Will Past Breast Cancer Affect My Life Insurance Options Through My New Employer?
Posted August 26, 2009 – 4:22 pm in: structured settlements FAQI just started a new job and I am trying to decide if I should choose a lower life insurance option that does not require the evidence of insurability form, or take the risk of applying for the higher insurance that I really want. I had DCIS a year and a half ago which was fully cured with mastectomy. I needed no chemo or radiation and had a clean 1/year check up. Has anyone had the experience of being rejected by a life insurance co for similar reasons?
Tags: Affect, Breast, Cancer, Employer., Insurance, Life, Options, Past, Through, Will
4 Comments
From my experience, cancer is a definite thing not to have in your history if you want life insurance. My husband had testicular cancer, a seminoma, with 97-100% cure rate and he can’t get any extra life insurance through his employer or buy another policy. Most recently, he applied for and was denied disability insurance through state farm insurance. Given that breast cancer has a lower survival rate, I would think if my husband wasn’t approved, you most likely wouldn’t be either. And his cancer was in 2000 and his five year mark was three years ago. But, with that said, it can’t hurt to try. The most they can say is no.
If you are applying for one of the standard insurance plans that are offered to all new hires then there will almost certainly not be any questions about past medical history. These are bulk plans for all employees.
The only time that past medical health might come into question would be if you were a highly paid executive and were requesting a very high limit on your life insurance coverage, say a quarter million dollars or more. If you are a regular worker bee then don’t worry about qualifying or pre-certification questions. They will not ask any health questions at all unless you ask for more life insurance than the standard options currently available to all employees.
These standard company-wide new hire life insurance plans are excellent methods for people with a past history of cancer who might otherwise be uninsurable via a private policy to be able to obtain fairly significant amounts of life insurance with no health questions asked.
They might claim preexisting condition. I believe some States have stricter guidelines regarding coverage. In California you can’t be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition. I know this because I too have had cancer and changed life insurance policies.
I’m in the exact same boat as you. I had DCIS 2 years ago, mastectomy, no further treatment and 2 clear mammograms since then.
Most insurance companies make you wait til you pass the 5 year all clear point to offer you life insurance again.
Hope that helps!