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 Remeron or its generic form Mirtazpine to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and in some cases an appetite stimulant.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

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

Remeron, is one of those medications which because it treats such a wide variety of conditions, it’s difficult to say for sure whether or not someone will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance simply by knowing that they’ve been prescribed Remeron in the past.

Which is why…

What you’re going to find is that prior to an insurance underwriter being able to make a decision about your life insurance application he or she is first going to need to ask you a few questions specifically about “why” you’ve been prescribed Remeron.

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

Life insurance companies and/or underwriters are curious about why you’ve been prescribed Remeron because it can be used to treat a wide variety of pre-existing medical conditions, some of which could prevent you from being able to qualify for coverage if they’re really serious.

You see…

While it is true that someone who has been diagnosed with depression can and often will be able to qualify for coverage, and while its completely normal for someone to suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome after a traumatic event, “severe” cases of either of these could cause an insurance company to “pass” on approving your for life insurance.

Additionally…

Even folks who are simply using Remeron as a way to stimulate their appetite, depending on “why” they seem to have a “depressed” appetite could be a HUGE factor in determining one’s eligibility when applying for a “traditional” life insurance policy.  As a result, what you’re likely to going to find is that before your insurance underwriter can make any kind of decision about your life insurance application, they’re first going to want to ask you a series of questions about your usage.

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

The first thing that the insurance companies are going to want to know about your Remeron usage is “why” has it been prescribed to you?  From there, they’ll be able to ask you more specific questions regarding the underlying pre-existing medical condition which warranted your prescription.

Common questions you’ll likely be asked when treating depression:

• When were you first diagnosed with depression?
• Who diagnosed your depression?
• Is Remeron the only medication/treatment your using to treat your depression?
• How often do you take your Remeron?
• In the past 12 months has your Remeron prescription changed in any way?
• How “serious” would you consider your depression to be?
• Have you ever been hospitalized due to your depression?
• Do you have any history of drug or alcohol abuse?
• Have you ever considered or attempted suicide?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months have you applied for or received any form of disability benefits?

Common questions you’ll likely be asked when treating for post-traumatic stress syndrome?

• Are you currently treating your post-traumatic stress syndrome?
• When did the traumatic event that caused you to begin suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome occur?
• Is Remeron the only prescription medication your using to treat your condition?
• Has your Remeron prescription changed in the past 12 months?
• Have you required any form of hospitalization due to your post-traumatic stress syndrome?
• Have you ever considered or attempted suicide?
• Do you have any history of drug or alcohol abuse?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months have you applied or received any form of disability benefits?

Common questions you’ll likely be asked when using Remeron as an appetite stimulant:

• What is your current height and weight?
• Aside from using Remeron to increase your appetite, have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical condition such as:
  • Any eating disorders,
  • Cancer,
  • Depression,
  • Etc…
• Who prescribed your Remeron? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• Are you taking any other prescription medications for any other medical conditions?
• Over the past 12 months has your weight changed my more than 5 pounds?
• Over the past 12 months has your Remeron prescription changed in any way?
• What is the purpose of increasing your appetite? Are you trying to maintain or gain 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 theory, having been prescribed Remeron in the past shouldn’t necessarily have a “negative” impact on one’s life insurance application.  That said however, because there isn’t a diagnostic test that can be used to determine how “severe” ones underlying medical condition is which warranted the Remeron prescription, insurance underwriters will be forced to use their “experience” and “judgement” when it comes time to determining whether or not you’ll be eligible for coverage and it so, what “price” you may have to pay.

You see…

For example, if you are simply using Remeron to copy with a “mild” case of depression which isn’t really affecting your daily life, you’re just looking for some “pharmaceutical assistance” with your “down” moods, you’re probably not going to have a problem qualifying for coverage.  Heck, you may even be able to qualify for a Preferred rating!

Conversely…

If you just recently suffered from a traumatic event, and you’re using your Remeron to help you cope with what is obviously a horrific event in your life, insurance companies may want to “postpone” your life insurance application until which time you have had time to recover and process your experience in a normal and healthy manner.

And here lies…

The problem when trying to definitively state what rate an individual may be able to qualify for after having been prescribed Remeron, because in cases like these it’s not uncommon for some folks to qualify for a Preferred rate while others end up with either a Postponement or denial!  Which brings us to what you can do to help increase your chances at success.

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

Probably the most important thing that you can do on your end is to first make sure that you’re working with a true-life insurance professional who will work as an advocate for you.  Agents like this will not only help guide you through the application process but also be perfectly “frank” with you about your chances at being approved for coverage.

From there…

You’ll also want to make sure that he or she has access to dozens of different life insurance companies so that if you do decide to apply for coverage, you won’t be limited to the decision-making processes of just one or two different life insurance companies.  Instead, you’ll be able to “shop” your options with multiple insurance companies which in our experiences usually helps increase one’s chances for success.

Lastly…

Before you ultimately decide to apply for coverage you want to make sure that you’re completely honest about everything that an insurance company might be interested in.  This is because while it may seem at first that your Remeron prescription is going to be the number one concern of any life insurance company, it’s quite possible that some other factor such as your family medical history, or your driving record is actually going to play a bigger factor in the ultimate outcome of your life insurance application (sometimes you just never know)!  This is why, being as completely honest and forthcoming is always the best strategy because that way it allows your life insurance agent to use all of this information to help narrow down what they believe will be your “best” opportunity for success!

So, what are you waiting for?  Give us a call today and see what we can do for you!