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Are you considered to be a “high-risk” for life insurance or have you ever been “declined” for coverage?

Many people mistakenly believe that their health will prevent them from qualifying for an affordable life insurance policy. If you’ve already been turned down for coverage, you may even believe that no company is even willing to offer you a policy.

Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place! Our agents are experts at underwriting and we work with more than 60 top-rated insurers.

In this article, we’ll explain how we match our clients with the best life insurance options available, share some insider’s advice to help you save, and include sample rates to help you estimate the monthly cost of your policy.

Quick Article Guide:

1. Are You Really A “High-Risk” For Life Insurance?
2. Shopping the Market to Save Money on Coverage
3. Have You Previously Been Declined for Life Insurance?
4. What Was the Reason for Your Decline?
5. Why You Should Work with Term Life Advice

Are You Really a “High-Risk” for Life Insurance?

Last year, we received a call from a 58-year-old gentleman named Frank. Frank wanted to get life insurance rates for himself as a “high-risk”. When I asked Frank why he felt like he was a “high-risk” for life insurance, his response was, “I’m fat, and I’m a diabetic. I also take a blood pressure medication and cholesterol medication.”

After speaking with Frank and learning more about his situation, I determined that he wasn’t as “high-risk” as he thought he was. Frank takes Lisinopril to control his blood pressure and Simvastatin to control his cholesterol. With most life insurance companies, these “risks” would not prevent him from qualifying for “preferred best” rates. In the insurer’s eyes, Frank’s blood pressure and cholesterol are considered “well-controlled” by his doctor and he is within normal ranges.

When Frank turned 53, he went in for an annual check-up and he found was diagnosed as a type II diabetic. His blood sugar is managed with Metformin and he visits his doctor every three months for a check-up. Frank’s average blood sugar, or A1c, is always between 6.0 and 7.0 which shows excellent control and he doesn’t require insulin.

There are a handful of top-rated life insurance companies that specialize with well-controlled diabetics like Frank. Of these diabetic-friendly companies, a couple carriers would normally offer someone like Frank their “Standard Plus” rate class. In life insurance jargon, a “Standard Plus” rate is the third-best rate category available, and this rate class is about 40% more expensive than the number one rate class, “Preferred Best”.

Frank also insisted that he was “fat”, so we compared his measurements against each company’s build chart. At 5’ 9” and 211 pounds, Frank wasn’t in high school shape anymore, but in the eyes of the life insurance company, being 35 pounds overweight isn’t a deal-breaker. In fact, he’s not far from average for most men in his age group, and someone in good health with his build would qualify for “Preferred” rates with a few carriers.

Then I heard a door or two shut and Frank decided to confess his biggest vice…

In a muffled voice, a once boisterous man quietly admitted, “I smoke a cigar every week when my wife goes to church with her friends.” I instantly understood Frank’s real concern, and one of the reasons had never tried to buy life insurance before. “Don’t worry, Frank,” I told him, “I’m glad you called.”

As a weekly cigar smoker, most life companies would automatically consider Frank for “Tobacco” rates, which are 3-5 times more expensive than non-tobacco rates. Luckily for Frank, some companies view cigarettes and cigars differently, and with a few “A+” rated companies, a weekly cigar wouldn’t classify Frank as a “smoker”.

Shopping the Market to Save On Coverage

After comparing rates and options from more than 60 top-rated life insurance companies, we matched Frank with an “A+ Rated” carrier, Prudential. Prudential is a company that was founded in 1875, and approved his policy at a “Standard Plus, Non-Tobacco” rate – the third best rate class in the industry!

When I called Frank to share the news of his approval, we joked around that he had qualified the for the bronze medal. Frank was elated to get approved at an affordable rate. His life insurance was a fraction of the cost that he thought it would be, and he didn’t have to give up his cigars.

Frank’s actual rates for a 10-year $250,000 policy to carry him past him planned retirement age: $88.59 per month. Frank was also offered a 20-year policy until age 78 for $152.03 per month, but he said his wife would be eligible for their retirement benefits within 10 years.

We share Frank’s story (whose real name has been changed) to show our client’s that a few health issues won’t always prevent them from qualifying for affordable high-risk life insurance.

In addition to diabetics, we’ve helped clients with a history of:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Kidney transplants
• Elevated cholesterol
• Elevated blood pressure
• Polycythemia

Have You Previously Been Declined for Life Insurance?

If you’ve been turned down for life insurance before, that doesn’t mean that every life insurance company will automatically decline your application. Each life insurance company sets its own rates and underwriting guidelines. While your local home or auto insurance company may only offer life insurance to people under the age of 65, or to people who are in excellent health, other companies specialize with older applicants and applicants with health issues.

There are also areas some top-rated life insurance companies that specialize with “lifestyle risks” which may include: hazardous occupations, travel to dangerous locations, and hazardous hobbies. We’ve helped countless client’s in excellent health, who have been declined because of their occupation or travel habits. We specialize with private and commercial pilots, scuba divers, world travelers, deep sea fishermen, and even active military.

No matter what your unique situation is, we can help you find the best rates. By working with more than 60 top-rated insurers, our agents able to compare rates and underwriting guidelines from dozens of companies to match you with the “A-rated” company that is the most lenient for your specific health or lifestyle risk. Our shopping services are free, and there is no cost to apply for coverage.

Give us a call today at: 855-902-6494, and one of our expert agents will help you compare your options for coverage and provide you with accurate rates.

What Was the Reason for Your Decline?

If you have been previously declined for life insurance, we may be able to find an affordable term life insurance option for you. Remember, every life insurance company has its own set of underwriting guidelines, and some companies offer more leniency with some specific health issues or lifestyle risks than others. This is the advantage of working with an independent, no-cost broker.

Our agents have multiple years of experience, and are experts at pre-qualification underwriting for any health or lifestyle risk. By having access to over 60 top-rated life insurance companies and their guidelines, we’re able to your unique health and risk profile against each company’s guidelines to find your best match.

Please note: Some serious or terminal health issues will prevent you from qualifying for fully-underwritten term or traditional whole life insurance with every insurance company.

If you are currently receiving: dialysis treatment for advanced kidney disease, treatment for cancer (except skin cancer), have been diagnosed with COPD or emphysema, or if you collect social security disability for PTSD, Bi-Polar Disorder, Anxiety or Depression and you are 50 or older, please see our article about Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance, or give us a call to help and we’ll help you determine your best options.

Why You Should Work with Term Life Advice

Our owner-operated agency is licensed to sell life in all 50 states as well as Washington D.C. and we specialize in term life insurance, whole life insurance, and guaranteed universal life insurance. By working with 5 to 10 times the amount of companies that most of our competitors do, we’re able to match our potential clients with the most competitive rates in the industry.

Customer service has always been our number one priority, and our agents do not have sales quotas or shareholders. Instead, we spend the necessary time with every client we speak with to make sure they understand their options. At Term Life Advice, we only sell life insurance, and we offer our clients more than 50 years of collective experience. All of our agents have helped thousands of people with their life insurance needs, and they offer at least 5 to 10 years of experience.
Our shopping services are free and there is no obligation. With a few questions about your health and lifestyle, we’ll be able to provide you with the accurate quotes from the nation’s most competitive life insurers.

Call us today at: 855-902-6494 to speak with one of our experienced agents, or you can request a free instant online quote below to compare rates and options from dozens of leading insurers in less than a minute.