Life Insurance With Angioplasty

How does Angioplasy affect life insurance?

Angioplasty (or Balloon angioplasty ) is a procedure to widen narrowed or blocked veins or arteries.  This is the typical treatment for arterial atherosclerosis. It typically is not as invasive than bypass surgery and it usually has a shorter recovery time.  A balloon catheter, which is just a collapsed empty balloon, is transferred into a narrowed location over a wire.  It is then inflated into a fixed size. Atherectomy, Cutting Balloon, Rotablation, and Balloon are what is typically used for the angioplasty.

Your heart disease is what is the most concerning for life insurance companies.  Not that you had an angioplasty. The good news is that undergoing angioplasty may very well be looked at favorably by the life insurance companies.  You have taken action to improve your health through an appropriate treatment method.

Although these objects are all a bit different, they all have the same goal in mind.  That is to open the artery to make blood flow regularly. What kind of angioplasty did you have?  This question will likely need to be answered before any life insurance company will approve a policy.

Applying for Life Insurance With Angioplasty

When you apply for life insurance  you will almost always have to undergo a medical examination. After the physical examination, your life agent will probably get to know about your medical history.  Why is this so important? Finding your risk level and health class rating ultimately saves you time and money.  By gathering your specific details, your agent will be able to find the best companies and rates based on your specific situation.

When you’re applying for life insurance and have a high risk issue, most life insurance companies are hesitant to offer certain types of coverage.  They may decline or recommend another type of policy. This could be a final expense policy or an accidental death policy.

What Does The Underwriter Want To Know?

Here are the typical questions that life insurance underwriters will want answered.

1. Date of your angioplasty?
2. What treatments were used after the angioplasty?
3. What treatments were used before the angioplasty?
4. When was your diagnosis of heart disease?
5. Have you had heart surgery?
6. How many arteries were involved with the angioplasty?
7. Do you drink alcohol?
8. Do you smoke?
9. What is your diet and do you exercise?
10. Have you had any tests done on your heart? Dates & Results?

Answering these questions provides the underwriter a clearer picture of your past and current health.  Many things are addressed in the life insurance medical exam.  However, some things are not.  This is why the underwriter may have follow up questions.  Once they are answered, they will determine your health class rating.  If your health is relatively good, you should get an approval for life insurance. 

However, if your health is poor or complicated – it can make an approval more difficult. In other words, do you have a combination of health issues? For example, do you have sleep apnea, cardiomyopathy, acid reflux, etc.? The more health issues you have – the greater the price you’ll pay for life insurance.

Can I Improve My Rate?

If you have health issues with one or more of your major organs, life insurance companies will usually be extremely hesitant about offering a policy.

Is that always the case?  No. 

You may qualify for coverage with some life insurance companies. However, you might end up paying a higher premium for that coverage.

Life insurance companies are often strict with who they offer policies to.  This is especially true when you have health issues (especially when major organs are involved). Is a standard rate possible? Yes it is.  Even if you have gone through an angioplasty.  Knowing where to find the life insurance companies who will look at your favorably is key.

It’s important to understand that each life insurance company underwrites you in a different manner.  They are not standardized with their underwriting criteria. 

What does this mean? 

Some insurance companies offer many products.  They may offer auto, home, and life insurance.  Their underwriting may be very strict on a variety of health conditions.  They might offer the best rates with auto, but not with life insurance. 

The opposite occurs with other term life insurance companies.  They have evaluated the potential risks.  You may have had an angioplasty procedure and your future heart problems may be looked upon as minimal.  The key in securing the best rate is to find and choose the correct life insurance company.