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 Ritonavir or one of the common brand names it is sold under including:

• AccessPak for HIV PEP Expanded with Kaletra,
• Kaletra,
• Norvir,
• Technivie,

Or Viekira to help treat those that have tested positive for HIV.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

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

Now had you asked this same question just a few years ago, the answer would have been a lot simpler because just a few years ago, the answer would have been categorically… NO!

The good news is that…

Now with the discovery of new medications such as Ritonavir, testing positive for HIV has slowly transformed itself from being what most would have considered a “terminal” illness into what many would now consider to be a “chronic” condition.  A chronic condition which can be managed with the proper care and access to the proper medications.

Which is why…

It only makes sense that over time, some (but not all) life insurance companies would begin to consider testing positive for HIV just like they would “testing positive” for some other “kind” of chronic pre-existing medical condition.  Which is exactly what we are beginning to see today!

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

Insurance companies “care” if an individual has been prescribed Ritonavir because there really is only one reason why an individual would ever be prescribed Ritonavir, and that is to treat HIV.

And because…

In some situations, the use of this medication and others like it can make detecting HIV within the bloodstream next to impossible.  This is why “knowing” someone has been prescribed this medication can allow an insurance company to quickly assess the situation within a given applicant and use this medication as a “road map” towards what other questions they will need to ask prior to being able to make a decision about the outcome of your life insurance application.

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

Qualifying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy after testing positive for HIV is going to be tough. This is because while there are one or two different insurance companies that are willing to assume the risk for some patients, these companies are going to be VERY strict about which HIV-positive applicants they will approve.

And here is where…

We have to be completely honest with you because “at times”, the underwriting practices for individuals who have tested positive for HIV seem to be a bit “haphazard” at best.  That said, what we can tell you is that insurance companies are only going to want to ensure applicants that:

• They are between the ages of 30 to 60.
• Are free of any complications or other pre-existing medical conditions.
• Have what would be considered a suppressed viral load.
• Have a stable CD4 level,
• Have been diagnosed at least one year prior to applying for coverage.
• And have been receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least six months.

So, one should be prepared to be asked whether or not they meet these standards and be prepared to have his or her medical records sent to the insurance company as well so that they can be reviewed in time.

What rate (or price) can I qualify for?

When it comes to predicting what kind of “rate” an individual may be able to qualify for after having tested positive for HIV, it’s really pretty tough to say.  This is mainly because approvals for individuals with HIV only really began in earnest after 2015, and there really aren’t all that many insurance companies willing to take on this kind of risk.

Now…

What we can tell you is that you’re certainly not going to be able to qualify for a Standard or better rate. This means that if you are approved, you will be approved at a “Table Rate. ” These rates range from Table A to Table J, with Table A being considered the “best. ”

Here at IBUSA…

When we do have an applicant qualify for coverage, it’s usually at a Table Rate around Table H, which at the end of the day isn’t too bad considering it’s still much better than many of the alternatives that folks who can’t qualify for coverage have to consider (guaranteed issue life insurance or accidental death policies). This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to take a moment and discuss here in this article, 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 profession 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.” So, what are you waiting for?  Give us a call today and see what we can do for you!