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 Sucralfate or one of the brand names it’s sold under, including:

• Carafate,
• Orafate,
• ProThelial,

To help treat and manage one’s ulcers.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

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

Because Sucralfate is a medication that is primarily used to treat those suffering from ulcers, we can reasonably assume that the vast majority of individuals who have been prescribed this medication can and will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. In fact, some may even be able to qualify for a no-medical exam term life insurance policy as well.

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

Life insurance companies “care” if an individual has been prescribed Sucralfate because it is a prescription medication that is specifically used to treat ulcers which, when left untreated, can become quite serious and, in extreme cases, can even lead to one developing peritonitis which could become fatal!

This is why most (if not all) life insurance underwriters are going to want to know “why” an individual has been prescribed Sucralfate and how “well” it is working at controlling/minimizing the underlying pre-existing medical condition that required its prescription in the first place!

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

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

• What “kind” of ulcers have you been diagnosed with?
  • Gastric ulcers in the stomach lining.
  • Esophageal ulcers in the esophagus.
  • Duodenal ulcers in the duodenum (small intestine).
• What symptoms did you have that led you to believe that you suffered from ulcers?
• What symptoms do you currently suffer from?
• Who prescribed your Sucralfate? A general practitioner or a gastroenterologist?
• When were you first prescribed Sucralfate?
• Is Sucralfate the only prescription medication that you’re using to treat your ulcers?
• How well is it working?
• In the past 12 months, have any of the medications changed in any way?
• Has your doctor ever recommended any surgical procedures to help you treat/manage your ulcers?
• Have you ever had to be hospitalized due to your ulcers?
• 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 general, what you’re likely to find is that if you’re, ulcers seem well under control. There doesn’t appear to be any “urgency” to change your current treatment regimen; there is probably a reasonable chance that you may be able to qualify for a Standard Plus or even a Preferred rate should you choose to apply with the “right” insurance company.

Now…

We say the “right insurance company” because when it comes to getting approved for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy after having been diagnosed with ulcers, what you’re going to find is that there seems to be a lot of “wiggle room” for the insurance underwriters when determining what “rate” one should be approved at.

In fact, we’ve seen individuals qualify for a Preferred rate at one life insurance company while simultaneously being considered a “higher risk” applicant at another one. Now which insurance company was right? We have no idea because, unlike many other diseases where a “test” can run to determine the “severity” of a pre-existing medical condition, with ulcers, it’s a bit of a guessing game. This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to 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 help guide you through the application process and 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 Sucralfate?

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 see what options might be available to you, just give us a call!