Lupus is an autoimmune condition that affects around 1.5 million Americans. When it comes to life insurance, people with lupus may encounter certain challenges or considerations when obtaining coverage. If you’re living with this condition, it’s important to understand the life insurance options available to you so you can make informed decisions when seeking coverage, ensuring financial protection for yourself and your loved ones. In this article, we’ll discuss how pre-existing conditions like lupus can affect life insurance eligibility and key life insurance considerations to keep in mind as you shop for coverage.
What is lupus?
Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This can lead to inflammation, pain, and damage to various parts of the body. Lupus symptoms can vary widely but often include:
Fatigue
Joint pain
Skin rashes
Fever
Sensitivity to sunlight
Butterfly-shaped rash on the cheeks and face
Dry eyes
Confusion and memory loss
Headaches
In severe cases, this condition can cause organ damage. However, lupus may involve a variety of difference symptoms for each unique individual, as no two cases of this condition are identical. Diagnosing lupus can be challenging due to its diverse and overlapping symptoms. Physicians typically use a combination of medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and imaging studies to diagnose lupus. While there is no cure for lupus, treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing flare-ups.
The exact cause of lupus is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. Certain environmental triggers, such as sunlight, infections, certain medications, and hormones, can also contribute to the development of lupus in individuals who are more susceptible to this condition. For people with lupus, obtaining life insurance may present more challenges than those without pre-existing conditions, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to get coverage.
How do pre-existing conditions affect life insurance eligibility?
When applying for life insurance, individuals are typically required to undergo a medical exam. During this process, the insurance company evaluates the applicant's health, including any pre-existing conditions, to determine the level of risk they pose. This means that if you have a condition like lupus, it may impact your life insurance eligibility.
It can also affect the cost and type of coverage available since carriers will see the risk of insuring you as higher than someone without a medical condition. When applying for a policy with a pre-existing condition, insurance companies may charge higher premiums or offer coverage with certain exclusions related to your condition.
Life Insurance Considerations for People With Lupus
Shopping for life insurance with an autoimmune condition like lupus can present certain obstacles, but it helps to be prepared and informed with accurate, honest, and up-to-date information about your situation. Providing comprehensive medical documentation related to your lupus, including treatment history, medication management, and current health status, can help support the application process and potentially lead to more favorable underwriting outcomes.
Insurance companies will assess your pre-existing condition based on factors like the severity of the condition, how well it’s controlled, and your overall health. This means that if your lupus is well-managed, it may have less impact on eligibility and premiums than a poorly controlled condition. Showing evidence of lifestyle changes, medication, or other methods of disease management may help you receive more reasonable premiums.
What type of life insurance is right for people with lupus?
When applying for life insurance with a pre-existing condition like lupus, you’ll want to consider the two primary types of policies: term and permanent coverage. Term life insurance is a type of policy that provides coverage for a specific period, or "term," of time. In the event of the policyholder's death during the term, the insurance company pays out a death benefit to the designated beneficiaries. However, if the policyholder outlives the term, the coverage typically expires unless it’s renewed or converted to a different type of life insurance.
Instead, permanent life insurance is a type of life insurance that provides coverage for the entirety of the policyholder's life as long as the premiums are paid. Unlike term life insurance, permanent life insurance includes a cash value component that grows over time on a tax-deferred basis. If you have trouble qualifying for a traditional term or permanent life insurance due to a condition like lupus, you can consider a final expense policy, as these policies don’t require a medical exam, and most guarantee coverage for people ages 45-85. Here’s an overview of these options:
Simplified Issue Life Insurance: Simplified issue life insurance offers a more streamlined process than purchasing traditional term or whole life insurance. Unlike other types of final expense insurance, coverage with simplified issue is not guaranteed, but it’s based on a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle rather than an in-person medical exam.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance: Guaranteed issue life insurance offers guaranteed approval if you’re between the ages of 45-85. It doesn’t require a medical exam or submission of medical records, just a basic application.
Critical Illness Life Insurance: Critical illness life insurance can provide coverage despite future serious health issues such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. There are policies designed specifically for various conditions. Critical illness insurance requires no medical exam and provides lifetime coverage, regardless of future diagnosis.
SelectQuote Can Help You Find the Right Life Insurance for Your Needs
Searching for the right life insurance can seem challenging when you have a condition like lupus, but SelectQuote can help streamline this process. We have nearly 40 years of experience helping people with various medical situations find the right coverage for their loved ones. We offer a personalized experience designed to reduce the hassle of shopping for life insurance. Our licensed insurance agents will take the time to learn about your unique needs and use that information to gather a variety of unbiased quotes to help you find the right policy for your situation.
