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 prescribed Diovan or its generic form, Valsartan, to help treat one’s high blood pressure (hypertension) or heart failure. Diovan has also been found to be helpful in reducing one’s risk of dying immediately following a heart attack.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been prescribed Diovan?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been prescribed Diovan?
• 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’ dive right in!

Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been prescribed Diovan?

Yes, individuals who have been prescribed Diovan can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. In fact, some might even be able to qualify for a no-medical exam life insurance policy at a Preferred rate. The problem is, as one can see, Diovan is a very useful medication that can be very helpful to a wide range of patients suffering from a wide range of pre-existing medical conditions.

This means that while some individuals may be able to qualify for a Preferred rate, many others might only be able to qualify at a “higher risk” rate or may not even be able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy at all!

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been prescribed Diovan?

The main reason why life insurance companies “care” that an individual has been prescribed Diovan is because of its ability to help those who are suffering heart failure as well as increase the survival rate in those who have just recently suffered from a heart attack.

And while…

Sure, most (if not all) life insurance companies will be interested in the fact that Diovan can also be used to help “healthy” folks lower their blood pressure or treat their hypertension. These “other” folks have been diagnosed with a more “serious” pre-existing medical condition that is going to attract the attention of a life insurance underwriter.

The only problem is that until a life insurance underwriter is able to determine what kind of “Diovan Applicant” you are, it’s in their nature always to assume the worst! This is why before getting approved for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy, most (if not all) life insurance companies are going to want to ask you a series of questions so that they can get a better idea about “why” you’ve been prescribed Diovan in addition to how serious this “why” actually is.

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

Common questions you’ll likely be asked about your Diovan prescription will likely include:

• When were you first prescribed your Diovan?
• Who prescribed your Diovan? A general practitioner or a cardiologist?
• Why have you been prescribed Diovan?
• Have you ever suffered from a heart attack or stroke?
• What other prescription medications are you currently taking now?
• In the past 12 months, have any of your prescription medications changed in any way?
• In the past 12 months, have you been hospitalized for any reason?
• In the past 12 months, have you used any tobacco or nicotine products?
• What is your current height and weight?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any form of disability benefits?

What rate (or price) can I qualify for?

In our experiences here at IBUSA, we have found that if you’re using your Diovan to help you maintain a healthy blood pressure level. You have never suffered from a heart attack or stroke and have not been diagnosed with heart failure. In theory, you should still be considered “eligible” to qualify for a Preferred rate provided that you are otherwise a pretty healthy individual.

Now if…

You have suffered from a heart attack or a stroke, well then, now knowing what kind of “rate” you might be able to qualify for is really going to come down to:

• How long has it been since you suffered from your heart attack or stroke?
• Do you have any lingering “effects” from your heart attack or stroke?

And how “healthy” are you today? Because the truth is for many folks who do end up suffering from a heart attack or a stroke and survive, it becomes a “wake-up” call for them to change their ways and dramatically improve their overall health. While it would have been nice for them to have done this before suffering from such a traumatic event, the good news is that life insurance companies aren’t going to permanently “ban” someone from being able to qualify for coverage. In fact, they may even be able to qualify for a better rate than they would have before their heart attack or stroke!

Unfortunately though…

This is not the same situation for those who have been diagnosed with heart failure. For these individuals, it will no longer be possible for them to be able to qualify for a “traditional” term or whole life insurance policy, which is why we’ll then often recommend that they look at an “alternative” product such as a guaranteed issue life insurance policy or an accidental death policy.

This just leaves us with the last topic that we wanted to take a moment and discuss, which is…

What can I do to help ensure that I get the “best life insurance” for me?

In our experience here at IBUSA, what we have found that works best for folks who have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition where the “severity” of the condition is often “subjective” is for the applicant to make sure that they first find a true-life insurance professional who will work as an advocate for you. Such an agent who can help guide you through the application process and be perfectly “frank” with you about what options may or may not be possible for you.

From there…

You’ll also want to make sure that the very same agent you have chosen has access to dozens of different life insurance companies because, after all, it really doesn’t matter how “great” of a life insurance agent you might have if they don’t have access to the “best” life insurance policy for you! Now, does it?

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that you’re completely honest with your life insurance agent prior to applying for coverage. By doing so, you will be helping him or her narrow down what options might be the “best.”

The good news is that this is exactly what you’re going to find here at IBUSA. So, give us a call!