An echocardiogram is a test of the heart that can speak volumes about the health of your heart. For that reason, an abnormal echocardiogram can have an effect on an application for life insurance. What Is an Echocardiogram? An echocardiogram is test that measures the performance and functionality of the human heart. The test is …
We’ve already covered the prospect of getting life insurance with diabetes as a general topic. But today we’re going to discuss the more specific topic of getting life insurance when you have Type 1 diabetes. From a life insurance perspective, type 1 diabetes is considered to carry a higher risk than type II diabetes. This is …
In a previous post, we already discussed the effects of smoking on life insurance premiums. But in this article, we’re going to discuss the more basic question of how much smoking makes you a smoker to life insurance companies. This isn’t a small issue either. When people apply for life insurance, they typically minimize how …
Marijuana has been much in the news recently, as an increasing number of states are voting to make it legal, whether for medical use alone, or for recreational purposes. But how does marijuana use affect life insurance? As the legalization of marijuana becomes more common throughout the country, its usage will become a more important factor …
It’s often thought that migraines have no real effect on life insurance, or that they shouldn’t. Sometimes that’s true, but in severe cases they can have a major effect. But don’t let that discourage you – there’s a life insurance policy out there for nearly everyone! What Are Migraines? Migraines are severe headaches that are accompanied by …
Just to avoid suspense, let’s answer that question quickly – yes, you can get life insurance with anemia. Feel better? That’s the good part of the explanation. The deeper part is that it won’t be as easy – or as inexpensive – to get life insurance in all cases if you do have it. But …
Getting life insurance when you have asthma is not the easiest venture into the life insurance universe. While you can usually get some type of coverage, it’s very easy to pay more than you should. Some life insurance companies welcome applications from people with asthma, while others prefer to not take on the risk – and …
A medical condition – any medical condition it seems – is often seen as making it impossible to get life insurance. Even if you can, it often results in your paying higher premiums for the policy you do get. If you have a condition like herpes, you may think that you fall into this category. It’s not …
We’ve already discussed DUI and DWI and the effect they have on life insurance. But what about the broader question of getting life insurance with a history of alcoholism? You can get life insurance even if you have alcoholism in your past. But there are some conditions that complicate the process. Why Alcoholism Matters to Life …
We’ve written a number of articles here at MCMHA.org dealing with the prospect of getting life insurance when you have certain specific health related conditions. If you’ve read some of the articles, you’re aware that there are certain consistencies in how life insurance companies deal with pre-existing conditions. So here is a summary of how …
Pacemakers are becoming increasingly common, especially as the population is becoming progressively older. The life insurance industry recognizes this trend, and has made adjustments to accommodate the growing number of people who have pacemakers. Don’t assume you can’t get life insurance simply because you have a pacemaker. The technology has improved, and people are now …
It’s virtually a forgone conclusion that smoking has an affect on life insurance premiums. Less well understood however is that virtually any use of tobacco products can affect life insurance coverage. That can include chewing tobacco, sometimes referred to as smokeless tobacco, even though it isn’t burned and inhaled. But there are a whole list …
Strokes claim the lives of over 150,000 people each year, making it the third leading cause of death in the US behind heart disease and cancer. For this reason, stroke can complicate the life insurance application process, making it more expensive at a minimum, or unavailable in a worst-case scenario. What is a Stroke and …
When it comes to life insurance there are all kinds of risks that insurance companies must evaluate in determining whether or not to approve a policy application, or the level of premiums they will charge if they do. Not all of the risk factors connected with life insurance have to do with your health condition, …
In 2011, more than 213,000 patients underwent heart bypass surgery. And while that number has dropped by nearly half from a decade earlier, that’s still a lot of people walking around who have had the procedure. If you are one of them, does that mean that you will not be able to get life insurance? …
You can get life insurance and even if you have bipolar disorder, but like any other major risk factor, bipolar disorder comes with special limitations. What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder occurs when a person has mood swings that alternate between depression, moments of extreme happiness, and feelings of irritability and anger. According to the …
Barely 20 years ago, not many people had heard of sleep apnea. As word of the condition spread, people often associated it mostly with an annoying snoring habit. But sleep apnea is a lot more than snoring – it’s actually a health-related condition, and one that can be extremely dangerous. For that reason, if you …
This is an almost absurd question, isn’t it? After all, pregnancy isn’t a disease or some sort of malfunction, but a perfectly normal way that children are brought into the world. But pregnancy can affect life insurance rates, if only under certain circumstances. It’s best to know when and how, especially if the need for …
Kidney disease is one of the more complicated high risk factors when applying for life insurance. There isn’t just one type of kidney disease, but several, and each can make it more difficult to buy life insurance. Different kinds of kidney disease Kidney disease can be either congenital – meaning you’re born with it – or …
Look on almost any life insurance premium chart, and one thing you will notice almost immediately is that life insurance is more expensive for men than for women. There are several reasons for this, and they all have to do with risk. Put simply, men are considered to be a higher risk to life insurance …
It’s often thought – mostly by cigar smokers – that cigar smoking has no effect on life insurance. After all, it isn’t real smoking of cigarettes, the kind of smoking everyone seems to hate these days. But, in point of fact, cigar smoking does affect life insurance, because cigar smoking is not without risks. And …
What do getting life insurance and being unemployed have to do with each other? Probably more than you think. You may be able to get life insurance if you’re unemployed – but you might also be declined. Here’s why. A sad reason why you may be turned down From a life insurance company’s perspective, the …
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – better known as COPD – is a more common disease than people are aware. And since there is no known cure, and it is potentially degenerative in nature, it can affect your ability to get life insurance. What is COPD? COPD is a disease that affects the lungs, limiting airflow …
When shopping for a life insurance policy, it’s natural to want to get the best premium rates that you can. So you shop around between different insurance companies and different brokers to find the best policies for the money. You also weigh out the cost benefit of adding various riders to the policy. All of …