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 with Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).

Questions that will be addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
• 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 if I’ve been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus?

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.  In fact, some may even be able to qualify for some of the best no medical exam life insurance companies at a Preferred rate!

The only problem is…

That in order for someone to be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy after having been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus, they will need to have already had their PDA surgically repaired.

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus?

The main reason why most of the best term life insurance companies are going to “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus is because when left untreated, some individuals may begin to suffer form some pretty significant complications.  So significant that most (if not all) life insurance companies will immediately deny anyone applying for a traditional life insurance policy if they have not already had their PDA surgically repaired.

This is why…

We wanted to take a moment and discuss exactly what Patent Ductus Arteriosus is as well as highlight some of the most common symptoms/complications of this disease so that we can gain a better understanding of what a life insurance underwriter will be looking for when making his or her decision.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus Defined:

Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a congenital heart disorder where there exists a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart.  This “opening” is actually a normal part of a baby’s circulatory system while in utero, however in “normal” situations, this opening should close by itself shortly after birth.

Individuals who may be at risk of suffering from Patent Ductus Arteriosus may include those:

• Premature babies,
• Previous family history of Patent Ductus Arteriosus,
• Rubella infection during pregnancy,
• Being born in high altitude,
• Being female.

Common symptoms may include:

• Labored breathing,
• Shortness of breath,
• Poor feeding and weight gain in newborns,
• Fatigue,
• Easily tired,
• Etc…

Serious Complications may include:

• Increased risk of heart infections (endocarditis),
• Pulmonary hypertension,
• Heart failure.

Fortunately…

Patent Ductus Arteriosus will often “self-correct” in newborns, or may be able to correct itself with the use of certain medications.  In those more “stubborn” cases, surgical intervention may need to take place.  Either way, Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a condition that can usually be treated quite successfully once properly diagnosed.

Now at this point…

We usually like to take a moment and remind folks that nobody here at IBUSA has any kind of “official” medical training and we’re certainly not doctors.  All we are is a bunch of life insurance agents who just happen to be really good at helping folks with pre-existing medical conditions like this one, find and qualify for the life insurance coverage that they are looking for.

But…

Not so great if you’re looking for answers to any specific medical questions.  In cases like these, we would recommend that you contact a true medical professional who has the training to help.  For everyone else, you’re in luck because now we’re going to get into some of the “nitty gritty” about what you may or may not be able to qualify for.

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

Common questions you’ll likely be asked may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
• Who diagnosed your Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
• What symptoms led to your diagnosis?
• Have you had your Patent Ductus Arteriosus surgically corrected?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Have you ever suffered from a heart attack or a stroke?
• Have you ever suffered from endocarditis?
• Are you currently taking any prescription medications?
• In the past 2 years, have you been hospitalized for any reason?
• 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?

As you can see, there are a lot of variables that can come into play when trying to determine what kind of “rate” an individual who has been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus.  This is why it’s pretty much impossible to know what kind of “rate” you might be able to qualify for without first speaking with you directly.

That said however…

Most individuals who have bene diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus will usually fall into one of two different categories that we can make some “assumptions” about that will generally hold true.

Category #1.

Individuals in this category will have been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus and for whatever reason, have yet to have this condition surgically treated.  It could be because they have just recently discovered that they suffer from this condition, or it could be because they really don’t suffer from any significant complications of this disease (as of yet) and have made a conscious decision not to have it surgically corrected.

Whatever the case may…

What we can know for sure is that the most (if not all) life insurance companies will view this individual as too high of a risk to approve for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.  Which means that they will need to seek out a Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance policy if they still wish to purchase some life insurance for their family.

Category #2.

Now in this second “category” we’ll find those who have been diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus and have had it surgically repaired.  Individuals who fall into this category will generally find that their previous PDA diagnosis isn’t going to play a role in the outcome of their life insurance application which means that whatever rate they would have been able to qualify for PRIOR to being diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus should be the same rate that they will be able to qualify for AFTER being diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus!

The good news is…

That 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 that they can qualify for.  Which brings us to the last topic that we wanted to take a moment and 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 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.

And 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 helping a more “challenging” case, they don’t have to rely on a…

“One size fits all approach!”

The good news is that this is exactly what you’re going to find here at IBUSA!