In this article, we wanted to take a moment and try and answer some of the most common questions we get from folks applying for life insurance after they have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is also commonly referred to as Asymmetric Septal Hypertrophy or Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.
Questions that will be directly addressed will include:
- Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
- Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
- What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
- What rate (or price) can I qualify for?
- How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Yes, some individuals who have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. The only problem is that many other individuals won’t be able to qualify. For this reason, most (if not all) of the best life insurance companies you’re probably already familiar with will want to ask individuals diagnosed with HCM a series of medical questions before making any decisions about their application.
This is also why…
If you are considering applying for a traditional term life insurance policy, we recommend avoiding any No Medical Exam Term Life Insurance Policy. Because applying for one of these with a pre-existing medical condition like an HCM will likely cause you to be automatically declined.
Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
Any time an individual has been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition that will affect their heart, you can assume that a life insurance company will “care” about it, particularly when the condition in question causes the patient to develop an abnormally thick heart muscle, which has the potential to cause one to suffer from some severe consequences. Consequences such as the potential risk of developing a dangerous arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) that can, in some cases, lead to one suffering from cardiac arrest or death!
The good news is…
Such dire consequences are somewhat rare, and for the vast majority of individuals suffering from HCM, few, if any, symptoms may be present, and most won’t experience any significant symptoms related to this disease.
The bad news is…
That still isn’t going to prevent most life insurance companies from considering you a “higher risk” applicant. If you apply with the ” wrong ” insurance company, this will complicate your life insurance application and make it more challenging to qualify for coverage!
What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
Typical questions the life insurance companies will likely ask you may include:
- When were you first diagnosed with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOC)?
- Who diagnosed your hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? A general practitioner or a cardiologist?
- How old were you when you were first diagnosed?
- What symptoms (if any) led to your diagnosis?
- Have you been diagnosed with any other “serious” pre-existing medical conditions?
- Have you ever suffered from a heart attack or stroke?
- Have you been prescribed any medications?
- Has your doctor recommended surgical procedures such as a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?
- What is your current height and weight?
- In the past 12 months, have you used any tobacco or nicotine products?
- Are you currently working now?
- In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any disability benefits?
Now, at this point we always remind folks that nobody here at IBUSA is a medical professional, and we’re certainly not doctors. So, if you have any specific medical questions or concerns, the last thing you will want to do is look to us for answers.
After all…
We’re just a bunch of life insurance agents. However, we are good at helping folks diagnosed with pre-existing medical conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy find and qualify for the life insurance policies they’re looking for. So, if life insurance answers are what you’re looking for, you’re in luck because you’re exactly where you need to be!
What rate (or price) can I qualify for?
Basically, what you’re going to find when applying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy after having been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is that either you’re going to be able to qualify for a “high risk” category or you’re simply going to be denied coverage altogether.
And when it…
Comes to understanding who will and won’t be approved, what you’re generally going to find is that only those who have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy over the age of 30 and don’t suffer from any symptoms of their disease will be able to qualify for coverage (In most cases).
This means that if you were initially diagnosed before age 30 or you are suffering from symptoms, chances are you will not be able to qualify for coverage. You must seek out some “alternative” product like a guaranteed issue life insurance policy or an accidental death policy.
The good news is…
Regardless of what “kind” of applicant you might be, here at IBUSA, we will do our very best to ensure you can find the “best” life insurance policy you can qualify for. This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to take a moment to discuss…
How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?
You can do three things to increase your chances of finding the best life insurance policy you can qualify for.
The first thing…
You can ensure that you choose to work with a life insurance agent who fully understands your condition and what a life insurance underwriter will look for when deciding your application.
The second thing…
You’ll also ensure that the agent you choose to work with has access to dozens of different life insurance companies.
After all…
Even the best life insurance agent in the country isn’t going to be all that great for you if they don’t have access to the policies or companies that are going to be the most “lenient” towards individuals who have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)… RIGHT?
Lastly…
You want to make sure you choose a life insurance agent who is really good at explaining things. By defining “things,” we mean that you want to make sure that your life insurance agent explains the “type” of life insurance options available to you and why one life insurance company might be better for you. This will include explaining things like:
- What “type” of life insurance policy may you be considering?
- How long will the policy stay in force?
- What will the price be, and will that price ever change?
As well as…
“What additional features may one policy have that another one won’t?”
The reason why we like to stress this point here at IBUSA because you would be amazed at how often folks will choose the least expensive option, not realizing they are missing out on many additional “features” that could become quite important to them later. This is particularly disheartening when the price difference may only be a few pennies a day!
But don’t fret, because now you know, and should you decide to give us a call, you won’t have anything to worry about!
Requesting potential insurance for someone with HCM. Diagnosed as a child prior to “30”
Shaina,
We’d be happy to try and help, just give us a call.
Thanks,
InsuranceBrokersUSA
I was diagnosed with HCM when I was 14. Now (with a lot of luck and improved medical science) I’m 50. I remember one of the first general conversations my parents and I had with the cardiologist was about life insurance. The Doctor said in no uncertain terms that I would NEVER get life insurance. He was right on the money with that. I think that instead of giving these people false hope that they might actually have a chance to get insurance, you should be giving them alternatives so they can prepare while they still can.
Dear Dominic,
Thank you for your comment. We greatly appreciate receiving feedback from individuals who have been diagnosed with the condition we are discussing in our articles. Your input is invaluable to us.
Regarding the concerns you raised about our article, we would like to provide a detailed response:
1. In our article, we clearly state that “If you were originally diagnosed before age 40 or you are suffering from symptoms, chances are you will not be able to qualify for coverage, and you will need to seek out some kind of ‘alternative’ product like a guaranteed issue life insurance policy or an accidental death policy.” We use this language to emphasize that it is highly unlikely to qualify for traditional coverage if you have been diagnosed prior to age 40 or are experiencing symptoms. However, we acknowledge that there are numerous insurance companies in the United States, each with its own unique underwriting guidelines. Technically, it is possible that there may be a carrier with more lenient guidelines that we are not aware of.
2. Additionally, we believe it is important and accurate to state that if you were diagnosed with HCM over the age of 40 and do not experience any symptoms related to the condition, you may be able to qualify for a traditional policy at a substandard rate. This information is based on the AIG Underwriting Guidelines, which can be accessed online at http://www.cassaniinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AIG-Underwriting-Guidelines.pdf, as well as other reliable sources.
We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any confusion or lack of clarity in our article. It is our goal to provide accurate and informative content to our readers. Your input helps us in our continuous efforts to improve the quality of our articles.
Thank you,
InsuranceBrokersUSA
I was diagnosed with Obstructive HCM in July 2020 at 53 years old. Septal Myectomy was performed in August 2021. I function and feel brand new. What are my chances of getting life insurance for my children?
Suzanne,
Qualifying for a traditional term life insurance policy after being diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is always going to be tough. However, it sounds like you may have a chance. We just wouldn’t be able to tell for certain without learning more about your situation. When you have a chance, please give us a call. We’d be happy to explore what options may be available to you.
Thanks,
InsuranceBrokersUSA