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 Polycythemia.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

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

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Polycythemia can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. The only problem is that before approving you for a traditional life insurance policy, most (if not all) life insurance companies will want to know more about “why” you suffer from Polycythemia and how “serious” your condition is before making any decisions about your application.

This is why…

You may want to consider avoiding applying for a no medical exam term life insurance policy as well, seeing how these policies tend to be more challenging to qualify for after someone has been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition like Polycythemia.

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

There are two main reasons a life insurance company will “care” if you have been diagnosed with Polycythemia. The first reason is that many of the reasons “why” an individual would be diagnosed with this condition can be severe. Once one begins producing excessive red blood cells, the consequences can also be quite severe.

For these reasons…

We wanted to take a moment and just briefly discuss what Polycythemia is as well as highlight some of the most common symptoms/complications of this disease so that we can gain a better understanding of exactly what a life insurance underwriter will be looking for when making their decision about your life insurance application.

Polycythemia Defined:

Polycythemia is a disease characterized by an increase in the size or mass of a red cell. This can be determined by the amount of hemoglobin and hematocrit in the blood and the number of erythrocytes (RBCs) circulating in the blood.

When speaking of…

Polycythemia doctors and researchers will often refer to Polycythemia as either Primary Polycythemia when the cause is related to an inherited genetic mutation or Secondary Polycythemia when caused by any number of factors.

• Chronic hypoxia,
• Erythropoietin releasing tumors,
• Bone marrow disorders,
• Etc…

Symptoms of Polycythemia may include:

• Fatigue,
• Headaches,
• Excessive sweating,
• Itching (after exposure to warm water),
• Blurred vision or blind spots,
• Bone pain,
• Excessive or unexplained bleeding from gums or small cuts,
• Pain or numbness in hands or feet.

Serious complications may include:

• Increased risk of blood clots,
• Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly),
• A variety of other blood disorders.

Treatment options…

It will typically focus on what is causing one to develop Polycythemia and attempt to remove or decrease the number of red blood cells produced. Options may include:

• Phlebotomy or blood draw,
• Low-dose aspirin regimen,
• Medications to reduce the number of blood cells in one’s body.

Now, at this point…

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

But…

It’s not so great if you’re seeking answers to specific medical questions. In such cases, we recommend contacting an actual medical professional with 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?

Typical questions you’ll likely be asked may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with Polycythemia?
• Who diagnosed your Polycythemia? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• What symptoms led to your diagnosis?
• Do you still suffer from any symptoms of your disease now?
• Do you know “why” you suffer from Polycythemia?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Over the past 12 months, have you noticed any changes with your Polycythemia?
• In the past two years, have you been admitted to a hospital for any reason?
• 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 variables can come into play when determining what kind of “rate” an individual is diagnosed with Polycythemia. This is why knowing what kind of “rate” you might qualify for is almost impossible without first speaking with you directly.

That said, however, most individuals who have been diagnosed with Polycythemia will usually fall into one of two different categories that we can make some “assumptions” about that will generally hold.

Category #1.

The first group of folks you’re going to have is those who have been diagnosed with Polycythemia, absent any serious pre-existing medical condition such as cancer, and are maintaining their condition well. In cases like these, you’ll likely find that most will be able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy, albeit at a “sub-standard” or “high-risk” rate.

Category #2.

The second group of individuals we’re going to encounter will be those who have been diagnosed with Polycythemia and either don’t currently have their condition well under control or are suffering from Polycythemia as a result of some “serious” pre-existing medical condition like cancer, which will likely keep them from being able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy. 

In cases like these, you’ll likely find that most (if not all) life insurance companies will either deny one’s traditional life insurance policy or POSTPONE one’s application until the applicant may be eligible for coverage. Here at IBUSA, we often encourage clients in this position to consider purchasing a guaranteed-issue life Insurance policy if they are still interested in gaining some life insurance coverage.

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 see 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!