Can cancer patients avail any dedicated life insurance?

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 04:50 pm Post Subject:

The answer would only be "yes" if they have consulted a health care professional within the last 10 years. The info won't be in the APS if an APS isn't required. The MIB won't have it if the person hasn't applied for insurance in the past. Here is an example from my practice:

A 27 year old was buying life insurance for the first time. He had cancer when he was 5. He received ultrapreferred rates. He answered all questions honestly. Unfortunately, he died a short time after that following a short bout with cancer.

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 01:21 am Post Subject: insurance

Even if a person is in 'remission', there are alot questions, on the application, that ask about your Medical history. And.....(I think anyway), the Insurance companies would STILL base their decisions on 'you DO have cancer, you're just in 'remission' now.' Cancer 'clients', that I have, have had that SAME problem with Insurance companies. The Insurance companies aren't looking at their 'remission' time, yet, they are looking at there history.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 09:58 am Post Subject:

Over the past 10 years, he had consulted doctors, just like almost every body consults doctors. He had physicals every couple of years. The answer to the cancer question was "no". He's not the only client that I've had that has gotten great rates with a cancer history. We obviously wouldn't have gotten these rates with a company that asked, Have you ever received treatment..."

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:03 pm Post Subject: insurance

With a few of my 'clients', who DO have cancer, I helped them fill out paperwork, for Insurance coverage. You'll be surprised how many questions, were on the forms, about "receiving treatment". It's really sad when my 'clients' come to dead ends' like this.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 01:04 pm Post Subject:

Over the past 10 years, he had consulted doctors, just like almost every body consults doctors. He had physicals every couple of years. The answer to the cancer question was "no". He's not the only client that I've had that has gotten great rates with a cancer history. We obviously wouldn't have gotten these rates with a company that asked, Have you ever received treatment...

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 03:49 pm Post Subject:

What is meant by, "Have you consulted a health care professional regarding cancer?"?

Let me try to explain by what I mean. Jim had cancer many years ago and has been cancer free for 15 years. He has a physical every year. They check his white blood cell count.

John has never had cancer. He has a physical every year. They check his white blood cell count.

Both are getting the exact same tests. John certainly wouldn't say that he consulted a doctor for cancer within the last 10 years. Wouldn't the same hold true for Jim?

Another way to look at this is that you can't consult a doctor for a disease that you don't have. Consulting someone to make sure that you don't have a disease is not the same as consulting someone for a disease.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 04:01 pm Post Subject:

So where is the line drawn? You had the disease before and you are still receiving consultations to make sure it does not come back. That is certainly different than someone who has never had it in the first place.

I'd rather play it safe and disclose everything to the company up front. If they still give him Preferred Plus, you did your job and he still got the best rates. What do you have to lose, other than a client who may or may not be willing to pay the higher rates if the company says they won't give him Preferred Plus? Sounds like a potential E&O claim or contestability clause claim waiting to happen.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 04:45 pm Post Subject:

I don't know where the line is drawn. I can tell you that with the example from my practice that I gave, the client did die within the contestible period. It wasn't an issue. They did investigate. They did learn of his previous cancer. It was a non-issue because he was honest on his application.

Is he receiving consultations to make sure that it doesn't come back? It seems to me like he is getting examined like everybody should get examined. His exams weren't different from the exams that people without cancer get. The exams don't stop it from coming back. They might make early detection easier. It's along the same lines as someone having a family history. A woman with a family history may get a mammogram sooner, but that doesn't mean that she has a cancer history.

Keep in mind that if the insurance company wanted to know if someone EVER had cancer, they could ask that question. The insurance company is choosing not to do that and is only asking about the last 10 years. They must have a reason for doing it. It is my job to be honest. It is not my job to second guess the insurance company and give unasked for information.

I coach my clients when it comes to paramed and medical exams. I tell them to answer every question with 100% honesty but not to give any extra information.

In 20 years and thousands of policies, I've never had an issue. I do disclose things when I think that my client is lying. I don't disclose things if the application doesn't ask the question.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 05:58 pm Post Subject: insurance

Anyway.....I'm looking into some other Insurance companies for my 'clients' needs. ONE of the cancer 'clients' I have DID think she had finally found an Insurance company, that would 'work with her.' Until..she found out they DID NOT want to document a form of cancer, that she had in the past. I don't blame the 'client' for turning down the Insurance company. That would be Insurance fraud if she agreed to their 'terms'. REALLY have to be careful now-a-days.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 06:34 pm Post Subject:

Your client shouldn't be trying to find an insurance company. She needs to find a good insurance broker. The insurance broker will help your client to determine if getting insurance is possible and which company should be used.