Buying Life Insurance with Arthritis

Surprisingly getting life insurance with arthritis can be a little difficult depending on the type of arthritis you have.  In some situations you could be considered high risk.

Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis arthritis both have different underwriting guidelines.   Rheumatoid arthritis is much less of a concern for life insurance companies then osteoarthritis.  Let’s take a look at what it takes to get covered.

What Is Arthritis?

The Mayo Clinic describes arthritis as an inflammatory condition that involves one or more of your joints. According to this trusted resource, arthritis is not only painful; it intensifies with age, undermining quality of life for millions of Americans – most notably, senior citizens – who face a daily battle of discomfort, limited mobility, and frequent visits to a doctor’s office or hospital.

Arthritis has many variations, though osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common. The former damages cartilage, the tissue that covers the ends of bones where they connect as a joint. The latter is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the lining of joints.

Please note: Uric acid crystals, infections of preexisting diseases – such as lupus or psoriasis – can also trigger the onset of other types of arthritis.

Treatment options for arthritis depend on a multitude of factors; each patient differs, with regard to the type, location and degree of inflammation concerning a particular form of arthritis.

The goal, however, is to reduce the most serious symptoms and enhance quality of life for each individual.

Arthritis Facts

Arthritis is a painful, chronic medical condition, for which nearly 53 million Americans have some form of this disorder. Those numbers, which may reach 67 million by 2030, are the result of exhaustive studies performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which maintains extensive records about the many types of arthritis.

To further illustrate the significance of this issue, consider this sobering fact: There are 294,000 children in the United States with arthritis, which includes the most severe rheumatic forms of this ailment.

These numbers are a stark reminder that arthritis is not an isolated phenomenon, nor a health risk on the decline. On the contrary, these statistics demand our heightened attention and discussion.

Local Life Agents recognizes that these facts are not an abstract concept, because there is a man, woman or child – a friend or loved one – that is the face of this condition.

The life insurance underwriting guidelines with arthritis depend on the type of arthritis, Rheumatoid or Osteoarthritis, an applicant has, as well as the course of treatment for that condition. The following questions will need to be known.

• Severity of  arthritis symptoms
• What medications are being taken
• Any limitations of daily activities
• Any other significant medical condition(s)

For example: While over the counter or prescription medications can control the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, the treatment of arthritis often involves steroids and other medicines that have substantial side effects. These are the things underwriter and life insurance companies have to take into account before issuing a life insurance policy.

Indeed, arthritis can be as physically difficult as some forms of chemotherapy or radiation for cancer. Doctors will usually use the term “remission” interchangeably, with regard to keeping cancer or arthritis at bay.

These known risks of treatment often have as much influence on life insurance underwriting as the disease itself.

Possible Outcome

Best case: Preferred or Preferred Best with osteoarthritis arthritis

Typical case: Standard rates up to a Table 3 rating with rheumatoid arthritis

Worst case: Table 4 rating to Decline for severe arthritis

Local Life Agents has the independence to quickly and accurately search for the right rate class for an applicant with arthritis from every top rated life insurance carrier.

Our proven record of success, which is the result of customized service and our thorough review of all available life insurance policies for a particular candidate, enables us to help applicants who may otherwise not receive coverage elsewhere.

Working with you, and taking into account your personal struggle with arthritis, Local Life Agents is your advocate and trusted authority.

We give you the one thing you absolutely need, which is also the most important issue concerning any and all types of life insurance: Choice.

With that freedom, you can choose the life insurance policy that best represents your goals.