Have You Been Denied Life Insurance

[Junebug]

My husband and I have been looking around for Whole Life Insurance compared to Universal Life Insurance which we already have. Our Life insurance guy came by tonight and said that after all the urine and blood tests which were just fine, that I had been denied.
I am in good health, not overweight, don't drink or smoke and do not have any long term illness or have cancer in my family sooooo I am pretty sure that I was turned down because of my Epilepsy.

Any whoo, I'm just wondering if any of you had been denied Life Ins. because of epilepsy?

[brain]

I have moved the thread over here
so that people may post and vote.


The voting is ANONYMOUS so you
may vote privately.

[Molly97]

I have been able to get whole life insurance with New York Life; whole life is not the best insurance to have IMHO. I think term is better. I view this policy for myself as a burial policy; being 60 makes me think about such things.
The agent who sold me this policy was giving hubby and me info on Long Term Care policies. She told me at the time that I could not qualify for any private Long Term Care plan because I am on disability. I've investigated that with various sources over the last 3 years, and what she told me is right.

Now on to the question at hand. Through my husband's work, they offer spousal life insurance in addition to what he gets. We thought it would be a good way for me to have some life insurance since at that time, I had none. My doctor had to fill out a form where he disclosed my seizure problem, and I was denied. I also looked into that, and found that they are within their rights doing that.
I read somewhere that a person with refractory seizures which mine have been in the past, is more likely to die from seizures than from a traffic accident. I'm sure someone here has the exact statistic.

[Belinda5000]

I've had problems in the past finding life insurance, or couldn't get that much.
It was always my epilepsy they'd want to charge a lot to insure me.
I finally got some life insurance from Lincoln Heritage life Insurance and I got it in 2004.

Belinda

[Crazy Monkey]

I have been denied insurances to cover long term sickness from work, which is always a concern because of my mortgage, I still to this day have not found company to insure me, so I remain uninsured.

I have to pay a premium on my travel insurance but I have never had a problem with life insurance.

[Junebug]

It just doesn't make sense about the car accident thing, With drivers these days I think It'd be a bigger risk dying in a car accident. I've never had a seizure longer than a minute when I'm asleep and the seizures that I do have during my monthly cycle only last 5-10 seconds and only injured myself once in all the years I've been diagnosed with E which was about 23 yrs ago.

Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter cuz we're keeping the Universal Life since it is much cheaper than Whole Life.

[alivenwell]

I have insurance that I obtained in my 20s. Epilepsy was a pre-existing condition. Because of it, I had to pay an extra dollar figure per payment because their statistics state that people with epilepsy live with a higher injury/death risk than other people. I'm SO glad I have the health insurance. That seems to be much more valuable to me.

[dfwtexas]

I got denied disability (prior to getting diagnosed for seizures) because I take prescription pain medication. AFLAC sucks!

[brain]

Both been accepted and denied, OR
come up with some outrageous upfront premium,
"just because I had Epilepsy" ....

The ones who accepted me did not ask or inquire
about Epilepsy at all, they later found this out on
their own and it was NOT on their policy, we just
received a letter of notification that "my" policy was
going to be 'canceled' due to "changes and modifications"
yadda yadda yadda ... and "they" were no longer going
to cover Epilepsy.


This was very puzzling to us; for they would cover
someone with a cardiac problem, who in turn could
die anytime; but yet, someone with Epilepsy -> it was
through the roof? It had left us disgusted. After the
constant denials or the insane premiums just on me,
it was forget about it. Just not worth it!

We were left in a total state of being in a bubble,
is the best way I could describe it.

[skillefer]

Hmmm....Honestly, I get my life insurance through work....so I don't know. And I'm not going to call and ask and have them red flag my account.

[dfwtexas]

Yeah, don't call any attention to yourself. All the information an insurance company gets on you, goes into the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) and then all insurance company can review your history.

[stilldancing_98]

My Dad sold life insurance, he taught it. Midland Life. Well any one of the salesmen will set me up. I have to get on term for 2 years then it turns into a whole life policy. My son has life insurance. My mom pays for . We are both on ssi and they want us to borrow against it. But I refuse.You can get insurance.

[skillefer]

*chuckle* I know, jgbmartin...at one time I was a licensed insurance salesperson.

[epileric]

*chuckle* I know, jgbmartin...at one time I was a licensed insurance salesperson.

But skilly..... I thought you were so........... so nice

[dfwtexas]

I was a home office person...until after 15 years, they laid me off without notice. Now I tell people how horrible insurance companies! I would NEVER go back to work in insurance.

[Junebug]

Both been accepted and denied, OR
come up with some outrageous upfront premium,
"just because I had Epilepsy" ....

The ones who accepted me did not ask or inquire
about Epilepsy at all, they later found this out on
their own and it was NOT on their policy, we just
received a letter of notification that "my" policy was
going to be 'canceled' due to "changes and modifications"
yadda yadda yadda ... and "they" were no longer going
to cover Epilepsy.


This was very puzzling to us; for they would cover
someone with a cardiac problem, who in turn could
die anytime; but yet, someone with Epilepsy -> it was
through the roof? It had left us disgusted. After the
constant denials or the insane premiums just on me,
it was forget about it. Just not worth it!

We were left in a total state of being in a bubble,
is the best way I could describe it.

I am disgusted that the insurance co.'s have denied those of us for the plain and simple fact that we have E.
My husband and I received the lab results/urine analisys that was done on us for the ins. and mine came back PERFECT! My husband on the other hand came back with HIGH levels of enzymes in his liver, and high cholesterol but they didn't deny him. Every one of the enzymes tested came back high, even those that came back that are usually related to liver damage from alcohol and he has never had a drink of A in his life. He is 33 yrs old for Heavens sake and can still get ins. when his results came back with results like that so why not me who had perfect results, (most were at the very low end of the expected ranges,) and have E.

[skillefer]

I understand Junebug...but you have to remember, insurance companies don't deal on individual basis with individuals. They deal with statistics. And unfortunately, people with E are twice as likely to die of accidents, etc. Also, they're in the business to make money. They don't want to pay out any more money than they have to.
For example, think about all the hurricane victims in Louisiana who the insurance companies won't pay. Why? Because they argue that the damage done to their homes was flood damage, and their homeowners policy does not cover flood.

ERIC: What gave you that impression??? *innocent smile and batting of eyelashes followed by maniacal chuckle*

[Junebug]

I understand Junebug...but you have to remember, insurance companies don't deal on individual basis with individuals. They deal with statistics. And unfortunately, people with E are twice as likely to die of accidents, etc. Also, they're in the business to make money. They don't want to pay out any more money than they have to.
For example, think about all the hurricane victims in Louisiana who the insurance companies won't pay. Why? Because they argue that the damage done to their homes was flood damage, and their homeowners policy does not cover flood.

ERIC: What gave you that impression??? *innocent smile and batting of eyelashes followed by maniacal chuckle*

I know, but I just don't understand that insurance co's deny those with E. We're all going to die someday! If I am denied whole life vs universal life, why deny me? They'd still pay my husband and girls the insurance regardless if I just started the policy or have had it for 50 yrs. It would be better to get the whole life and have it pay the amnt that my $ has earned, (whole life continues to pay the amnt of your ins and also increases as you get older, i.e. my $400k ins could be worth over 1 mil. tax free, if I live for 50 + more yrs and die from a seizure than if I get the ins and die the days after, my husband will still get the $400k. I think it would just be smarter for the ins companies to give me the ins than pay my family the 1 mil + $ later when I die from natural causes. Just doesn't make sense.

[skillefer]

Because you might be one of the odd cases and live over age 100...in which case, they'll be paying out lots more money than the term insurance would.

[stilldancing_98]

Ya, but they want to bring more money in . I just happen to know the right people and my Dad helped them sell there first policy and stuff. My Dad was on the same policy as I have to get on when he died. He did not make it the full 2 years. So they gave my family back what he paid in. He did not have epilepsy, he had severe diabetes.