You may wonder if you can get approved for life insurance if you have arthritis. You may ask yourself if it is possible to get a rheumatoid arthritis life insurance policy approval.
Having arthritis does not make you ineligible for life insurance coverage, but it can complicate the life insurance underwriting approval process. A knowledgeable agency, such as Life-Wealth-Win, can help you tremendously!
Arthritis symptoms can range from mild discomfort to becoming a debilitating disease. Nobody likes to be in pain, and arthritis can make every waking hour a challenge for some people.
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Perhaps a better way to answer this question is to describe what rheumatoid arthritis is not.
Rheumatoid arthritis is not osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or gout. Osteoarthritis results from cartilage breaking down between the joints, causing the bones to rub together. This can cause pain in the joint area and cause a loss of movement and range of function in your body. Osteoarthritis affects approximately 27 million people in the United States.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, where your body’s immune system attacks its healthy tissues. This causes pain in the joints where the bones meet. Approximately 1% of the population of the United States has rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers often require medications that impact the body’s immune system to keep your body from attacking itself.
Your medications can have a significant impact on your ability to get life insurance at reasonable rates. Any medicines that lower your body’s ability to fight infection can make you more susceptible to other health problems. This is a concern that the insurance company underwriters will want to look into.
Can I get rheumatoid arthritis life insurance?
You can get life insurance if you have rheumatoid arthritis!
Your ability to get approved for life insurance policy will be determined by:
- Whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis
- Your level of impairment
- How much pain and discomfort you experience
- Any disability or inability to perform work or daily life activities
- The medications you are taking (or have taken in the past)
- The time since your initial diagnosis
Can I get life in insurance if I have severe rheumatoid arthritis?
Yes! Often, you will be limited to a guaranteed issue life insurance policy. These policies have no exam or health questions.
What are the best life insurance companies if I have rheumatoid arthritis?
That is a great question to ask; different insurance companies often view rheumatoid arthritis differently.
It is important to choose the right company if you have arthritis, as selecting the right insurance company can save you a lot of money on monthly premiums. Selecting the wrong insurance company can cost you a lot of money over the life of the insurance policy.
What if I only have mild arthritis pain?
Then you should be able to qualify for some very affordable life insurance plans! Call us and let us help you get the life insurance process started!
When is the best time to apply for rheumatoid arthritis?
If you do not have life insurance, then today is the best time to apply for life insurance. Your rheumatoid arthritis is not likely to get any better. The longer you wait, the worse your symptoms will get, and the higher your premiums will be.
If you have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis, and you are not experiencing any negative health conditions, then now would be the best time to get life insurance policy in force!
Purchasing life insurance before you have any symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis will always result in getting you the best life insurance rates possible. It is not wise to wait to get life insurance if you have a family medical history of arthritis.
What if I am on medications for rheumatoid arthritis?
The severity of your symptoms will determine what medications you must take to control your arthritis symptoms. The insurance companies would rather see you using the correct medications, and complying with your doctor’s medical treatment plan than not controlling your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
Some medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can have negative effects on different parts of your body. Steroids are used to treat arthritis to help reduce inflammation. Steroids can have a negative impact on other parts of your body, such as your heart, lungs, and kidneys. Prolonged use of some medicines may cause an increased risk of other negative medical outcomes.
The better you control your pain and range of body movement, the more active you can remain, and the better life insurance rates you will be eligible for in the future.
So, the bottom line here is – listen to your doctor and be compliant with your medications to get the best life insurance rates!
What if arthritis has caused deformity in my body?
Finger joints and wrist joints often become deformed because of arthritis. These would have a lesser impact on the insurance class rating than if the deformity were in your shoulders, hips, or knees.
The lesser range of motion or body mobility you have, the more your arthritis will influence your daily living functions. The insurance companies do not look at high levels of impairment favorably (in most cases).
You can still get life insurance with a broad range of arthritis-related symptoms. If your symptoms are severe, you can get declined for a fully underwritten or a simplified issue life insurance plan. Here, a guaranteed issue life insurance plan may be your best bet.
What if I have severe pain due to rheumatoid arthritis?
This may cause you to fall into a lower rate class with the insurance companies. Don’t worry about what rate class you will fall into; just get some life insurance as early as you can at a rate that will fit into your budget.
Often, simplified issue policies or guaranteed issue life insurance policies will be the easiest plans to get approved. Fully underwritten policies may cause a higher table rating or get you denied for life insurance.
Should I go with the fully underwritten life insurance policy if I have arthritis?
It depends on what type of arthritis you have, what medications you are taking, and what your level of impairment is.
A fully underwritten life insurance policy will require you to submit to a brief medical exam. The insurance company will send an examiner to your home, where they will ask you some health questions, take a blood and urine sample, check your height and weight, and ask you some other medical questions.
The insurance companies will also research what medications you are on and what medications you have been on in the past. They will also review all your medical records that relate to your health and your rheumatoid arthritis condition.
They do this to assess the risk level you present to their business. The more risk you present, the higher your insurance premiums will be. This is why we recommend getting life insurance sooner versus later!
The insurance companies may also look at any current MRIs or x-rays to assess any cartilage wear or bone erosion. This will help insurance company determine the correct insurance rating class for you.
We can help you understand your options and help you get matched with the right life insurance company that will get you the best rates!
Which insurance carriers are best for me and my arthritis?
Competition is your friend here! Even though you have arthritis, many insurance companies will want you to be their valued client! The key is to find the right insurance companies that want to have you as a customer.
Conclusion:
Whether you are looking for term life insurance for rheumatoid arthritis, universal life insurance for rheumatoid arthritis, whole life insurance for rheumatoid arthritis, or guaranteed issue life insurance for rheumatoid arthritis, we can help you.
Life-Wealth-Win Life Insurance and Wealth Services would love to help you get your loved ones, family, and business protected! Call us or get your free life insurance estimate by clicking the link below.