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Diversified Underwriting

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A Sweeter Deal – Impaired Fasting Glucose

In the years leading up to the development of Type 2 diabetes, most individuals go through an asymptomatic condition called pre-diabetes. During this time, fasting blood sugar levels may be slightly elevated and there may be other signs of disruptions in normal metabolism, such as high triglycerides, low “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels and excess fat around the abdomen.
 
Approximately 1 out 3 American adults have pre-diabetes. When caught at an early stage, it is possible to head off development of Type 2 diabetes with diet changes and weight loss.

One of our A+ carriers can underwrite favorably on pre-diabetes cases that show a stable, well controlled condition.

Take a look at this case study:
Male, 55 years old
Non-Smoker
Seeking Personal Coverage
 
  • History of hypertension that has been well-controlled with medication and exercise.
  • Two years ago, a routine annual check-up revealed a blood sugar reading that was higher than normal.
  • Follow up glucose levels remained elevated (in the 100-103 range), but never high enough to suggest outright diabetes. He was then diagnosed with Impaired Fasting Glucose.
  • His doctor suggested exercise and a change in diet to include reduced carbohydrate intake.
  • Has done well with his new diet and exercise regimen; ongoing lab testing has shown no progression in his condition.
This client had the beginning of pre-diabetes caught early by routine testing. Because he responded well to dietary changes and exercise, this condition has not progressed and he is at lower risk of developing diabetes in the next several years — if he maintains his new, healthy habits.
 
Potential Underwriting Outcome: Super Standard Non-Tobacco, with potential improvement to Preferred using this carrier’s Healthy Lifestyle Crediting Program.
 
Call your Life Underwriting Team to discuss your client’s medical history today and let’s work on your next success story!
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No Adverse Underwriting For Family History Of Cancer

Family history of cancer can have an adverse impact on underwriting decisions despite a client’s own personal history of excellent health.

While most carriers limit eligible rate classes for this particular family history, there are still a couple of A+ carriers that do not underwrite family cancer histories at all.

This means a client with a family history of cancer can still qualify for all of the Preferred Rate Classes, including Best Class.
 
In addition, there are other carriers who disregard family history of opposite-gender cancers, such as, a male applicant whose mother died from uterine cancer or a female applicant whose father died from prostate cancer.
 
Let our Underwriting Team help you get the best offers for your clients with family history of cancer! Call us today.
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Score With Life Insurance Underwriting Niches

Take a look at some surprising possibilities that can help you win a sale for clients with health impairments.
 
Preferred Plus MAY be available even with the following conditions:
  • Anxiety/Depression/Mood Disorder – One episode, duration of less than one year, recovered, no current medication
  • Asthma – Mild exercise induced or mild seasonal asthma
  • Osteoporosis – With no complications
  • Some skin cancers – Basal cell, superficial squamous cell carcinoma or single atypical nevus or dysplastic nevus (mole) with no family history of melanoma; Must have well-documented dermatology follow-up
Preferred MAY be available even with the following conditions:
  • Anxiety/Depression/Mood Disorder – Current and only on one drug; Well-controlled
  • Epilepsy – No seizures for more than 5 years; Not taking any medication
  • Moles/Nevi – Up to 3 atypical or dysplastic nevi (moles) with no history of melanoma or family history of melanoma and favorable dermatology follow-up
Contact the Life Underwriting team for more details and soon win the fanfare of your clients.
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Obesity + Lap Band Surgery = Standard

Obesity in the United States has been increasingly cited as a major health issue in recent decades. While many industrialized countries have experienced similar increases, obesity rates in the United States are among the highest in the world.
 
There are several types of surgeries that fall under the group of “bariatric surgery” designed for people that are obese. Lap band surgery (laparoscopic adjustable gastric band), is an inflatable silicone device placed around the top portion of the stomach to treat obesity, intended to slow consumption of food and thus the amount of food consumed.

One of our Strategic Carrier Providers look favorably upon this type of surgery and with applicable credits, will make a favorable offer.

Let’s take a look…
A female client, aged 32 years, is seeking $500,000 of 10-year Term Life Insurance, history includes:
 
  • Build of 5’6 and 212 pounds
  • Blood pressure 120/76Lap band procedure 2 years ago
The initial underwriting work up – Table 2.
 
Then, the following underwriting credits were applied:
  • Optimal blood pressure
  • Lifetime nonsmoker
  • Regular preventative care
  • A1c Test < 5.7
  • Preferred driving record
Final Offer – Standard!
 
Our Underwriting Team is here to help with all of your impaired risk cases. Please contact us today – we will help you make the sales!
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Underwriting Strengths Help Shape Great Offers

This A+ carrier will help you shape up for spring and beyond. With underwriting strengths in many aspects, think of this carrier as your personal trainer!
 
  • Occasional cigar users (two per month or less) can qualify for Preferred Plus, Preferred & Standard Plus non-tobacco rates if there is a negative urinalysis test
  • Clients who occasionally use marijuana may qualify for Preferred or Standard Plus non-tobacco rates
Here are some examples for family history underwriting strengths:
  • Family history qualifications do not apply if the proposed insured is 60 or older for Preferred Plus, Preferred & Standard Plus classes
  • Family history qualifications apply only to deaths rather than disease
  • Family history qualifications do not apply to gender-specific cancers for opposite sex persons
  • Family history of deaths due to diabetes can qualify for Preferred Plus, Preferred and Standard Plus classes
Underwriting strengths for common health impairments and non-medical risks:
  • Mild Asthma clients may be eligible for Preferred
  • Mild Sleep Apnea may be eligible for Preferred with verified C-PAP usage
  • Treatment for cholesterol or hypertension does not exclude a proposed insured from any Preferred classes
  • Maximum cholesterol levels for Preferred classes is 300 with favorable ratios; 5.0 or less for Preferred Plus, 6.0 or less for Preferred, 7.0 or less for Standard Plus
  • Commercial pilots for regularly scheduled passenger airlines can qualify for all preferred classes
  • Certain private pilots with IFR/ATP rating, flying between 50-250 hours annually and 1000 or more total hours of piloting experience may qualify for Preferred and Standard Plus classes
  • Preferred classes may be available for occasional scuba diving if proposed insured is certified and dives less than 100 feet
Call our Life Underwriting Department today – we can help you shape great offers and get more business on the books!
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Some Breathing Room For Your Clients With Asthma

Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs and results in temporary narrowing of the airways.  Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest.  It affects over 8% of adults in the United States.
 
Diagnosis and severity of asthma is determined by lung function testing known as Spirometry.  Results are measured in percentages and values of 80% or greater are generally considered normal.

Individuals with this impairment may represent a significant underwriting challenge. However, PREFERRED may be possible for your asthmatic clients!

Criteria that could help applicants qualify for Preferred include:
 
  • No tobacco use
  • No hospitalization for asthma in the last 5 years; no other ailments
  • Spirometry showing normal results of FVC (Forced Vital Capacity) and FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second)
  • Treatment may include intermittent (as needed) use of inhaled bronchodilators, brief courses of corticosteroids or low dose medication
  • No time off of work or school due to asthma symptoms
  • No underwater or high altitude avocations, whether ratable or non-ratable
  • Must meet all other regular, published Preferred criteria
So, breathe easier for your clients with an asthma history.
 
Call the Underwriting Team today for more information on this carrier and to see how we can help get the underwriting offers you need to make the sale!
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Take Heart! Not All Cholesterol Is Bad

Did you know:
  • The liver produces all the cholesterol our body needs, however, dietary cholesterol (taken in through the foods we eat), causes the liver to send even more cholesterol into the bloodstream.
  • High cholesterol can cause fatty build up in the arteries which increases our risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is considered “good” cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol known as low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. Triglyceride is another form of cholesterol and the most common type of fat in the body.
  • Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is calculated by dividing total cholesterol by HDL. The higher the HDL, the lower the ratio. This is a good thing!
In the past, carriers looked stringently upon all cholesterol levels when underwriting a case.  These days, there are some carriers who can overlook total cholesterol levels if between 150-300.

Preferred classes are available with favorable, low cholesterol/HDL ratios, even with total cholesterol levels nearing 300!

Consider these examples:
  • Male client, age 45, NS
  • Seeking $2 mil of Term, Cholesterol on exam was 298 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 5.0
  • Does not take any medication
Underwriting outcome: PREFERRED BEST!
 
  • Female client, age 60, NS
  • Seeking $1 mil of UL, Cholesterol on exam was 275 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 6.0
  • Takes a prescribed cholesterol medication
Underwriting outcome: PREFERRED!
 
  • Male client, age 52, NS
  • Seeking $500k of Term, Cholesterol on exam was 260 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 7.0
  • Takes a prescribed cholesterol medication
Underwriting outcome: NON SMOKER PLUS!
 
Our Life Underwriting Department has a heart for finding the best possible outcomes on your cholesterol cases.  Give us a call!
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Underwriting Diabetes

Let’s talk about Diabetes. This is a chronic condition associated with high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin hormone produced in the pancreas helps to turn glucose from the food we eat into energy.
When the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t effectively use the insulin produced, it increases the amount of sugar in the blood and can lead to diabetes.
 
Types of diabetes:
  • Type 2: Occurs when the body is resistant to insulin and cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This is the most common form of diabetes.
  • Type 1: Occurs when the body produces little to no insulin. This is an autoimmune type of diabetes and generally diagnosed early in life. Latent diabetes in adults is a slow-progressing form of autoimmune diabetes.
  • Pre-Diabetes: Also referred to as impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, this occurs when glucose levels are higher than normal but still below the level for a diabetes diagnosis.
  • Gestational Diabetes: Occurs during pregnancy and generally resolves after delivery. Women with gestational diabetes have an increased chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
A1c blood testing (average blood sugar) is key in determining severity when diagnosed as well as ongoing level of diabetic control.
 
Complications from diabetes can include neuropathy (nerve damage), kidney disease, retinopathy (vision problems caused by damage to the retina), stroke and cardiovascular disease.
 
Now let’s talk about some potential underwriting outcomes for Life coverage.
  • Type 2 diabetes may qualify at a Standard rate class with good diabetic control and no complications.
  • Type 1 diabetes could be as good as Table 2 for over age 50 in a best case scenario. Higher table ratings would apply for ages 50 and under depending on diabetic control and any complications.
  • Pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes may qualify at Standard Plus.
Contact our Underwriting Team for help in pre-screening your client living with diabetes.
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How Our Underwriting Team Can Help You Make A Difference To Your Clients

One of the most important aspects to placing more business is a knowledgeable underwriting team to be your advocate for those challenging cases. Our Life Underwriting Team has a philosophy we call “never say never”.

We don’t give up on a case because it’s difficult. We take on the challenge and look outside the box for solutions.

This innovation sets us apart from the rest and helps to get more cases placed for your clients.
 
Here’s a recent example:
 
We were presented with case on a 53 year old seeking $2 million of IUL coverage. Initial tentative assessment of the case was a Table 6 due to a long history of Chronic Kidney Disease with abnormal kidney function testing and impaired fasting glucose, subject to review of additional records. The client then submitted a formal application at the Table 6 rating.
 
  • Upon review of the additional required medical records, the case was later declined due to elevated A1c (average blood sugar) of 6.5% found in the additional records.
  • The lab report was of somewhat poor quality and our Underwriting team questioned the true A1c reading. We reached back out to the underwriter to discuss and they agreed to review a clearer page of the report to further confirm the A1c.
  • We obtained a clearer copy showing the A1c reading was actually 5.8%. As a result, the case was approved at the initial Table 6 rate class, as applied!
If we had not gone back to the carrier for reconsideration, the case would have remained a decline on the books. Another way we made a difference to our broker and the client.
 
Let our Underwriting Team help you with your challenging cases and generate more sales this year. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Aggressive Rates For High Blood Pressure

When it comes to underwriting, one of our A + rated carriers follows a responsibly aggressive approach and looks closely at controlled impairments.

Don’t let one impairment, like elevated blood pressure force your client into a Standard Non-tobacco class.

Here’s an example for the record:
  • 60-year- old female non-smoker
  • Has no history of high blood pressure
  • Her current BP is 150/92 (normal should be 140/90 and under)
  • Applied for $1 million of Permanent Life Insurance
This carrier offered Standard Plus!
 
If you aren’t quoting Standard Plus for your healthy standard cases, your clients could be paying more than they need to.
 
Our Underwriting Team is here to help with all of your impaired risk cases. Please contact us today for more information about this carrier and how we can help boost your sales.

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