Speak with an experienced advisor! Getting approved for life insurance with ulcerative colitis will depend on the severity, your control of the disease, and a few other factors. Ulcerative colitis life insurance approval will be easier if you have an experienced life insurance agent helping you.
With over 1.6 million people in the United States dealing with inflammatory bowel disease, you are not alone, and we can help you get the life insurance you are seeking.
Crohn’s disease OR ulcerative colitis – they are different
Although these two conditions are related, they are different. For Crohn’s diagnosis, there may be inflammation in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms of colitis affect only the lining of the colon (the large intestine).
People diagnosed with ulcerative colitis often experience painful open sores or ulcers inside their colon. This causes stomach and abdominal pain and requires you to use the bathroom often.
Ulcerative colitis is medically classified as an inflammatory bowel disease.
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis may include:
- Anemia
- Bloody stools
- Constipation
- Cramps
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Inability to empty bowels
- Loss of appetite
- Rectal bleeding
- Stomach pains
- Tenderness in abdomen area
- Urgent need to defecate
- Weakness
As with most illnesses or diseases, ulcerative colitis patients may experience different levels of pain or impairment. The large intestine is approximately 5 feet long, and ulcerative colitis may affect the entire large intestine or part of the large intestine.
What are the most common forms of ulcerative colitis?
The most common forms of ulcerative colitis that would affect life insurance eligibility are:
Left-sided colitis – this refers to inflammation that will extend from the rectum through the sigmoid colon and up to the splenic flexure. Symptoms include pain in the upper and left lower abdomen, decreased appetite, weight loss, and bloody diarrhea.
Fulminant colitis – this is the most severe and rarest ulcerative colitis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, dehydration, diarrhea, and even shock.
Pancolitis – this refers to inflammation affecting the entire colon (including the cecum). Symptoms include severe abdominal pain, significant weight loss, and diarrhea.
Proctosigmoiditis – this refers to affected areas limited to the rectum and part of the sigmoid colon, above the rectum. Symptoms include cramping in the lower left part of the patient’s abdomen, persistent feeling of needing to have a bowel movement, bloody diarrhea, or tenesmus.
Ulcerative proctitis – this refers to inflammation limited to the rectum area. About 30% of all patients have this type of ulcerative colitis.
What will the insurance companies want to know about my ulcerative colitis for life insurance?
- How long ago were you diagnosed with ulcerative colitis?
- What type of ulcerative colitis do you have?
- Has your ulcerative colitis gotten progressively worse?
- What are your symptoms?
- What symptoms have you suffered in the past?
- Do certain foods, moods, or stress increase symptoms or “trigger” flare-ups?
- Do you have a restricted diet or do you need to avoid specific foods?
- Are you under the care of a physician and have regular checkups?
- What is your medical treatment plan?
- What, if any, medical tests have been performed in the last year? What were the results?
- Has your medical treatment plan changed since your diagnosis date?
- What were your earlier medical treatment plans?
- When was the last time you visited a specialist (such as a gastroenterologist)?
- Have you had surgery for your ulcerative colitis?
Will having ulcerative colitis make my life insurance more expensive?
Not necessarily. As with all medical diagnosis and impairments, the insurance companies will want to know how your health problem impacts your daily life and if it will affect your life expectancy. The insurance companies will also want to know what kind of medications you are on in any past or current treatment plans.
Less severe symptoms will always help you get better rates for life insurance. More advanced symptoms that involve surgeries and intensive medical regimens will get closer scrutiny and possibly higher life insurance rates.
Insurance company underwriters will also look at other factors, such as your height, weight, and other medical problems you have (if any).
When should I apply for life insurance if I have ulcerative colitis?
The sooner, the better. Because ulcerative colitis progresses over time, your symptoms are more likely to get worse. The best time to get life insurance is always sooner, rather than later.
If you have just had surgery or any other medical procedure, call us, and we can advise you what application timing may be best to get the best life insurance rates.
If your ulcerative colitis symptoms are mild, and you are in otherwise good health, you should qualify for the best “standard” rate class life insurance premiums. This means your premium pricing will be in the same range as an average policyholder for your age, height, and weight.
If you had complications from ulcerative colitis or surgery (such as a colectomy), then the underwriters may assign you a “substandard” rating. This does not mean you cannot get insurance; it just means the pricing will be higher than a “standard” rate class.
Most insurance companies will postpone your application for 3 to 6 months following a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.
What if I have been denied life insurance in the past?
If you have been denied or declined for life insurance in the past, it is often because your life insurance agent submitted your application to a company for life insurance plan for which you did not qualify based on your medical history.
There are life insurance plans available that will guarantee your insurability. The coverage limits may be lower, and the pricing may be higher, but you will be guaranteed coverage.
Just because you’ve been declined for life insurance in the past does not mean you are ineligible for life insurance. Call us, and we’ll help you understand your options.
Conclusion
If you have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, call us to help you understand your 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 migraines or any other medical problems.
We work with clients across the nation to get the best life insurance rates possible. If you have ulcerative colitis, we can help you get the best life insurance rates.
