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 Psoriasis.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

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

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Psoriasis 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…

 unlike many other “skin” conditions, Psoriasis has been linked to some pretty severe complications, which is why a lot of the best life insurance companies (in our humble opinion) will want to know more about your Psoriasis before making any definitive decisions about the outcome of your life insurance application.

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

Most life insurance companies aren’t going to be all that worried about the fact that an individual has been diagnosed with Psoriasis once they can determine that your Psoriasis hasn’t also caused you to begin showing symptoms of any number of other pre-existing medical conditions, which will affect the outcome of your life insurance application.

For this reason…

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

Psoriasis Defined:

Psoriasis is a relatively common chronic skin disorder that occurs when the normal life cycle of a skin cell becomes “accelerated.” As a result, skin cells will build up rapidly on the skin’s surface. These “extra” layers of the skin will then form scales and/or red patches that are often itchy and sometimes painful.

Common symptoms may include:

• Inflamed patches of skin,
• White scales or plaques located within red patches,
• Itching and/or burning on and around patches,
• Thick, pitted nails,
• Swollen and painful joints.

Serious Complications may include:

• Psoriatic arthritis,
• Certain eye disorders,
• Obesity,
• Type 2 diabetes,
• Hypertension,
• Cardiovascular disease,
• Certain Autoimmune diseases,
• Parkinson’s disease,
• And Kidney disease.

One of the main…

Problems with Psoriasis is that nobody is quite sure what causes one to develop Psoriasis. This is why it’s unknown “why” some folks may develop one of these more “severe” complications after developing Psoriasis while others won’t. Currently, the theory that seems to have the most support right now is that it appears to be some “type” of autoimmune disease that causes one’s T cells and other blood cells called neutrophils to begin attacking one’s healthy skin cells.

Factors that can exacerbate one’s Psoriasis may include:

• Family medical history,
• Exposure to certain viral and/or bacterial infections, particularly HIV,
• Stress,
• Smoking,

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 really 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 Psoriasis?
• Who diagnosed your Psoriasis? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• What symptoms led to your diagnosis?
• Have you developed any severe complications as a result of your Psoriasis?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Are you currently taking any prescription medications right now?
• Does anyone in your immediate family (mother, father, brother, or sister) also have Psoriasis?
• Has any of your immediate family members ever been diagnosed with cancer, heart disease, or diabetes?
• Have any of them ever suffered from a heart attack or stroke?
• 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 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, many variables can come into play when determining what kind of “rate” an individual is diagnosed with Psoriasis. 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 diagnosed with Psoriasis usually fall into one of two categories that we can make some “assumptions” about that will generally hold true.

Category #1.

The first group of folks that we’ll most likely encounter will be those who have been diagnosed with Psoriasis and haven’t yet developed (or show signs of developing) any significant complications due to their condition. In cases like these, what we’ll typically find is that most life insurance companies are going to spend too much time “dwelling” on the fact that you’ve been diagnosed with Psoriasis, which is why many individuals in this category will have a “reasonable” chance at qualifying for a Standard or better rate (which would include Preferred).

Category #2.

The second group of folks that we’ll encounter will be those who have been diagnosed with Psoriasis and have either been diagnosed with some other “type” of pre-existing medical condition or show signs that they may one day down the line develop some “serious” pre-existing medical condition related to their Psoriasis.

In cases like these…

We’ll likely find that when an individual has not actually been “officially” diagnosed with some other “type” of a pre-existing condition, they will still be considered eligible for coverage, only now they’ll most likely only be able to qualify for a Standard or lower rate.

Now, as for those…

Who has been diagnosed with another “type” of pre-existing medical condition besides Psoriasis? We’ll finally find that this “other” “re-ex” sting medical condition will often be the major determinant in knowing what kind of “rate” y” you ma” qualify for.

The good news is that regardless of your situation, we here at IBUSA can help because we have tons of experience helping folks with pre-existing medical conditions like yours. We are committed to helping all our clients find the “best” l” fe i “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 li” e insurance” for me.”

In our experience here at IBUSA, we have found that usually, the folks who seem to find the “best” l “fe i “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 “challen” ing” case, “hey don’t rely on a…

“One size” fits all approach!”

Fortunately, this is precisely what you’ll find here at IBUSA!

Now, can we help out everyone who has been previously diagnosed with Psoriasis?

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 Final Expense Insurance Companies as well so that if someone isn’t qualified for a traditional life insurance policy, chances are there may be some other “type” o” pro “fact that you CAN qualify for.

So, if you want to see what options might be available, call us!