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 they have been prescribed Nortriptyline. Or one of the common brand names it is sold under, including Aventyl or Pamelor, which are both used to primarily help treat depression.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been prescribed Pamelor?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been prescribed Pamelor?
• 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 Pamelor?

Yes, individuals who have been prescribed Pamelor can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. In fact, they may even be able to qualify for a Preferred rate! 

The only problem is…

Pamelor is primarily used to help treat depression which, as we all know, is a pre-existing medical condition that can look quite different from case to case. This is why most life insurance companies are going to want to know a little bit more about your “depression” before deciding on your life insurance application.

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

Life insurance companies “care” if you’ve been prescribed Pamelor because it is primarily used to treat depression, which is a pre-existing medical condition that is going to “peak” a life insurance underwriter’s interest. This is why before getting approved for coverage, 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 have been prescribed Pamelor and how “serious” our underlying pre-existing medical condition is.

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

Common questions you’ll likely be asked may include:

• When were you first prescribed Pamelor?
• Who prescribed your Pamelor? A general practitioner or a psychiatrist?
• Why have you been prescribed Pamelor? Have you been given a definitive diagnosis?
• What symptoms led you to be prescribed Pamelor?
• How well is your Pamelor helping you to treat your symptoms?
• Are you taking any other prescription medications?
• Have any of your prescription medications changed in any way over the past 12 months?
• In the past two years, have you been admitted to a hospital for any reason?
• Have you ever attempted suicide or considered attempting suicide?
• Aside from using prescription medications, are you seeking or receiving any other therapeutic approaches?
• Do you have any history of drug or alcohol abuse?
• Do you have any issues with your driving record? Issues such as multiple moving violations, a DUI, or a suspended license?
• 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?

Now, if, after reading this list of questions, you find yourself saying…

“Wow, those are some pretty SERIOUS questions!”

Chances are, you’re Pamelor prescription is probably just being used to help you treat “minor” symptoms of depression, and you’re just one of the millions of Americans who “occasionally” use some kind of prescription medication to help them manage symptoms of depression that they feel now and then.

Lumped into…

These “types” of individuals would be ones that have:

• Never been admitted into a hospital for their depression.
• Never attempted or contemplated suicide.

And don’t seem to be suffering from any symptoms that have become “serious” enough for them to lead a “normal” life. This is why these “types” of individuals might be able to qualify for a Preferred rate.

Now, as for those…

Who understands why a life insurance company would ask these “kinds” of questions about their depression and understand why “their depression” might be cause for concern? There is still a chance that you may be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. Only now, chances are you’re not going to be able to qualify for a Preferred rate.

Chances are…

You’ll probably only be able to qualify for a Standard or “sub-standard” rate. This isn’t all that bad, provided you know “which” life insurance company is going to provide you with the best opportunity for success. We should also point out that there may be those who simply won’t be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy at all.

The good news is…

That this number of individuals who may not be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy because they have been diagnosed with depression is actually quite surprisingly small, even in cases where previous suicide attempts have been made, which is why we wanted to end our discussion about Pamelor by taking a brief moment and discuss…

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 but also 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.”

Now, will we be able to help out everyone who has been prescribed Aventyl?

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 Best Final Expense Insurance Companies as well. This way 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 explore your options, just give us a call!