lower death benefits (face value) and a graded period (1-2 years) before you are eligible for the guaranteed death benefit. During this graded period, most life insurance companies return your premium (with 8-10% interest) if a death occurs.
If the insured were to die of an accident in the two-year graded period, the life insurance policy would pay out the full death benefit.
Guaranteed Issue Term Life (GITL) – This insurance is available to malignant melanoma patients and survivors. GITL policies come in two face amounts – $25,000 and $50,000. Just like GIWL, there is a two-year graded period before you are eligible for the guaranteed death benefit. If the death occurred during this graded period, either a return of premium or a percentage of the face amount would be paid to the beneficiaries.
Accidental death insurance (AD) – this insurance is also available to malignant melanoma patients and survivors. Although this coverage is available and is very affordable, AD life insurance may be a secondary choice to any other life insurance options available.
In ages 18 through 45, accidental death is the number one cause of death. So, even though you have malignant melanoma, you also have a statistically high chance of dying in an accident driving back and forth to the hospital for treatment of your malignant melanoma.
Depending on your tolerance for risk, a GIWL, GITL, or AD policy may be an appropriate life insurance option for you with your malignant melanoma diagnosis.
Who should I purchase my life insurance from?
Malignant melanoma is a unique health condition that requires a life insurance agent to be knowledgeable in underwriting procedures and practices. Most life insurance agents have not written life insurance policies for malignant melanoma patients and survivors.
You will want an agent who has worked with malignant melanoma life insurance candidates, who has researched insurance company eligibility, and who has spoken with underwriters about this medical condition in the past.
At Life-Wealth-Win, we are uniquely qualified to help you purchase life insurance if you have malignant melanoma.
What are my first steps to purchase life insurance if I have malignant melanoma?
Your first step would be to call us so we can understand your entire medical history. We must know your age, height, weight, medical problems, prescriptions, and other items asked on your life insurance application.
After gathering all your information, we will approach insurance company underwriters with your information to see who will offer you the most life insurance coverage at the best rates.
When should I purchase life insurance with malignant melanoma?
The earlier you purchase life insurance, the better.
As you grow older, you risk more medical complications, which will make your life insurance premiums increase or make you ineligible for life insurance in the future.
With malignant melanoma, the sooner you get life insurance coverage, the better. Purchase as much as you can afford for the longest length of time you can afford it.
Conclusion
If you have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, call us to help you understand your malignant melanoma life insurance options.
At Life Wealth Win, we specialize in healthy to high-risk life insurance cases. We can help you understand your life insurance options with malignant melanoma.
We work with clients across the nation to get the best life insurance rates possible. If you have malignant melanoma, we can help you get the best life insurance rates.
