Life Insurance

[debmidge]

Let me preface this by saying my husband was not diagnosed celiac disease by endoscopy...by the time he went for this test he was a year gluten-free so nothing celiac showed up. He did however test strongly positive for celiac disease the year prior to the test.

Last month he applied for an additional life insurance policy thru MetLife for the first time since he was 18 (life before celiac disease). He already has a very small MetLife life insurance policy from when he was 18.

From us, the agent learned what celiac disease is, etc. and submitted his application to his company for review.

Normal healthy people who don't smoke get a Standard rate or sometimes it's called Preferred rate. The agent could not presume my husband would get the best rate, and he even said my husband could be rejected. Strangely enough, the person at MetLife who reviews the health quesionnaires knew about celiac disease as she had several cross her desk in the past year.

The finality of this is that my husband was approved for the Standard rate!

Now what I think works in favor of celiacs is the fact that it is not considered a "disability" by Social Security. I think once you are pegged "disabled" it becomes a stigma.

For years, before celiac disease diagnosis, we never applied for life insurance for my husband because I thought for sure he'd be rejected due to his weight loss and GI symptoms.

So, if you're in NJ and need life insurance and want our agent's name and number send me a message (PM) and I'll give it to you.

D.

[debmidge]

correction: NJ, NY and Mass. are all states he is available in.

[Idahogirl]

I qualified for the best rate through New York Life, and I had to list that I had celiac. It didn't seem to be a problem at all.

Lisa

[debmidge]

I recall reading someone posting a while ago about having a problem obtaining life insurance due to celiac and just wanted to put this out there in case others were or have the same problem. So we'll put New York Life on the list too, as companies that don't have a problem underwriting celiacs for life insurance.

[jenvan]

Thanks for doing that...my dh and I will probably be doing that in the next few years...

[teachbgmomdesign]

Let me preface this by saying my husband was not diagnosed celiac disease by endoscopy...by the time he went for this test he was a year gluten-free so nothing celiac showed up. He did however test strongly positive for celiac disease the year prior to the test.

Last month he applied for an additional life insurance policy thru MetLife for the first time since he was 18 (life before celiac disease). He already has a very small MetLife life insurance policy from when he was 18.

From us, the agent learned what celiac disease is, etc. and submitted his application to his company for review.

Normal healthy people who don't smoke get a Standard rate or sometimes it's called Preferred rate. The agent could not presume my husband would get the best rate, and he even said my husband could be rejected. Strangely enough, the person at MetLife who reviews the health quesionnaires knew about celiac disease as she had several cross her desk in the past year.

The finality of this is that my husband was approved for the Standard rate!

Now what I think works in favor of celiacs is the fact that it is not considered a "disability" by Social Security. I think once you are pegged "disabled" it becomes a stigma.

For years, before celiac disease diagnosis, we never applied for life insurance for my husband because I thought for sure he'd be rejected due to his weight loss and GI symptoms.

So, if you're in NJ and need life insurance and want our agent's name and number send me a message (PM) and I'll give it to you.

D.

[sharps45]

I purchased a new term policy 18 months ago, and disclosed that I had celiac. The premium doubled! What do you do? If you don't disclose it, and they find out, no one will cover you. I don't know about cancelling it. At 50 anything but term is a waste of money.

[kwylee]

I have worked in the life insurance industry for many years. In that time I have routinely communicated with many underwriters directly, and I would be surprised to learn that anyone had been outright declined based on having celiac disease alone, i.e., an instant decline with no discussion. It certainly could be a factor in overall health condition, so not impossible to sometimes see an increased rate, but even that would depend on the individual health indicators of the person seeking insurance, and the severity of other conditions present, such as underweight, R.A., Lupus, cancer, etc.

My suggestion with celiac would be to shop around, and you may be surprised at the outcome. One thing I have seen is that all underwriters are different in their methodology, especially with something like celiac. High blood pressure, for instance, is viewed as a red flag to all insurers, but even that can see somewhat normal rates if controlled with medication, and a decision on rates could vary vastly from carrier to carrier.

And yes, on any application it is important to disclose the truth, especially as it relates to any conversations you may have had with a doctor. There is something called the Medical Information Bureau (MIB), that is dandy at picking up these little tidbits of data, including those notes that doctors make while you are talking to them, and it is always worse if a life underwriter finds out something material from MIB that was not disclosed on the application.

I have read where some will say that they have celiac disease even with no diagnosis, perhaps they are gluten intolerant but find it easier to put a name to it, unsure why, and I certainly respect their personal choice to do so. But in this age of instant information, you may want to consider sticking to the facts, rather than have to endure the possibility of higher insurance rates unjustly.