Hep C Discussion Forum

dustbear · Senior Member

RE: Life Insurance

KLG · Veteran Member

I have life insurance that I obtained after I was diagnosed with hep c. And they know my diagnosis. (Allstate - am I allowed to say that?). I actually found out I had hep c when I applied for life insurance through a different company. That company denied me. I also got life insurance with another company after that (but I can't recall the name) despite the previous denial and the hep c.

Dustbear, If the bank rep is HR then she should maintain confidentiality but I would be leery of disclosing to her if she is a co-worker. You would have to include in the app but that may be something you can seal in an envelope.

dustbear · Senior Member

Tig56 wrote
. Get everything in writing and guarantees that your original policy will be protected in case of any "misunderstandings" after the fact.
Great tip, thx tig56

Tig · Admin

While I'm not familiar with Canadian insurance regulations, I would be certain that if you make any attempts to change your existing policy (even if they instigated it) that they can't cancel your policy due to the attempt. Insurance companies can be very sneaky when they want to be and regulation of them varies widely. Get everything in writing and guarantees that your original policy will be protected in case of any "misunderstandings" after the fact. I would be surprised if your bank insurance agent isn't required to notify the insurance company of any changes or irregularities with a policy. The agent does work for the insurance company right? Be careful!

dustbear · Senior Member

Well, I'm not requesting an increase, and they can't take my policy away until it expires. They want to offer a longer policy at a lower price. It is Manulife. I guess it will depend on what medical questions they ask, if any. I will find out this Saturday.

Again, I'm not sure that if I tell the insurance agent at the bank (and not the insurance company) that I have hep c she will keep it confidential between us. Like doctor patient confidentiality.

Tig · Admin

I think they can request a review anytime but that generally applies when they want you to increase your policy limits. I was told that as long as you're current on all premiums and never lied to obtain coverage, you can't be cancelled. But keep in mind that they don't have to allow you to increase your own benefits after admitting to or testing positive for serious disease (or anything else on their precious list). I don't know what your specific policy states but they are fairly typical here in the States. Of course as they say, "Your written policy determines all provided benefits".

2willy · Senior Member

|In Canada, when I worked in the addiction field, most insurance companies would not reconize addictions as disease but would not insure any person for five years if they had gone through a treatment facility, so I guess what |I am saying is it seems they can do what ever they want as they have time and money on their side, worst one was Manuel Life, Bill and his dogs

dustbear · Senior Member

My Life insurance policy wants a review. I'm afraid to tell the rep that I have hep c.

Is this not confidential between client and rep?

britlitkaren · Senior Member

Good thread. My insurance at the school where I teach accepts with no questions the first year. They pay for all my medical costs and now know that I see a transplant dr every 6 months. I have wondered what would happen if I ever lost insurance.
It makes sense that insurance companies would get hip to this segment of the population who has hep c or got an SVR.

davesf · Senior Member

I like to have a glass of wine now and then now that I'm SVR. I have inquired about life insurance. I went through Select Quote who is a broker for many companies. We never formalized the application as their program did not pick any companies where I would be accepted. They told me essentially that after SVR is doable but only if you are a non-drinker.

dustbear · Senior Member

fecvox wrote:
All of the applications for life insurance asks if you have any liver disease. They will not insure you if you say yes. My wife applied with MetLife and it was denied. was anyone able to purchase life insurance if they declared that they have Hep C? That is my question. If you do not have a home or dependents then I guess you do not need it.

I want to know the answer to the same question!

I just realized that I'm very lucky to have had a policy before diagnosis, but now I can't change it. Or can I after achieving SVR? I live in Canada but I think the US has similar policies.

fecvox · Newbie

All of the applications for life insurance asks if you have any liver disease. They will not insure you if you say yes. My wife applied with MetLife and it was denied. was anyone able to purchase life insurance if they declared that they have Hep C? That is my question. If you do not have a home or dependents then I guess you do not need it.

kentroy678 · Newbie

In most instances, individual life insurance offers a much better value than mortgage insurance through a lender. Individual life insurance policies provide level coverage, the plan is portable, if you decide to switch homes or move to another bank, and the insurance company allows you to choose your own beneficiary. There are also substantial discounts to non-smokers and people who have a healthy lifestyle. Mortgage insurance through the bank offers declining coverage, the bank is the insureds beneficiary and there are generally no discounts given to non-smokers or people with a healthy lifestyle

Link removed - links to commercial websites are not allowed here!

-- Edited by greenqueen on Friday 20th of April 2012 09:18:45 AM

lilly · Newbie

Are you still interested in getting information on life insurance?

peanut · Newbie

hi, one of the new vertex ambassador's . recently posted, he got a 500k life ins policy. He is SVR for over 2 yrs. At first he was denied. He had to prove his SVR has been 2 yrs. plus. He said its cheaper than his smaller policy. He said Insurance companies are starting to get hip to SVR.

Moocow · Guru

I don't have a clue about mortgage insurance (homeowners) because it has nothing to do with health issues, per se. Homeowner's insurance is basically mandated if you borrow to purchase a home so there is guarantee if the home burns to the ground or another disaster, the lender will be paid for the loan.

Life insurance is a whole different ballgame. Depending upon the amount of the policy, sometimes the insurance company will come in and draw blood for specific tests- and yes, they are frowning upon tobacco users. Many people are finding out that something is wrong from these tests that life insurance companies are doing. Normally, they do lipid panels, liver panels, general blood tests to see if the proposed insured is within normal ranges for their age bracket. Now, if the liver panel shows elevated ALT/AST, they will probably be notified to see their doctor. I've never heard of insurance companies having Hepatitis Antibody Screenings, but I wouldn't put anything past the insurance industry as a whole.

Focusing in on Life Insurance, you can state you've never had a problem or been diagnosed, but if you die and it's discovered via your medical history (remember, you will sign an authorization to allow them access to your medical records), they won't pay out upon your death. So, that money would be a total loss. If they find out while you're alive during the application process, EVEN IF YOU ATTAINED SVR, you will be denied. You can't even get a cheap 10K policy if you've been diagnosed, no matter if you treated and succeeded.

I think it's a crime, but then again, I think insurance as a whole is the biggest legal racket going.

fecvox · Newbie

Hello,
does anyone know if it is possible to get mortgage/life insurance if you have been diagnoised with Hep C?

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