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 with Pneumoconiosis.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

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

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.

The only problem is…

That only individuals who seem to be suffering from a Mild or Moderate case of Pneumoconiosis will generally be able to qualify, which means that most (if not all) of the best life insurance companies (in our humble opinion) are going to be very interested in learning more about your Pneumoconiosis before making any decisions about your life insurance application.

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis?

The main reasons why most (if not all) life insurance companies are going “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis is because in extreme cases or in situations where one’s exposure to the irritant causing one to develop Pneumoconiosis isn’t eliminated, the potential to develop some serious complications is quite high.

For this reason…

We wanted to take a moment and discuss exactly what Pneumoconiosis 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 about your life insurance application.

Pneumoconiosis Defined:

Pneumoconiosis is an inflammatory lung disease that is caused by the inhalation of dust. The three most common “types” of Pneumoconiosis that typically occur are:

• Coal workers’ Pneumoconiosis due to breathing in coal dust.
• Silicosis Pneumoconiosis due to breathing in silica dust.
• Asbestosis Pneumoconiosis due to breathing in asbestos fibers.

Common symptoms may include:

• Breathing difficulties,
• Shortness of breath,
• Cough, which may or not produce phlegm,
• Chest tightness.

Serious complications may include:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
• Hemoptysis (coughing up blood),
• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung),
• Tuberculosis,
• Increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease,
• Increased risk of developing a malignancy,
• Etc…

Treatment options…

Most treatment options for those suffering from Pneumoconiosis will first focus on eliminating any further lung damage from the contaminate, causing this disease to occur in the first place. Form there, treatment will then shift towards minimizing the severity of symptoms at hand. Treatment options may include inhaled medications as well as other homeopathic measures.

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

First…

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

Second…

Nobody here at IBUSA is medically trained, and we’re certainly not doctors. All we ware is a bunch of life insurance agents who just happened to be really good at helping individuals find and qualify for the life insurance that they’re looking for. So please don’t mistake any of the medical information that we talk about 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 Pneumoconiosis… 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?

Common questions you’ll likely be asked may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis?
• Who diagnosed your Pneumoconiosis? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• What symptoms (if any) led to your diagnosis?
• Do you know what has caused you to suffer from Pneumoconiosis?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Are you currently taking any prescription medications?
• What are your current height and weight?
• In the past 12 months, have you used any tobacco or nicotine products?
• In the past two years, have you been admitted into a hospital 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 many variables that can come into play when trying to determine what kind of “rate” an individual diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis. This is why it’s almost impossible to know what kind of “rate” you might qualify for without first speaking with you directly.

That said, however…

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

Category #1.

Will consist of those who have been diagnosed with mild case Pneumoconiosis and have subsequently been able to remove themselves from the “contaminate” that caused them to develop this condition. Applicants such as these typically won’t have any other pre-existing medical conditions and will generally be considered pretty healthy. These individuals will “usually” qualify for a traditional life insurance policy; however, due to their illness, we’ll usually be limited to a “high risk” or Standard rate at best.

Category #2.

Will consist of those who have been diagnosed with a Moderate or Severe case of Pneumoconiosis or have yet to remove themselves from the “contaminate” causing them to suffer from this condition. In cases like these, while it still may be “possible” to qualify for traditional coverage, most won’t.

This is why…

Once we have exhausted any and all “traditional” options, we’ll often recommend that individuals like these take a look at some of the Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Policy options that may be available to them should they still wish to try and purchase some coverage.

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. This 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!