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 Requip or its generic form, Ropinirole, to treat either Parkinson’s disease or restless leg syndrome.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

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

Short answer:  Maybe.

Long answer:  It depends.

While nothing in this world would make us happier than just to be able to answer this question with a simple “yes” or “no” response, the truth is, it’s really going to depend on “why” you’ve been prescribed Requip.

Now…

If you’ve only been prescribed Requip to treat symptoms, you might be suffering as a result of having restless leg syndrome. In that case, there’s definitely a good chance that you’re going to be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.  In fact, you may even be able to qualify for a Preferred rate if you would otherwise be able to qualify had you not been diagnosed with restless leg syndrome.

That said, however…

If you’ve been prescribed Requip to help you treat Parkinson’s disease, what you’re generally going to find is that you’re definitely not going to be able to qualify for a Preferred rate. Still, you could possibly qualify for what is called a Table Rate or a “sub-standard” rate.  That is why it’s tough to know for sure, but don’t fret because as you continue to read, you’ll see that we’ll try to shed some light on the process of applying for a traditional life insurance policy after you’ve been diagnosed with Parkinson’s which hopefully will provide you with a better idea of what to expect.

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

Because Requip isn’t a medication that one is likely to abuse, and because Requip isn’t a medication that is commonly associated with any really “serious” side effects, the main reason why insurance companies are interested in the fact that one has been prescribed Requip centers around that fact that it is primarily used to treat those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

This is why…

Once an insurance company learns that you have been prescribed Requip, one of the first things they’re going to want to know for sure is if it has been prescribed to treat Parkinson’s disease vs restless leg syndrome and how serious your Parkinson’s disease is.  For this reason, most (if not all) life insurance companies are going to want to ask you a series of questions prior to moving forward with your life insurance application and/or ordering medical records from your primary care physician.

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

As we stated before, the first thing that an insurance underwriter is going to want to know about is “why” have you been prescribed Requip.  From there, they’ll then be able to narrow down their questions to get a better understanding of how your pre-existing medical condition is progressing and whether or not they wish to proceed with your life insurance application.

Common questions you’ll likely be asked if you’re Requip is being used to treat restless leg syndrome:

• When were you first diagnosed with restless leg syndrome?
• Is Requip the only medication that you’re using to treat your restless leg syndrome?
• How long have you been taking your Requip?
• Has your Requip prescription changed in any way over the last 12 months?
• 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 if your Requip is being used to treat Parkinson’s disease:

• What is your current age?
• How old were you when you were first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?
• Is Requip the only medication that you’re using to treat your Parkinson’s disease?
• How would your doctor/you yourself characterize the progression of your disorder?
• Over the past 12 months, has your Requip prescription (or any other medications used to treat your Parkinson’s disease) changed in any way?
• What symptoms are you currently suffering from as a result of your Parkinson’s disease?
• Is your Parkinson’s disease greatly affecting your ability to perform routine daily activities or tasks?
• 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?

The easiest way to answer this question is to take a look at each pre-existing medical condition that Requip treats separately.  Start first with:

Restless Leg Syndrome.

As a general rule of thumb, what you’re typically going to find is that if you have been prescribed Requip to treat restless leg syndrome, most (if not all) life insurance companies aren’t going to use this prescription as a discriminating factor during your application process.  This means that if the symptoms associated with your restless leg syndrome aren’t preventing you from being able to live a “normal” life, you should “in theory” still be “eligible” for a Preferred rate when applying for coverage.

Now we should note that…

Just because one is still theoretically “eligible” for a Preferred rate doesn’t mean that they will be able to qualify for one, it just means that because you have been prescribed Requip and just because you’ve been diagnosed with restless leg syndrome doesn’t mean that you “can’t” qualify for a Preferred rate.

On the flip side…

Parkinson’s disease is a pre-existing medical condition that most (if not all) life insurance companies will discriminate against folks for having.  This means that while an individual who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s will still be eligible for coverage, they won’t be considered eligible for a Preferred rate.

So, let’s just take a moment and discuss how life insurance “rates” or “categories” are divided.  You see, life insurance companies generally use 16 different categories that one can qualify for.  The best of which is a Preferred or Preferred Plus rate.  From there, it goes to Standard or Standard Plus and then into what are called Sub-standard or “table” rates.

These “table rates” vary from…

Table A, which would be considered the “best” or “least expensive” table rate, all the way to Table J, which would be considered the “worst” or “most expensive” table rate.  That said, however, even a Table J rate is better than being denied coverage (assuming that it is affordable)… Right?

The good news is…

For those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and are suffering from what would be considered a mild “non-progressive” disease, it is possible to qualify for a Table A through Table C rate, which isn’t all that bad.

Additionally…

For those who seem to have a “slowly progressing” disorder, not all hope is lost because even these individuals may be able to qualify for rates ranging from Table D through H.  The key will be understanding which life insurance companies will be the most lenient when determining what is considered “progressive” and “non-progressive” and which companies offer the best pricing in the “sub-standard” categories.

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 of being approved for coverage and at what rate you might be able to qualify for.

From there…

You’ll also want to make sure that he or she has access to dozens of different life insurance companies. This way, 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 experience, usually helps increase one’s chances for success.

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” for you as well as helping him or her determine “which” life insurance company will most likely provide you with the best opportunity for success!

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