Life Insurance with Syncope.

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 after they have suffered from a Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope.

Questions that will be addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I’ve suffered from a Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been suffered from a Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope?
• 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 suffered from a Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope?

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope 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 prior to being approved for a traditional life insurance policy, most (if not all) life insurance companies are going to want to make sure that the CAUSE of your low blood pressure “swings” is truly the result of having Vasovagal Syncope and not some “other” pre-existing medical conditions.

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been suffered from a Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope?

The main reason why a life insurance company is going to “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope is that the main symptom of this disorder is one that could also be caused by a variety of different pre-existing medical conditions many of which could potentially affect the outcome of one’s life insurance application.

This is why…

Most (if not all) of the top life insurance companies are going to want to make sure that you don’t suffer from any other pre-existing medical conditions, which could actually be the true cause of the Vasovagal Reaction that you’re suffering from. 

For this reason, we wanted to take a moment and discuss what a Vasovagal Reaction is as well as highlight some of the most common symptoms/complications of this disease so that we can gain a better idea about what a life insurance underwriter will be looking for when making his or her decision.

Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope Defined:

A Vasovagal reaction is a “reflex” controlled by one’s involuntary nervous system that causes the heart to begin beating more slowly (bradycardia), while simultaneously causing the blood vessels in the legs to begin widening which when combined can cause one to suffer from a variety of different symptoms.

Common symptoms may include:

• Fainting,
• Lightheadedness,
• Tunnel vision,
• Nausea,
• Pale skin,
• Feeling warm,
• Cold, clammy sweat.

Common causes of Vasovagal Reaction may include:

• Idiopathic or unknown cause,
• Standing for long periods of time,
• Seeing blood or having blood drawn,
• Heat exposure,
• Fear of bodily harm,
• Etc…

Diseases or conditions that…

Could cause one to suffer from a sudden loss of blood pressure that would not be considered Vasovagal Syncope rather this sudden loss of blood pressure would simply be considered a “symptom” of this other condition may include:

• Cardiovascular disease,
• Pregnancy,
• Endocrine problems,
• Dehydration,
• Blood loss,
• Septicemia,
• Anaphylaxis,
• Etc…

Fortunately…

For those who only suffer from Vasovagal Syncope and haven’t been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical condition which could be causing these symptoms, what you’re going to find is that there are a variety of different pharmaceutical options that one may utilize to minimize or reduce the most serious symptoms associated with this disease.

“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. We’re just a bunch of life insurance agents who just happened to be really good at helping individuals find and qualify for the life insurance 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 Vasovagal Reaction or Vasovagal Syncope… 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 Vasovagal Reaction?
• Who diagnosed your Vasovagal Reaction? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• What symptoms led to your diagnosis?
• Do you know what causes or “triggers” your Vasovagal Reaction?
• How frequently do you experience a Vasovagal reaction?
• Have you been diagnosed with any other pre-existing medical conditions?
• Are you currently taking any prescription medications?
• 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 Vasovagal Syncope. 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 Vasovagal Syncope will usually fall into one of two different categories that we can make some “assumptions” about that will generally hold true.

Category #1.

The first group of folks that we’ll commonly encounter with Vasovagal Syncope will be those who have been diagnosed with this condition absent any other pre-existing medical conditions, which could either be causing one’s drop in blood pressure levels or exacerbating the effects of one’s Vasovagal Reaction.

In cases like these…

What you’ll typically find is that most (if not all) life insurance companies aren’t necessarily going to use one’s previous Vasovagal Reaction diagnosis as a reason for discriminating against you during a traditional life insurance application. This is why some folks who have been diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope will still be able to qualify for a Preferred rate.

Category #3.

The second group of folks that we’ll commonly encounter will be those who have been diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope while simultaneously suffering from some “other” type of pre-existing medical condition, which may be contributing to one’s low blood pressure “symptoms.”

In cases like these…

What we’ll commonly find is that many will still be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole insurance policy only now they probably won’t be able to qualify for a Preferred rate. In fact, any may only be able to qualify for a Standard or Sub-standard “Table Rate”.

Table rates…

Are life insurance rates that are typically reserved for “higher risk” applicants and range from Table A, which would be considered the “best” or least expensive table rate, all the way to Table J which would be considered the “worst” or most expensive table rate.

Additionally…

In some cases, one’s Vasovagal Reaction will be viewed more as a “symptom” of some other pre-existing medical condition which will likely become the main determinant on what “kind” of insurance an individual will be able to qualify for and at what “price” they will need to pay for this coverage. In cases like these, we would invite folks to check out our Pre-existing Medical Conditions page for more information about their “other” diagnosis.

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!

Now, will we be able to help out everyone who has been previously diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope?

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 able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy, chances are there may be some other “type” of product that you CAN qualify for.

So, if you’re ready to see what options might be available to you, just give us a call!