In this article, we wanted to take a moment to answer some of the most common questions we get from people applying for life insurance after being diagnosed with either Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with either one of these “types” of cancer?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with either Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?
• 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 Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with either Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy. This is because, even though these are considered two separate “types” of cancer, each will be treated somewhat the same way by more of the top-rated life insurance companies. Individuals will generally be considered eligible once they have completed treatment and been declared cancer-free for some set period, which will usually be dictated by the “severity” of their original diagnosis.

For this reason…

Many life insurance agents will often come to believe that it is easier for those who have Hodgkin Lymphoma to qualify for coverage. However, this “simplicity” isn’t necessarily due to the disease. Instead, individuals with Hodgkin Lymphoma will often find it easier to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy because these “types” of cancers are usually located within the upper body around the next chest or armpits and are often diagnosed very early on.

Which generally…

This translates into a shorter treatment period and a higher survival rate, ultimately making it much easier for someone to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy. But the truth is, the same could also be said about non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The only difference is that because non-Hodgkin lymphomas tend to occur in other areas of the body, they can sometimes go undetected for a longer period, increasing the difficulty of treatment and lowering the odds of survival.

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with either Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Whenever an individual has been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition, it’s a safe bet that most life insurance companies will know about it. Now, when the pre-existing medical condition happens to be “cancer, cancer, en yo, you don’t need to wonder whether or not an insurance company is going to know about it; you can’t bet they’re going to want to know EVERYTHING about it. Particularly when the five-year survival rates of these two types of Lymphoma can vary greatly from one another and within themselves depending on the “stage” that one Lymphoma ultimately reaches.

Which is why…

If you have been diagnosed with a lymphoma, whether it be a Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you should prepare yourself to answer many questions about your condition. Also, assume that you will most likely need to allow your insurance company to access your medical records during your application process.

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

Suppose you have been diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the immune system. In that case, the insurance company will be interested in the following types of information when you apply for life insurance:

• The type of lymphoma you have: There are several types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Each type has different characteristics and treatment options, and the insurance company will want to know which type you have.
• The stage of your lymphoma: The stage of your lymphoma refers to how advanced it is. The insurance company will want to know whether your lymphoma is in an early or advanced stage, as this can affect your prognosis and treatment options.
• The treatment you have received: The insurance company will want to know what treatment you have received for your lymphoma, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a bone marrow transplant. They will also want to know the results of your treatment, such as whether your cancer is in remission or has returned.
• Your overall health: The insurance company will want to know about any other medical conditions you have and any medications you are taking. They will also want to know about your lifestyle habits, such as smoking or engaging in regular physical activity.
• Your family medical history: The insurance company may ask about the medical history of your family members, as some medical conditions, including lymphoma, can have a genetic component.

It is essential to be honest and accurate when answering these questions, as providing false or misleading information on a life insurance application can invalidate your policy.

What rate (or price) can I qualify for?

As one can see, many factors can come into play when determining what “kind” of rate one might qualify for when applying for a traditional life insurance policy after being diagnosed with Lymphoma. For this reason, it’s impossible to know what “kind” of rate you might qualify for without first speaking with you directly.

That said, however, we can make a few “assumptions” that will generally hold, which we’ll go over now so that we can hopefully give you a general idea about what kind of rate you may qualify for.

For example:

If you are currently being treated for Lymphoma or have just recently gone into remission (less than two years ago), what you’re generally going to find is that most life insurance companies are either going to DENY or POSTPONE your life insurance application until you’re no longer receiving treatment. You’ve been declared cancer-free for a minimum of two years.

In cases like these…

Most applicants must either wait to apply for a traditional life insurance policy or consider purchasing an alternative product, such as an Accidental Death Policy or a Burial Life Insurance Policy.

Now for individuals…

If you have been in cancer remission for over two years, you may be able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy. However, chances are the best rate you could qualify for would be a Standard or “normal” rate. To qualify for such a great, you would typically need to be diagnosed early on before the cancer was able to spread throughout your body and most likely have only been diagnosed with Lymphoma once.

Conversely…

Those who were challenged by a more “serious” case of Lymphoma where their cancer was able to spread out to multiple locations within their body or has been able to return after they have gone into remission will likely find it more challenging to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy and will probably only be able to qualify for a Sub-Standard rate at best.

The good news is we here at IBUSA have plenty of experience helping even the most “challenging” cases find and qualify for the coverage they are looking for. This brings us to the last topic we wanted to discuss in this article…

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

In our experiences here at IBUSA, we’ve found that usually, the “best” approach in helping someone find the “best” life insurance policy for them is to first:

Fully understand what an individual is trying to achieve by purchasing their life insurance policy. Are you looking to:

• • • Cover the cost of a mortgage?
    • Replace lost wages?
    • Protect a child or spouse?
    • Or cover one’s final expenses?

Then, provide plenty of options so that one is not limited to one or two different options.

This is why…

We at IBUSA choose to work with so many different life insurance companies that when it comes time to help you decide “which” company will be the best for you, we don’t have to apply a…

“One Size Fits All”

Approach. Instead, we can make dozens of different life insurance companies compete for your business. So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call today and experience the IBUSA difference.