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 having been diagnosed with Cardiac Pacemaker (Artificial).

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have received a Cardiac Pacemaker (Artificial)?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I have received a Cardiac Pacemaker (Artificial)?
• What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
• What “rate” 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 have received a Cardiac Pacemaker (artificial)?

Yes, individuals who have received an artificial cardiac pacemaker can and often will qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. The only problem is that many of the pre-existing medical conditions which could lead one to require an artificial pacemaker are quite serious. These “types” of life insurance applications can become pretty complicated pretty quickly.

It’s also why…

Even though it may be “theoretically” possible for someone to be able to qualify for a no medical exam term life insurance policy with an artificial heart valve because these “types” of policies tend to be more difficult to qualify for we here at IBUSA will usually advise against applying for one simply because one’s chances of been approved are usually quite slim.

Why do life insurance companies care if I have received a Cardiac Pacemaker (Artificial)?

You can pretty much bet that any time an individual has been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition that affects the heart, most (if not all) of the best life insurance companies are going to be interested in learning more about that condition.

And…

This is exactly what we’ll find when trying to assist an individual who has received a Cardiac Pacemaker. Only in cases like these, what we’ll usually find is that because the “pacemaker” is the treatment for a condition and not the condition itself, most applications like these will focus more on “why” you needed to receive a pacemaker.

And who well…

It has helped to improve your overall health! This is why it makes sense just to take a moment to examine what an artificial pacemaker is as well as briefly list some conditions which might cause one to need an artificial cardiac pacemaker.

Artificial Cardiac Pacemaker Defined:

An artificial cardiac pacemaker is a medical device that is “implanted” within a patient to generate electrical impulses to the heart muscle so that a “normal” heartbeat or heart “functioning” can be resumed.

Pre-existing medical conditions…

Which could lead on to requiring an artificial cardiac pacemaker may include:

• Bradyarrythias,
• Heart failure,
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,
• Syncope,
• Etc…

Common symptoms that may exist before receiving a pacemaker may include:

• Fainting,
• Dizziness,
• Feeling of lightheadedness,
• Easily exhausted or “winded”,
• Etc…

Fortunately…

Having a pacemaker implanted is a “relatively” routine procedure. It isn’t one that most life insurance companies are going to get too “worried” about, particularly because of how effective they can be in improving one’s health once they are working properly.

“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 diagnose yourself. After all, if you do and your correct, you’re still going to need to see the doctor, and if you’re wrong, the time you spend being you’re on doctor could really cause great harm to 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 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 Cardiac Pacemaker… that’s it! Which brings us to our next topic which is

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

• When applying for life insurance, you will typically be required to complete an application that includes questions about your personal and medical history. If you have received a cardiac pacemaker (artificial), the insurance company may ask for more information about your condition and how it is being managed. Some of the information they may request includes:
  • Details about your diagnosis and the reason for receiving a cardiac pacemaker, including any underlying heart conditions or symptoms you were experiencing.
  • Information about your treatment, including the type of pacemaker you received, any complications or problems you have experienced, and any medications you are taking.
  • Any additional medical conditions you have, as well as your family medical history.
  • Your current and past occupation, as well as any hazardous activities you engage in as part of your work or leisure activities.
  • Your lifestyle habits, including your diet, exercise routine, and use of tobacco or alcohol.

  It is important to be honest and accurate when answering these questions, as this information will be used to determine your eligibility for a life insurance policy and the premiums you will pay. If you do not disclose your cardiac pacemaker and it is discovered later, it could affect your coverage or the payout of your policy.

  It is also a good idea to have a copy of your medical records and a list of medications you are taking with you when you apply for life insurance. This can help the insurance company get a better understanding of your condition and its management.

What “rate” can I qualify for?

Now, what you’re generally going to find is that because most of the underlying pre-existing medical conditions which having an artificial cardiac pacemaker can be used to treat are considered insurable, what will determine what kind of “rate” an individual will be able to qualify for will be based on how “well” your artificial cardiac pacemaker is working!

Which is why…

It’s pretty much impossible to know exactly what “rate” you might qualify for without first speaking with you directly and get a better understanding of exactly how “healthy” you are. That said, however, it is fair to say that if you have received an artificial cardiac pacemaker, chances are you won’t be able to qualify for a Standard or better rate.

Which means…

That you’ll most likely “automatically” be considered a “high-risk” applicant by most (if not all) life insurance companies, which is why you’re going to want to be very “selective” with which life insurance companies you decide to apply for coverage with.

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!