life insurance post GBS

We purchased life insurance for both of our children through Gerber Life when they were born. We increased my older son’s, but they would not even consider Kevin.
Dawn Kevies mom

I think I would hold on to what you have. Being that I have Lupus and CIDP. I could not get life insurance because of it. A pre-existing condition. And many insurance companies when they find out that won’t even bother taking you in.
They love taking healthy people because they can make money off them. Someone like us! They don’t want the risk!

Hey, I also have found it hard to get life insurance. Do you know if you
have received it without a physical and no questions asked you know those small policies do you have to tell them?? Also I can’t figure out how to start a new thread… 🙁 Sorry just computer challenged. But can anyone recommend
the best policy for Medicare insurance in CA doing IVIG. Is it better to just stay put or go with one of the HMO’s it’s all so confusing! Help!!

Joyce:eek:

I never thought having GBS/CIDP would render “us” uninsurable. It’s not like we chose this disorder and there was definitely nothing we could do to prevent it.

I’m really in trouble as I only have a life insurance policy through my job. 🙁

The best life insurance to have is the one that is in force when you need it. Remember, there is a 2 year contestable period on any new policies you may acquire. Make sure everything is on the application when you apply for insurance. A agent may leave something off of a application to get it thru and get his commission and you will not have insurance when you think you do, until the 2 year contestable period is up.

Drummer

Life insurance policies, at any larger amount & not through an emploer can be very difficult to get. Our youngest son was born with spina bifida & we could never get any kind of life insurance for him. When my husband was retiring at age 55, he had no health problems at all, & was almost denied because his father had a heart attack at age 65. Then when we thought it was a go, he was denied because his employment was as a blaster for a local steel company. By then he was already retired, so he was approved. But they went over all of his past medical records & even came to the house to take blood & urine & weigh him. It is getting harder & harder to get; also the older you get, it gets very pricy. We pay $91 a month for just $300,000, luckily he also had some good life insurance through his employer that we kept.

Hey Pam H , that sounds like a good deal…the $300,000. for $91 dollars a month. I would love to buy that much for 91 dollars a month. I probably have $100,000 and a small amount on one policy with a annuity attached. I tryed to get more several years ago and was turned down flat. Just be carful about dropping any life insurance with these kind of diseases.
Later……………………
Drummer

Hello all,

Prior to reading about the difficulties with obtaining life insurance post GBS, I’d contacted my agent for an appointment. I wanted to discuss life insurance rates (I assumed I’d get a “break” of some sort as my renters insurance is through the same company).

I’ve been putting my agent off for a few weeks as I’m terrified to find out the rates as not only do I have the GBS issue, I have other health issues as well. I’m almost positive that I won’t be able to afford whatever amount they quote although I’m only trying to get a $10,000.00 policy.

Have any of you guys entered information online in a “generic” life insurance site? I’d rather deal with sticker shock that way than face to face. 😀

Any information you’re willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Tina

Hi Ron,

I think it’s awful that you’ll have to endure a medical exam to lower the amount of your policy. I’m not really familiar with life insurance, but I’d think an exam would be required only if you wanted to increase the amount.

I’ll definitely keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully you’ll receive affordable rates with no “hidden clauses”.

If possible, will you keep me posted, either through this thread or pm? I’d really appreciate it.

Thank you and good luck!!

Hello all,
My daughter just past her licensing exam on thursday to start selling life insurance. so maybe I will be able to answer some of your questions soon. I am also going to be needing life insurance and am a little frightened to even pursue it. But i don’t want to leave things the way they are. So, give me some time and then ifyou have questions I will see if alyssa can help us answer them and give us all some advice.

How could they have rated you on your insurance policy that you got before GBS. It had to be a pre-existing condition on something else you had before you got your policy. You give the insurance co. the right to check up on your medical condition when you sign the application for a life insurance policy, and I would say they found something there to rate you on. They cannot rate you on something you get ,like GBS, after the policy is issued. Ron, another thing you may want to do, and any others who are disabled, if you have premium waiver on your policy, and I bet you do, because most life insurance policies do have. You do not have to pay your premiums anymore; as they are waived and the insurance Co. pays them for you as long as you are disabled. I do know a few things about insurance as an ex Property and Casuality, and life and health agent with some of the biggest companies. Ron, I do hope this helps some.
God bless,
Drummer

I was contacted by my insurance co. to see if we wanted more insurance.
After informing her of my GBS (she didn’t know what GBS was) she informed me I had the rider on my polcy
for the waiver of premiums. After the paperwork was filled out by Dr. and myself, I was refunded a year of premiums we had paid since getting GBS
and insurance pays them now.
She also advised me not to drop any insurance I had as I would most likely not be able to get any with my medical condition.
Shirley

That is what I am talking about…the waiver of the premiums. I am glad you got the money refunded and don’t have to pay that anymore. Every bit helps nowadays. lol 🙂
Shirley, I think I will start a thread to alert others who may not see this thread, and give them a heads up about the premium waiver.

God bless,
Drummer

Yes this is true. I had a life insurance policy through my work and I don’t have to pay the premiums anymore. I certainly won’t drop it now as I am sure I couldn’t get another with CIDP and cancer.

Rmcgrath,

Is there an age limit on the disability rider? I had a Whole Life policy that I acquired before GBS with the rider and found that it was only good until I became the age of 60. After that I had to start paying for the policy again even though I was still disabled. With your age that rider may be only good for a few years and you could be paying for it for the entire term of the policy. Perhaps it is different on the Term policy. It would not hurt to read the fine print and find out for sure.

Jim