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 Glaucoma.

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

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

Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Glaucoma can and often will qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. In fact, many may even be eligible for a Preferred rate when applying for a no-exam term life insurance policy!

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

In general, most (if not all) of the best life insurance companies (in our humble opinion) aren’t all that concerned that an individual has been diagnosed with Glaucoma mainly because Glaucoma isn’t a medical condition that is necessarily going to cause any “life-threatening” complications.

That said, however…

Because Glaucoma can cause an individual to begin having difficulties seeing and because it can ultimately lead to blindness if left untreated, it’s not all that uncommon for a life insurance company to want to ask a few questions about your Glaucoma before making any decisions about your life insurance application.

After all, suppose you were to become completely blind as a result of not treating your Glaucoma. In that case, it is pretty safe to say that your life would probably change considerably and that you may not be able to do the same things you can do today, which is something that most life insurance companies would usually like to avoid whenever possible.

Which is why…

We want to take a moment to define precisely what Glaucoma is and highlight some of the most common symptoms of the disease so that we’ll have a better idea of what a life insurance underwriter will most likely be looking for when making their decision about your life insurance application.

Glaucoma Defined:

Glaucoma is a term used to describe a group of different eye conditions that can potentially damage the optic nerve, essential to maintaining good vision. An abnormally high pressure usually causes this “damage” to the optic nerve within the eyeball itself. It is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over 60.

Common symptoms may include:

• Intense eye pain,
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Sudden vision difficulties, particularly nighttime vision loss or impairment,
• Blurry vision,
• Halos around lights,
• Etc…

Fortunately, Glaucoma can be treated using various methods, including prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser eye treatment, or a combination of all of the above.

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 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 might be asked may include:

• When were you first diagnosed with Glaucoma?
• Who diagnosed your Glaucoma?
• What symptoms (if any) led to your diagnosis?
• Have you suffered from any permanent damage to your optic nerve as a result of your Glaucoma?
• What treatment options are you pursuing to treat your Glaucoma?
• Have you been able to lower your Ocular Hypertension?
• Do you have any issues with your driving record? Issues such as multiple moving violations or a suspended license?
• 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?

Generally speaking, what you’re going to find is that most life insurance companies aren’t going to care all that much about the fact that you have been previously diagnosed with Glaucoma, particularly if you are suffering from any difficulties with your vision.

The problem is…

While your Glaucoma might not be an issue when applying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy, many other factors could affect the outcome of your life insurance application.

Factors such as your:

• Current height and weight ratio.
• Family medical history,
• Future travel destinations,
• Previous criminal background,
• Participation in certain hobbies,
• Etc…

This is why, it‘s pretty much impossible to know what kind of “rate” you might be able to qualify for without first speaking with you directly. That said, however, it’s fair to say that with regards to your Glaucoma diagnosis, what you’re probably going to find is that whatever “rate” that you would have been able to qualify for before being diagnosed with Glaucoma should be the same “rate” that you can qualify for AFTER being diagnosed with Glaucoma. This segues very nicely into our next topic, which is…

How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?

In our experience here at IBUSA, what works best for folks who have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition where the “severity” of the condition is often “subjective” is for the applicant to make sure that they first find a true life insurance professional who will work as an advocate for them. Such an agent can help guide you through the application process and be perfectly “frank” with you about what options may or may not be possible.

From there…

You’ll also want to make sure that the very same agent you have chosen has access to dozens of different life insurance companies because, after all, it doesn’t matter how “great” of a life insurance agent you might have if they don’t have access to the “best” life insurance policy for you! Now, does it?

Lastly, before applying for coverage, you should be completely honest with your life insurance agent. By doing so, you will help them narrow down what options might be the “best. “

So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call today and see what we can do for you!

Now, can we help out everyone previously diagnosed with Glaucoma?

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 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 they CAN qualify for.