Life Insurance with an Eating Disorder.

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?
• What can I do to help ensure that 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 difficult 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 serious side effects when not treated properly.

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 really 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 simply 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 serious physical and psychological consequences, including malnutrition, organ damage, low bone density, and an increased risk of death. It is often accompanied by other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Anorexia is a serious and potentially 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 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 like to remind folks that nobody here at IBUSA is a medical expert, and we’re certainly not qualified to provide anyone with any medical advice.

This is why, if you are looking for medical assistance or looking for advice on what to do about a condition you may be suffering from, the first thing that you’re going to want to do is STOP reading this article and contact a local doctor in your area!

This is because…

Here at IBUSA, all we are is a bunch of life insurance agents who just happen to be really good at helping folks find and qualify for the life insurance that 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 next 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 are able to 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 the 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 for sure what “rate” an individual might be able to qualify for as well as whether or not an individual will be able to qualify for coverage at all!

This is why…

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

This way, we can get a better idea about what kind of information the insurance company will want to know before moving forward with your application. We will use this information to get a better idea about what type of rate you might qualify for.

The good news…

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

What can I do to help ensure that 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 be sure to take their time when initially shopping for insurance and to be sure that right from the beginning that they are completely honest with their life insurance agent!

This means that…

Before you just decide to apply for a life insurance policy, you should fully understand what your life insurance needs are. You should also have a good idea about what options may be available to you, and you should be sure that your agent is not only experienced with helping folks with a pre-existing medical condition like your find coverage, he or she should also have access to a wide variety of different life insurance products so that they aren’t forced to apply 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 as well 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 you CAN qualify for.

So, if you’re ready to see what options might be available to you, just give us a call!