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 Gout.
Questions that will be directly addressed will include:
- Can I qualify for life insurance if I have been diagnosed with Gout?
- Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Gout?
- 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 Gout?
Yes, individuals who have been diagnosed with Gout can and often will qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. In fact, some may even be eligible for a Preferred rating when applying for a no-exam term life insurance policy!
The only problem is while it is true that Gout isn’t considered a “life-threatening” medical condition if left untreated or poorly managed, studies have shown that having frequent Gout “episodes” can increase one’s chances of developing some pretty serious medical conditions later on in life.
This is why…
Before being approved for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy, one should expect to have to answer several questions about their Gout so that a life insurance underwriter can get a better idea about how severe your condition is and what “kind” of risk you would pose to them should they decide to approve your application.
Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been diagnosed with Gout?
If you ask most people who have ever experienced Gout, they will all agree it is a terrible experience. That said, however, far fewer would agree that it ought to affect the outcome of their life insurance application!
But the truth is…
Frequent “gout” attacks combined with poor or no management of this condition can lead to some pretty severe consequences. That’s why we wanted to take a moment and discuss what Gout is and some of the severe consequences that can occur so that we can all better understand “why” a life insurance company is likely to “care” if you have been diagnosed with it in the past.
Gout Defined:
At its core, Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that can develop when someone has high uric acid levels in their blood. When this occurs, the uric acid forms tiny needle-like crystals within a patient’s joints, causing sudden and severe bouts of pain.
Symptoms may include:
- Sudden and severe joint pain,
- Redness and swelling of the joints,
- Feeling like your big toe is on fire!
- Difficulty walking,
- Etc…
Long-term consequences of Gout may include:
- Permanent joint damage and/or deformity,
- Loss of mobility or range of motion,
- Bone loss,
- Development of Toppi, which are “chalky” lumps or deposits that form underneath the skin,
- Kidney stones,
- Chronic kidney disease,
- Etc…
These potential long-term consequences will make a life insurance company “care” about the fact that you have been diagnosed with Gout in the past. That’s why most life insurance companies will want to ask you a series of medical questions about your Gout before approving your traditional life insurance application.
What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
Insurance companies will likely ask for information regarding your Gout to determine your risk level and insurance options. Some common questions they may ask include:
- When were you diagnosed with Gout?
- How often do you experience gout flare-ups?
- What medications do you take for Gout?
- Have you ever been hospitalized for Gout or related complications?
- Have you experienced any joint damage or associated complications as a result of Gout?
- Do you follow a specific diet or exercise regimen to manage your Gout?
- Have you ever had kidney stones or kidney damage related to Gout?
- Do you have any other medical conditions that may be related to or exacerbated by Gout?
- Are you a smoker or consume alcohol regularly?
- Have you ever been denied insurance coverage or had an insurance claim denied due to Gout or related complications in the past?
Based on your answers to these questions, the insurance company will assess your risk level and determine whether or not they are willing to offer you coverage. They may also request additional medical records or a medical exam to evaluate your health further. Depending on the severity and frequency of your gout flare-ups and related complications, the insurance company may offer specialized insurance policies or higher premiums to cover the increased risk.
Now, at this point…
We usually like to take a moment and remind folks that nobody here at IBUSAs 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 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 rate (or price) can I qualify for?
Now, as you can see, by the questions above, most life insurance companies aren’t going to have a whole lot of “specific” questions for someone who has been previously diagnosed with Gout because all they’re going to want to know is:
- How frequently do you suffer from Gout?
- How you’re treating your Gout?
- And if you’ve developed any permanent consequences due to your Gout?
From there, most life insurance underwriters will have enough information to decide whether you’re eligible and at what rate.
The good news is…
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” 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…
How can I help ensure I get the “best life insurance” for me?
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.
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!”
The good news is that this is precisely what you’ll find here at IBUSA!
Now, can we help out everyone previously diagnosed with Gout?
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 Burial Life 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.
