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 being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

• Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy?
• What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
• What “rate” can I qualify for?
• How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance”?

So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy?

Individuals can qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy after being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. The only problem is that there will also be a large number of individuals diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy who won’t qualify for coverage as well.

This is why, individuals diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy need to be sure that they do their “homework” before applying for a traditional life insurance policy. And be sure that the agent they choose to work with has the experience necessary to ensure they can find the best life insurance company for them!

Why do life insurance companies care if I have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy?

The main reason why most life insurance companies are going to “care” if an individual has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy is that they’re going to want to try and differentiate between those candidates who seem to be suffering from a “mild” case of Cerebral Palsy who probably have an average life expectancy, from those who may be suffering from a “severe” case of Cerebral Palsy who may see their life expectancy reduced significantly!

Cerebral Palsy Defined:

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a pre-existing medical condition that seems to be made up of a group of permanent movement disorders that typically appear early on during childhood.

Symptoms of this disease can vary significantly from patient to patient and may include:

• Slow, awkward movements,
• Muscle stiffness,
• Muscle weakness,
• Muscle spasm,
• Inability to fully control one’s limbs,

Unfortunately, the cause of Cerebral Palsy still remains a mystery today, even though there does appear to be some likely candidates for this disease. Candidates such as:

• Bleeding in the brain during utero,
• Insufficient blood flow to specific organs,
• Complications due to seizures occurring early in life,
• Genetic predisposition,
• Traumatic brain injuries,
• Rh diseases,
• Exposures to toxins,
• Exposure to certain infections while in utero,
• Including:
  • • Rubella,
    • Chickenpox or Varicella,
    • Cytomegalovirus,
    • Herpes,
    • Toxoplasmosis,
    • Syphilis,
  • Zika

On the positive side, Cerebral Palsy is not a progressive disease, which means that individuals will typically not endure any further degradation of their overall physical condition once the original “severity” of the disorder seems to be determined. Which is great, because it will make it easier for a life insurance underwriter to decide once they have determined just how “severe” your condition is.

Now…

Before anyone gets too upset about the simplicity of the definitions we’re using here, it’s essential to understand that we here at IBUSA aren’t medical experts or doctors. All we are is a bunch of life insurance agents who happen to be good at helping folks with pre-existing medical conditions, like cerebral Palsy described above, find and qualify for life insurance coverage.

Which means that…

Because we’re not going to be “diagnosing” your condition, all we need to do is understand the differences between these conditions. Those differences will affect how a life insurance underwriter will view you as a potential “risk.” The good news is that despite how simple our definitions of these diseases may be, getting someone with cerebral palsy life insurance is something that we have down pat!

Which is why…

When we are approached by an individual diagnosed with one of these tough-to-place conditions, we will immediately know what questions a life insurance underwriter will want to know before making any decision about the outcome of your life insurance application.

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 with questions about your personal and medical history. If you have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, the insurance company may ask for more information about your condition and how it is managed. Some of the information they may request includes:

• Details about your diagnosis and the severity of your condition, including any underlying causes or contributing factors.
• Information about your treatment and management, including any medications you are taking and any therapies or rehabilitation you are receiving.
• Any additional medical conditions you have and your family medical history.
• Your current and past occupation and 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 essential 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 diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy 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 take when applying for life insurance. This can help the insurance company better understand your condition and its management.

What life insurance rate can I qualify for?

When it comes time to determine what rate an individual will be able to qualify for after having been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, what you’re usually going to find is that most life insurance underwriters will focus their attention on just how severe your symptoms are. And how significant they are in your ability to live a “normal” life.

Which means that…

If you’re currently working, and it seems like your Cerebral Palsy isn’t preventing you from being able to live a “normal” life, you should still be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. That said, however, if you’re Cerebral Palsy is so “severe” that it may be preventing you from being able to live out a “normal” life and perform routine daily activities. You may NOT be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance. You may need to seek out an “alternative” life insurance product, such as a guaranteed issue life insurance policy or an accidental death policy, which will not require medical questions or exams.

The good news is that…

Regardless of your situation, we at IBUSA can help because we have extensive experience helping people with pre-existing medical conditions like yours. We are committed to helping all 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…

What can I do to help ensure I get the best life insurance?

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.
• 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 help a more “challenging” case, they don’t have to rely on a…

“One size fits all approach”

Fortunately, this is precisely what you’ll find here at IBUSA. So just give us a call!