Asthma is a common life insurance underwriting issue that we encounter with our clients. If you have asthma, we can help you get the life insurance coverage you need at the most competitive rates available.
Overview:
Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the lungs. Breathing difficulties occur with Asthma due to the narrowing or blocking of the airways. Asthma is divided into two categories. Allergic Asthma and Non-Allergic Asthma.
Allergic Asthma - Symptoms are triggered by an external source such as dust, pollen, mold, etc.
Non-Allergic Asthma - Non-allergic asthma is triggered by sources other than allergies. Non-allergic asthma may be triggered by things such as exercise, cold air, having a cold, etc.
Life Insurance Underwriting of Asthma:
Competitive term life insurance rates are available if you have asthma.
The factors that will affect your rate for life insurance are:
- Your age - How old were you when diagnosed with asthma and how old are you now?
- The type of asthma you have - Do you have Allergic asthma or non-allergic asthma?
- How often do you have asthma attacks?
- How severe are your asthma attacks?
- Have you been hospitalized for your asthma attacks?
- Do you take medications for your asthma?
- What medications do you take?
Asthma Medications and Life Insurance Underwriting:
Life insurance underwriters look at the medications you take and classify those medications into three categories:
First Line Therapies - First Line therapies are medications such as inhaled bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, and some pill medications. Examples would be medications such as Advair, Albuterol, Flovent, Atrovent, Singulair, Accolate, and others.
Second Line Therapies - Second Line Therapies for asthma are medications such as Alupent, Brethine, Theo-Dur, Slo-bid, Ventoline, and short use of medications such as Prednisone, and Prednisolone.
Third Line Therapies - Third Line Therapies for asthma include continuous use of oral or injected steroids, Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, Sandimmune and others.
How Life Insurance Underwriters Look at Asthma:
From a life insurance underwriting standpoint, underwiters look at Asthma and classify it into the categories of Mild Asthma, Moderate Asthma, and Severe Asthma.
Mild Asthma - With mild asthma, there is no disability between asthma attacks. Typically, only mild or occasional attacks occur, and no hospitalizations have occurred. If any medications are used, the types of asthma medications used are "first line" therapies such as inhaled bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, or some oral medications.
Moderate Asthma - With Moderate asthma, there may be some mild difficulty breathing between attacks. The number of attacks may increase, and the use of "first line" and occasional "second line" medications may occur. If you have been hospitalized for asthma, underwriters may consider you to have moderate asthma.
Severe Asthma - With Severe Asthma, the medications taken are "third line" therapies, there have been multiple hospitalizations, frequent use of steroids, difficulty in breathing between attacks, frequent attacks, etc.
What Kind of Rate Can I Expect to Pay?
The rate you can expect to pay will depend on how severe your asthma is, the medications you take, and how well your asthma is controlled.
Mild Asthma - There are a few companies available where a preferred rate may be possible.
Moderate Asthma - Typically, a standard rate will be available to you with the right company.
Severe Asthma - This will be case by case, but many cases will be rated as a "standard table 2" rate to "standard table 4" rate. Each table adds 25% increase to the price of a standard rate.
What We Do To Get You the Best Rate Possible
We will call you to discuss medical questions and your objectives. There is no pressure or obligation with our service. We then take your information and shop it out to a number of companies that we work with. It takes about 2 days to receive all feedback. At that time we will call you to discuss rates, options, etc..
At LifeInsuranceAdvisors.com, our service is a no pressure, no obligation service. We'll give you the information you need to make an informed decision about your life insurance.
Call us today at Toll Free (800) 909-2040. Thank you.
