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 having been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism or an Overactive Parathyroid.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism or an Overactive Parathyroid?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism or an Overactive Parathyroid?
• What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
• What rate (or price) can I qualify for?
• How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?

So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism or an Overactive Parathyroid?

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. Some may even qualify for some of the best no-exam term life insurance policies available at a Preferred rate!

The only problem is…

Because Hyperparathyroidism can increase one’s risk of later developing some pretty serious complications, most (if not all) of the best life insurance companies will want to understand how you are treating your Hyperparathyroidism thoroughly. And whether or not your “overactive” parathyroid is something they should be worried about.

Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism or an Overactive Parathyroid?

A life insurance company will “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism because it wants to make sure that they are only insuring those that haven’t already developed some serious complications due to this condition or are likely to develop a severe complication due to not properly caring for their Hyperparathyroidism?

This is because…

Having been diagnosed with overactive parathyroid doesn’t have to be a “major” problem, provided you are proactive about your disease and follow your doctor’s advice regarding proper medical care, which may or may not include the use of certain prescription medications, dietary recommendations, or perhaps even surgery. 

That is why I wanted to take a moment to discuss Hyperparathyroidism and some of the most common symptoms and complications of this disease so that we’ll have a better idea of exactly what a life insurance underwriter will be looking for when deciding about your application.

Hyperparathyroidism Definition:

Hyperparathyroidism or Overactive Parathyroid disease is a medical condition in which one or more of the parathyroid glands become “overactive” and begin to secrete too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). As a result of this “overproduction,” calcium levels within a patient’s blood begin to rise, ultimately causing a condition known as Hypercalcemia.

Hypercalcemia Defined:

Hypercalcemia is a medical condition that occurs when an individual’s calcium levels rise above what would be considered “normal” levels. And here lies the problem because when an individual begins storing too much calcium within the blood, this can cause all sorts of other complications. Complications such as:

• A weakening of one’s bones (Osteoporosis),
• Creation of kidney stones,
• Cardiovascular disease,
• Etc…

Common symptoms may include:

• Frequent bone fractures,
• Kidney stones,
• Abdominal pain,
• Fatigue,
• Bone and/or joint pain,
• An excessive need to urinate,
• Nausea, vomiting,
• Unexplained loss of appetite,
• Etc…

Fortunately…

Once correctly diagnosed, physicians will have a wide range of tools available to them to help individuals manage the amount of calcium in the bloodstream, including:

• Taking certain medications such as calcimimetics,
• Surgically removing the “overactive” parathyroid gland(s),
• Hormone replacement therapy,

Or simply adopting a “wait and see” approach for those whose calcium levels haven’t yet reached a level that could become dangerous.

“This brings us to an important point we think we ought to mention.”

First…

If you think you have a medical issue, don’t use the internet to diagnose yourself. After all, if you do and you’re correct, you’ll still need to see the doctor, and if you’re wrong, the time you spend being your own doctor could really harm you!

Second…

Nobody here at IBUSA is medically trained; we’re certainly not doctors. All we are is a bunch of life insurance agents who just happened to be really good at helping individuals find and qualify for the life insurance they’re looking for. So please don’t mistake any of the medical information we discuss as medical advice because it’s not!

We’re just trying to “prep” you for what it might be like to apply for a life insurance policy after you have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism… that’s it! This brings us to our next topic, which is…

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

Typical questions you’ll likely be asked may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with an Overactive Parathyroid or Hyperparathyroidism?
• Who diagnosed your Hyperparathyroidism? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• What symptoms (if any) led to your diagnosis?
• How have you chosen to treat your Hyperparathyroidism?
  • Medications?
  • Surgical procedures?
  • Wait and see?
• Are you currently suffering from any symptoms related to your Overactive Parathyroid?
• What medications (if any) are you currently taking now?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Do you have any upcoming surgical procedures planned or potentially planned?
• In the past two years, have you been admitted to a hospital for any reason?
• In the past two years, have you broken any bones?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any disability benefits?

What rate (or price) can I qualify for?

As you can see, many factors can come into play when trying to determine what kind of “rate” an individual might qualify for after being diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism. This is why knowing what kind of “rate” you might qualify for is almost impossible without first speaking with you directly.

That said, however, there are a few “assumptions” that we can make about folks who have been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism; these assumptions usually hold when applying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy, which will hopefully give you a general idea about what kind of “rate” you might qualify for.

For example:

Suppose you have been previously diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism, have since removed your overactive parathyroid gland(s), and are now maintaining normal calcium levels within your system. In that case, it is reasonable to assume that you might be able to qualify for a Preferred rate, provided you meet all other requirements for such a rate.

Additionally…

Suppose you are someone who will be able to provide medical evidence that you are successfully managing your condition and don’t seem to be suffering from any of the more serious complications associated with this disease. In that case, it is also reasonable to assume that you might be able to qualify for a Preferred rate as well.

Which is why…

It’s only when someone has either just recently been diagnosed with this condition (and doesn’t yet have it under control) or seems to be having difficulty maintaining a “normal” and “healthy” level of calcium in their system that we begin to run into trouble. Fortunately, in cases like these, we’ll generally find that an individual may still qualify for a traditional life insurance policy only now that may only qualify for a Standard or “Substandard” rate.

The good news is…

Regardless of your situation, we here at IBUSA can help because we have tons of experience helping folks with all sorts of pre-existing medical conditions like yours and are committed to helping all of our clients find the “best” life insurance policy they can qualify for. This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to take a moment and discuss, which is…

How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?

In our experience here at IBUSA, we have found that usually, the folks who seem to find the “best” life insurance policy for them are those that:

• Take their time reviewing their options.
• Ask a lot of questions.

Seek out those life insurance agents who not only have experience working with individuals who have been diagnosed with a wide variety of pre-existing medical conditions but also have access to dozens of different life insurance companies so that when it comes time to help a more “challenging” case, they don’t have to rely on a…

“One size fits all approach!”

The good news is that this is precisely what you’ll find here at IBUSA.

Now, will we be able to help out everyone who has been previously diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism?

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 Burial Life Insurance Companies so that if someone isn’t able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy, chances are there may be some other “type” of product that they CAN qualify for.