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Brain Power For Underwriting Seizures And Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by recurring seizures. Diagnosis is typically made when a person has had two or more seizures.

Seizures are a result of disturbances in the electrical activity of the brain.

There are many causes including genetics, traumatic brain injury, stroke and brain tumors. Epilepsy is termed as ‘idiopathic” when the specific cause cannot be identified.
 
There are two major groups: focal seizures and generalized seizures. The difference between the two is how and when they begin in the brain.
 
Focal seizures involve activity limited to only one area of the brain:
  • Simple or Partial Focal – affects a small part of the brain without affecting consciousness or awareness. They may alter emotions, smell, feel, taste, sound. Involuntary jerking or sensory symptoms may also occur.
  • Complex or Partial Focal – similar to simple focal, but also involves impaired consciousness.
Generalized seizures involve widespread activity in both sides of the brain:
  • Tonic-clonic or grand mal – involves body convulsions. Muscles will stiffen (tonic phase) and the body will jerk and twitch rhythmically (clonic phase).
  • Absence seizures or petit mal – a milder, brief type of activity that causes unconsciousness without convulsions.
Here are two case studies:
  • A 52-year-old male
  • Has a history of childhood idiopathic epilepsy with mild absence type seizures that started at age eight.
  • Controlled with medication which was stopped at age 20.
  • There have been no seizures since.
Offer: Preferred
 
  • 42-year-old male
  • He began having complex seizures at age 26.
  • His MRI was negative.
  • For the past five years he has been maintained on two drugs with an average of five seizures per year.
  • Does not drink alcohol.
Offer: Low substandard
 
Call our Life Underwriting Team to discuss the specific details of your client’s seizure or epilepsy history. Let’s work together to get the offer you need!
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Vaping – Underwriting Non-Combustible Tobacco Use

Non-combustible tobacco products are those that do not require burning the tobacco for consumption. Vaping, or electronic cigarettes, is a type of non-combustible tobacco that is heated at a lower temperature to create an aerosol for inhaling.

Generally, vaping is rated the same as combustible tobacco; at smoker rates.

There is a special program offered by one of our carriers that can allow non-tobacco rates for vaping if an additional biomarker lab test checked by the carrier is negative.
 
If eligible, the rate class can be improved from tobacco rates to non-tobacco rates with a one-class downgrade. For example, a Preferred Tobacco rating to Standard Non-Tobacco.
 
To qualify:
  • Tobacco use must be non-combustible only; nicotine delivery devices (vaping), chewing tobacco and snuff
  • No use of cigarettes or cigars in the past 10 years
  • A tobacco combustion biomarker ordered by the carrier is negative
Contact our expert Underwriting Team to find out more about this special program.
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How To Multiply Your Sales Using Just The Basics

How much does an insurance company think that your client is worth? Many times, it is much more than how much your client actually does, and we have their underwriting guidelines to prove it! Let’s factor in the details that could multiply your sales.
 
The most common insurance need among clients is to replace the income survivors would have anticipated had premature death not occurred. The starting point for calculating the amount of coverage a carrier will issue for purposes of income replacement is determined by a multiple of current annual compensation based on the proposed insured’s age.

The multiple decreases with age, understandably, because death denies a person fewer potential income-producing years as they get older. Multiples vary from company to company.

Consider one of the more aggressive examples:
AGE / MULTIPLE

To Age 40 / Multiple 35
Ages 41 – 50 / Multiple 25
Ages 51 – 60 / Multiple 20
Ages 61 – 70 / Multiple 10
Ages 71 – 80 / Multiple 5

Carriers will usually only take earned income into consideration unless it can be shown that the insured’s death might have a direct effect on unearned income. Many of our carriers can insure non-working spouses, too, for an equal amount as the working spouse. This could yield two sales instead of one.
 
Please note that each carrier has their own specific guidelines, so contacting the Life Underwriting Team first to get those details will be key. We’ll do the math for you. Multiplying those sales never looked so good!

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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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Prostate Cancer – Great Offers Are Possible!

What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland grow out of control.
 
Some prostate cancers can grow and spread quickly but most grow slowly. There are often no early prostate cancer symptoms, but some men have urinary symptoms and discomfort. Prostate cancer treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy, and/or radiation. In some instances, doctors recommend “watchful waiting.”

All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.

About one man in nine will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one in 41 will die of this disease. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.
 
Factors, such as age, race, and family history that may contribute to the risk:
  • The Gleason Score (GS) indicates the tendency for rapid growth, recurrence or metastasis of prostate cancer, with two being the least worrisome and scores of eight to 10 being the most aggressive. Think of the stage as a car’s odometer and the Gleason Score as its speedometer. Generally, the lower the stage, the more likely that treatment will succeed with no recurrence of cancer.
  • The PSA is a blood test for prostate cancer.
  • A bone scan is sometimes performed to determine if the cancer has metastasized, that is, spread distantly from its origin.
  • The extent to which prostate cancer has spread is categorized by staging, usually determined by examination, ultrasound or MRI. However, examining tissue removed by surgery gives a more definitive picture of the stage of the cancer.
  • Treatments include Surgery (prostatectomy), Chemotherapy, Radiation; external beam or implants, Watchful Waiting, Hormonal Therapy.
Here is a case study:
 
Fred, 56 years old
Seeking $3 million of permanent coverage
  • Was told by his internist almost six years ago that his PSA was moderately elevated.
  • A biopsy showed prostate cancer.
  • After weighing the relative treatment risks and benefits, Fred decided on surgery. Cancer was present in two areas within one side of the prostate.
  • His Gleason Score was 6.
  • At a follow-up exam two months ago, Fred had no major symptoms and his PSA was so low that it was immeasurable.
Having been treated several years ago for his early-stage, moderately aggressive cancer and showing no signs of recurrence, Fred could qualify for a life policy at Standard rates.
 
Call our Life Underwriting Department today! Let’s work together to get the offers you need.
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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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Underwriting Strengths Help Shape Great Offers

The underwriting strengths of a carrier can help you shape up for spring and beyond. Here are some examples to help with the heavy lifting:

Tobacco and Marijuana Underwriting Strengths
  • 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
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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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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