Life Insurance for Cancer Survivors

Find out how Cancer survivors can apply and be approved with affordable rates!

Purchasing life insurance for Cancer survivors can be challenging depending on your health history. But can usually be done with good results in application approvals and affordable premiums. This all depends on what type of Cancer and its intensity. If you currently have a form of this condition or ever had it in the past. Life insurance for Cancer patients and survivors can be available to you depending on your current medical status.

The most accurate way to see if you qualify for coverage and at what cost, is to contact an experienced independent life insurance agent. Agents can run a simple medical prescreen to find out what will be the outcome before you ever apply. This will give your agent the information he needs to properly shop the market for you.

 

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Purchasing life insurance for Cancer survivors is usually a simple process, especially if you have been Cancer free for 10 or more years.

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Your health history will determine what company to apply with

All life insurance companies have a Cancer related medical questionnaire which only takes about five minutes to complete. After your agent runs a pre-screen he can start contacting the most applicable life insurance companies.

At this time, he or she will be able to find out what specific company will offer you the best Cancer life insurance rates. I have seen many cases where a Cancer survivor was able to purchase a life insurance policy at an affordable premium. It is going to depend heavily on what form of Cancer you experienced and when it was first diagnosed.

 

Important concerns when preparing to apply

Here are some of the most important questions the carriers will ask:

• What was the grade and stage of the cancer when first discovered?
• Did the cancer cells reach the lymph nodes?
• If your treatments have ended, when was the last day of treatment.
• Did you ever had a cancer recurrence?
• What medication did you take and are you still required to continue taking them.

Getting approved for life insurance for Cancer survivors is becoming much more common. Using the correct life insurance company is the key to success for your application. 

 

Cancer survivors are expected to total over 22 million people by the year 2030

The American Cancer Society has just come out with some impressive statistics. A recent report estimates that there are currently over 8 million males and almost 9 million females in the United States with a history of Cancer. About 2 out of every 3 Cancer survivors (almost 70%) were diagnosed five or more years ago. Almost 1 in 5 of these cases were diagnosed over 20 years ago. Nearly 2/3s are age 65 years or older.

The medical report also estimates that in the United States, there are 66,000 Cancer survivors that are age 14 and under and 48,000 in the age category of 15 to 19. These are great statistics which help the male gender purchase life insurance for Cancer survivors much easier.

The most common types of Cancer diagnosed today

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Colon cancer
• Melanoma cancer of the skin
• Bladder cancer
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Leukemia
• Pancreatic cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Renal pelvis cancer

The mortality statistics have been higher among men than women

• 197.9 per 100,000 men
• 139.9 per 100,000 women

Life insurance companies use these statistics to determine rates based on the probability of mortality between men and women in the United States. 

Comparing the top companies is the best way to receive the lowest rates

After your agent has run a medical pre-screen, and chosen the best life insurance company to apply with. You can then proceed with the application process. There were over 1000,000 cases of Cancer reported in the year 2020 and more to be expected in 2021. Approximately 4 out of every 10 Americans will be reported as having this disease. This is a common illness and the life insurance companies in America are getting more liberal with life insurance for Cancer survivors. 

The number of people being diagnosed with cancer has been going steadily going up. The success rate in treating this medical condition has been going up also thanks to medical advancements and research. Finding the best life insurance rates is much easier than in the past. Especially when using a tool like our instant life insurance quoting system.

 

The best life insurance companies for Cancer survivors:

• Prudential A+ Rating from A.M. Best – Prudential is an icon in the life insurance industry. They are the largest life insurance company in the world. They are a very good company of choice for Cancer survivors due to Prudential’s size and financial strength. This enables the company to take higher risks than some of the smaller companies.
• Banner Life A+ Rating A.M. Best – Banner Life is owned by the legendary Legal & General Group since the year 1981. Banner Life was founded in 1949. Banner is one of the most commonly used life insurance company in the life insurance industry, offering competitive life insurance for Cancer survivors for many years.
• Protective Life A+ Rating from A. M. Best – Protective Life has excellent choices in Term and Universal life insurance. If you are considered cancer free, the odds are Protective life has a good choice for life insurance to consider at very competitive rates. 
• Lincoln National A+ Rating from A. M. Best – Lincoln National is a subsidiary of the huge Lincoln National Group of insurance companies. They were founded in Nebraska in 1939. The carrier has been offering some of the most competitive and well designed life insurance products since their inception.
• AIG American General A+ Rating from A.M. Best – AIG has always been a great choice for high risk life insurance for Cancer survivors and other serious medical conditions. They started selling life insurance in 1918 and quickly became an industry leader ever since. The companies customer service and reputations has been one of the very best.
• John Hancock A+ Rating From A.M. Best – Needless to say, John Hancock is one of the most prestigious name in the life insurance industry. They provide some of the best underwriting for Cancer survivors in the industry. If you are a Cancer survivor, make sure you investigate the John Hancock insurance company.

 

Most common types of life insurance:

Term Life Insurance

Low cost term life insurance covers a specific period of time before it terminates on the anniversary of the policy. It can vary from 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 year intervals of time. Once these time periods have expired, the policy will terminate. You have the option to convert your term policy to universal life which is permanent coverage. Low cost term life insurance is used more often than all of the other types of life insurance combined.

Universal Life Insurance

Universal life remains in force for the rest of your life as long as the premiums are made. Universal life insurance has taken over as the number one policy design for people that want permanent coverage. Having life insurance designed to last the rest of your life gives peace of mind and long term financial protection.

Universal life insurance is a product you should definitely consider when shopping for life insurance.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is very similar to universal life only in the way it is a permanent plan design. Whole life is also an obsolete policy design for most people. Many companies have dropped it from their product line years ago.  Whole life is much more expensive than term life insurance and is not cost effective at all. Whole life is still used for small final expense policies otherwise known as burial insurance. These policies are mainly purchased by seniors.

 

How difficult is purchasing life insurance for Cancer survivors?

People who are now considered cancer free or declared in long term remission. Are normally eligible for conventional term life or permanent life insurance products. Your specific qualifications to purchase coverage will be based on these main factors that will be reviewed by the underwriters. The most important factors would be:

• The age you were first diagnosed with Cancer
• The date you were first diagnosed
• Your specific type of Cancer you were diagnosed with
• The effect the Cancer has had on your overall health
• Most of all, your last day of medical treatment

 

What life insurance companies are the best for Cancer survivors?

Trying to determine what life insurance companies are the best for Cancer survivors and cancer patients in remission is very difficult. Many things have to be taken into consideration before you can start naming a list of the best carriers. Your complete health history has to be reviewed. This will enable you to choose the best life insurance companies with the lowest rates.

The various forms of this disease will make a considerable difference on which health classification you will be assigned if you are approved. Here is a list of the types of cancer that would possibly enable the best ratings on down.

Possible Super Preferred or Preferred health classes:

• Stage 1 Seminoma Testicular Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer (Papillary type)
• Skin Cancer (Melanoma type)
• Cervical Cancer
• Uterine Cancer
• Prostate Cancer

Possible Standard or Substandard classifications:

• Colon Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Leukemia
• Lung Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Renal Cancer

Keep in mind that there is no absolute way to determine what rate class you will receive or even if you will be approved unless you actually submit an application. If you have a history of Cancer in your family such as parents or siblings. We find that Lincoln National and Protective life do a very good job. Prudential, American General, Transamerica and Banner Life are also excellent. But as I said, the proof is in the pudding and you have to formally apply to be sure of anything.

 

Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance 

Guaranteed Issue life insurance is usually a last resort type policy also known as final expense life insurance. It is for people with serious pre-existing health conditions. Typically only a $25,000 for death benefit is available. But it can also be partially withheld if the policyholder dies within two years of purchasing the insurance. 

Each policy design has it’s different pros and cons that you have to take in consideration. There is no one perfect plan design that will work for everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different for their need for life insurance. Purchasing life insurance for Cancer patients or even that have active Cancer is a snap when applying for guaranteed issue products. The only problem is most people want more than the maximum limit of $25,000.

Getting the best rates for Cancer survivors

Even if you are a Cancer patient in a form of remission, life insurance can be affordable. You should be able to get coverage that you and your family need and won’t break the bank. There are several great ways that you can lower your monthly premiums.

Similar to being classified as overweight or obese. If you use tobacco products such as cigarettes, you could cause your rates to increase as over 300% or be declined. Regardless of your current health, using tobacco products will inflate your premiums. If you want to keep your Cancer life insurance quotes as low as possible, stop smoking as soon as possible. 

One sure fire way is to concentrate on improving your health is losing weight. This is could mean doing several different things to help. Being overweight or obese is going to be one of the fastest ways to pay more money for life insurance. Before you consider applying for life insurance. Exercise and eat a good careful diet and lose some weight if you are considered overweight. Many overweight people each year have had their life insurance applications flat out declined.

Skin Cancer: Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma types

Basal cell and Squamous cell Carcinoma are by far the most common types of skin Cancer. It is diagnosed in approximately 90% of skin Cancer patients. These skin cancers grow very slowly and are easily removed which is a very important and positive factor.

If you’re in good health except for the skin Cancer, you will be likely be approved for standard term life rates. The same will hold true for universal life insurance also. Many times, the most financially secure life insurance companies will also have the best rates as well.

Skin Melanoma

This can normally be a more dangerous form of the skin cancer family. Melanoma cancers only appear in about 5-8% of all skin cancer cases diagnosed. But can unfortunately account for the most skin Cancer deaths. However, if it is diagnosed and treated early enough, there is a good chance of a totally full recovery. The main issue with melanoma is that it can metastasize. It can spread to other locations in the human body, including the lymph nodes and many of the major organs.

If the cancer has been completely removed by means of surgery, and you have been Cancer free for one or two years. You may be approved for a term life insurance policy or one of the excellent permanent plan designs such as universal life. 

If your skin Cancer has spread

If the skin Cancer has had time to spread and has been treated with either chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Then it is possible you may have to be Cancer free for as long as 10 years. You  can be eligible for a life insurance policy in less time. But you will most likely have to pay a higher life insurance premium.

Many cases of skin Cancer can be successfully treated and allow you to easily purchase coverage. Keep in mind that life insurance for Cancer survivors is based on a case by case basis.  

 

Life insurance for Breast Cancer survivors 

If you are a breast Cancer survivor, the life insurance companies will need to know whether you are in a full state of remission. The life insurance companies will ask you questions such as the date you were first diagnosed. The types of medical treatments you received, how regularly you’ve been re-tested.

Also how long you’ve been free of Cancer. The longer that you’ve been Cancer free, the better your chances of getting approved. Just remember, it does not cost a penny to apply for life insurance. The life insurance companies are the ones who pay for the complete application process.

Prostate Cancer survivors

This is another very common form of cancer in the US. The two main issues that a life insurance company will want to look at include your (PSA) levels. As well as your Gleason score too. The Gleason score determines how likely it is for the cancer to spread. If the level is low, the likelihood of the Cancer spreading is much less which is great news.

The most important issue life insurance companies will be looking at is how long you’ve been Cancer free. Especially since your most recent surgery or other medical treatment. If you’ve undergone regular testing and you are under the care of a doctor. If you also have a clean bill of health, you may be eligible for life insurance with very affordable rates.

Sometimes the wisest thing to do, is wait before applying

Purchasing life insurance for actual Cancer patients will normally not be a simple task. All you can do is wait until you have completed your treatment and then apply for a policy. If you can remain Cancer free, you may be able to lower your life insurance rates over time a period of time.

However, your rate depends on the type of Cancer you have, and how long you’ve been in remission. When shopping for the best life insurance for Cancer patients. The most important thing you can do is provide the company with as much positive information as possible

Good strategy to get lower rates

Have your agent request term life Insurance quotes from different companies. No two insurance companies are going to underwrite the same. Make sure you connect with an independent agent who can shop the complete market for you. He can compare rates and options on your behalf unlike a captive agent who only show you one company.

Don’t apply until after all of your tests. Life insurance companies want to know that your health is stabilized. If your tests show that you are in complete remission. You can potentially qualify for lower life insurance rates. Give it some time. The longer you have been in remission, the more likely you will receive the best life insurance rates.

 

Use our quoting system to compare rates

If you would like to see the top companies and their rates, please feel free to use our quoting system. In the drop down menu under “health class”, make sure to use standard. We can give you a more accurate quote over the phone after we have asked you a few questions concerning your condition.

Keep in mind that quoting life insurance for cancer is not easy without knowing all the facts. Also, all life insurance rates are regulated by law which means nobody can sell the same carriers specific plan design for more or less than another.  

Important information to know about life insurance

The first and most important thing is to try not be discouraged if you have this disease. I understand that this is easier said than done. If you’ve been denied coverage before you’ve gotten past the waiting period, apply again after the 10 year waiting period is over. If you are a Cancer survivor and have been in remission for several years. There is an excellent chance that you can find an affordable term policy with very good rates.

 

In Conclusion

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have. We can find the lowest rates for our applicants because we specialize in high risk life insurance and use over 40 companies. If you are shopping for affordable life insurance for Cancer patients or survivors, we can help you. We are available 7 days a week to get you pointed in the right direction.

Cancer related technical information thanks to the experts at:  WebMD, American Cancer Society, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

All the best,
Jack Venturi

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If you would like to schedule a time to get all your questions answered, you may do so with no cost or obligation.

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