In this article, we wanted to take a moment to answer some of the most common questions we get from folks applying for life insurance after having been diagnosed with Anorexia or Anorexia Nervosa.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Anorexia?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Anorexia?
• 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 if I have been diagnosed with Anorexia?

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Anorexia can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. The problem is that for many who suffer from this condition, their “battle” with food and food obsession can often last a long time, if not a “lifetime,” which makes knowing when exactly someone might be considered “eligible” for coverage challenging to determine.

Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Anorexia?

The main reason why a life insurance company is going to “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Anorexia is that it is an eating disorder that can cause some severe side effects when not appropriately treated. And by serious, we mean it could cause one to begin suffering from:

• Heart disease,
• Bone loss,
• Depression,
• Fatigue,

And even death in extreme cases. 

Which is why…

It’s no wonder that most (if not all) of the Best Life Insurance Companies take a diagnosis of Anorexia very seriously and why one should expect to be asked a long list of questions about their Anorexia diagnosis before being approved for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.

It’s also why…

We typically don’t recommend folks try to apply for a No Medical Exam Term Life Insurance Policy simply because these “types” of life insurance policies usually won’t provide an insurance company with enough information that they will need to decide on your application.

As a result, many of the Best No Medical Exam Life Insurance Companies will choose to deny anyone with a previous history of Anorexia to minimize their potential exposure.

Anorexia Defined:

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and an inability to maintain a healthy body weight. People with Anorexia may restrict their food intake, exercise excessively, and use other unhealthy behaviors to try to lose weight.

Anorexia can have severe physical and psychological consequences, including malnutrition, organ damage, low bone density, and an increased risk of death. Other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, often accompany it.  Ultimately if left untreated, anorexia has the potential to become a life-threatening disorder that requires professional treatment. Treatment may include therapy, medication, and nutritional counseling.

What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?

If you have a history of Anorexia, life insurance companies may ask for more information about your medical history as part of the application process. This may include details about the severity of your Anorexia, how long you have had the condition and any treatment you have received. Insurance companies may also inquire about any ongoing symptoms or complications you are experiencing and any efforts you are making to maintain a healthy weight.

Specific questions may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with anorexia nervosa?
• Who diagnosed your Anorexia? Yourself? Your family? A general practitioner? Or a specialist?
• What symptoms did you experience that led you to believe you might be anorexic?
• What treatment methods have you pursued?
• Are you currently receiving treatment now?
• What are your current height and weight?
• Are you currently suffering from any symptoms related to your Anorexia?
• Have you ever been hospitalized due to your condition?
• In the past two years, have you been hospitalized for any reason?
• Do you suffer from or have you ever suffered from any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Do you ever display symptoms of other eating disorders?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any form of disability benefits?

Now, at this point…

We usually remind folks that nobody at IBUSA is a medical expert, and we’re not qualified to give medical advice. This is why, if you are looking for medical assistance or advice on what to do about a condition you may be suffering from, the first thing you should read this article is to contact a local doctor in your area!

This is because…

Here at IBUSA, all we are is a bunch of life insurance agents who are really good at helping folks find and qualify for the life insurance they need. That’s it! This means that if all you’re looking for is help qualifying for life insurance, the good news is that you’ve come to the right place. So, with that being said, let’s now get back on track and take on the following topic, which is…

What rate class can I qualify for?

When it comes time to determine what kind of “rate” an individual who has been diagnosed with Anorexia might be able to qualify for, what you’re going to find is that for individuals who are still currently struggling with their Anorexia, most (if not all) life insurance companies are going to deny one a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.

Which means that…

Only those individuals who have “recovered” from Anorexia or can demonstrate that their Anorexia has “stabilized” (there’s an extremely vague term) for a minimum of one year will be able to qualify for coverage and will only be considered eligible for an “at-risk” rate once they do.

And…

Here lies the problem because who’s to say when an individual has recovered from a condition like Anorexia and/or who’s to say when an individual’s health has “stabilized.”  This is why it’s often difficult to know what “rate” an individual might qualify for and whether or not an individual will be eligible for coverage!

This is why…

Here at IBUSA, we usually take a “preliminary” application and have several different life insurance companies review it before submitting an “OFFICIAL” application. When there isn’t a clear answer about how one is coping with their Anorexia, we usually do this.

This way, we can better understand what information the insurance company wants to know before proceeding with your application. We will use this information to determine better what type of rate you might qualify for.

The good news…

Because we work with so many different life insurance companies, this is something that we could try with several different companies and find one that might be a bit more “lenient” or “accommodating” to your situation. This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to take a moment and discuss with you, which is…

How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?

Probably the “best” thing that an individual can do to help ensure that they find the “best life insurance” for them is to take their time when initially shopping for insurance and to be completely honest with their life insurance agent right from the beginning!

This means that…

Before applying for a life insurance policy, you should fully understand your life insurance needs. It would be best if you also had a good idea about what options may be available to you. It would be best if you were sure that your agent is not only experienced with helping folks with a pre-existing medical condition like yours find coverage, but they should also have access to a wide variety of life insurance products so that they aren’t forced to apply for a…

“one size fits all approach”.

Now, will we be able to help out everyone who has been previously diagnosed with Anorexia?

No, probably not. But what we can tell you is that in addition to offering a wide variety of different term and whole life insurance policies, IBUSA has also worked very hard to establish relationships with many of the Final Expense Insurance Companies so that if someone isn’t able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy, chances are there may be some other “type” of product that they CAN qualify for.

So, if you’re ready to explore your options, call us!