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Life Insurance for Epilepsy

Are You Looking for Life Insurance for Epilepsy?

Have you been declined for life insurance or asked to pay a much higher rate due to your epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has repeated convulsions or seizures over time. A single seizure that does not occur again is not considered epilepsy. 

Epilepsy occurs when permanent changes in brain tissue cause the brain to become over excited or jumpy. Basically, the brain sends out abnormal signals, resulting in repeated, unpredictable seizures.

Symptoms vary by person: Some people having staring spells, while others experience loss of alertness and violent shaking.

The type of seizure depends on the cause and the part of the brain affected.

When you are diagnosed with epilepsy will affect your rate for life insurance. If you are being treated for epilepsy or have been diagnosed, you will most likely pay a higher rate for your life insurance policy.

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But How Can You Find the Best Rate for Your Coverage?

First, it’s important for you to understand how life insurance carriers look at applicants with epilepsy. What are they looking for, how can you prepare for your application, and what will be the likely result of your request for coverage?

 

Key Factors That Affect Life Insurance for Epilepsy:

  • Age of Epilepsy Diagnosis
  • Frequency of seizures or effects
  • Behavior and Occupation

 

Top Companies for Life Insurance for Epilepsy


Which are the best companies offering life insurance coverage to people with epilepsy?

Here is a list of some of the most competitive life insurance carriers that provide life insurance to people living with epilepsy: 

  • ING Life Insurance Company
  • West Coast Life Insurance Company
  • American General Life 
  • Banner Life Insurance Company
  • Transamerica Life Insurance Company
  • The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company 
  • ING ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York  
  • Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company 
  • Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance Company
  • Protective Life Insurance Company 


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What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a condition of the brain, which affects the nervous system causing seizures. Also known as seizure disorder, it is usually diagnosed after someone has had at least 2 seizures not caused by some other known medical condition.


What is a Seizure?

A seizure is a disruption of the electrical communication between the neurons in the brain. Epileptic seizures may be caused by brain injury or family genetics; however, in most cases the cause is unknown.


Someone is said to have epilepsy if they experience two or more unprovoked seizures separated by at least a period of 24 hours.


Types of Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders

 

Here are the most common types of seizures which may occur with an epileptic:

 

Simple Partial Seizure

No physical symptoms and do not lose consciousness. Person experiences a strong déjà vu, or sensations of falling or movement. In simple partial seizures a small part of one of the lobes may be affected and the person remains conscious.

Simple partial seizures usually start suddenly and are very brief, typically lasting 60 to 120 seconds.

 

Simple Complex Seizures

The person remains conscious and has minor physical symptoms. complex partial seizure affects a larger part of the hemisphere than a simple partial seizure and the person may lose consciousness.

 

Petit Mal Seizure

This is also referred to as a staring spell. It is a short-term disturbance of your normal brain function which usuallly lasts no more than 15 seconds. This is caused by abnormal electrical activity in your brain.

 

Grand Mal Seizure

Also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, it is a type od seizure involving the entire body.  The term convulsion or seizure is most often associated with generalized tonic-clonic seizures.


Epilepsy is more common than Parkinson’s, Cerebral Palsy, and Multiple Sclerosis combined.


Statistics of Epilepsy


  • 65 MILLION: Number of people around the word who have epilepsy.
  • OVER 2 MILLION: Number of people in the United States who have epilepsy.
  • 1 IN 26 people in the United States will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime.
  • BETWEEN 4 and 10 OUT OF 1,000: Number of people on earth who live with active seizures at any one time.
  • 150,000: Number of new cases of epilepsy in the United States each year.
  • ONE-THIRD: Number of people with epilepsy who live with uncontrollable seizures because no available treatment works for them.
  • 6 OUT OF 10: Number of people with epilepsy where the cause is unknown.

Reference:  About Epilepsy Basics


The Affect of Epilepsy on Your Life Insurance


f you have epilepsy you will be required to take a medical exam when applying for life insurance coverage.

The medical exam will ask questions about your health history, family health history, smoking and alcohol assuage, and your lifestyle, among other things.

The paramed examiner administering your examination will check your blood pressure and pulse, and measure your height and weight.


What Do Life Insurance Companies Look For with Epileptics?

Life insurance carriers will be concerned with how you are keeping your epilepsy under control, what measures and precautions you are taking to control your epilepsy.

 

Key Factors the Life Insurance Companies look at Include:

  • When did you have your first seizure?
  • When you were diagnosed with epilepsy – at what age and how long ago? 
  • What was your diagnosis – what type of epilepsy? 
  • Type of seizures you experience?
  • Frequency of your epileptic attacks?
  • Date of your last seizure – how long ago?
  • What steps have you taken since your diagnosis?
  • The degree of control of your epilepsy as indicated by your lab results, medical records and height/weight measurements?
  • What type of treatment do you currently take for your epilepsy – what prescriptions?
  • What other medical conditions do you have?
  • Do you use any use tobacco products?

 

Preparing for Your Life insurance Application

There are several things you can do to be best prepared before applying for life insurance. Doing so may help your chances of getting approved for a policy at the best rating class possible. The better your rating class, the lower your rate for life insurance.

 

Here are Several Tips to Prepare for Applying for Life Insurance:

  • Visit your doctor as often as recommended.
  • Follow your doctor’s advice for taking medication and any treatments.
  • Ask your doctor to make sure all of your medical records are updated on a regular basis. This is a critical suggestion. The life insurance company may place you in a lower rate class if it is not able to determine your level of control for your epilepsy.
  • Make sure you have all other health conditions under control. For example, if you have high cholesterol, make sure it is treated properly.

 

Information on Epilepsy Life Insurance

  • Life insurance premiums are usually lower for people who keep their blood pressure down with proper medication.
  • Premiums are usually lower for those epileptics who diet and exercise.
  • Premiums are usually higher for those who do  not visit their doctor on a regular basis.

NOTE:  You may want to get approved for life insurance and start your coverage. Then, work on improving your life insurance rate classification through better control of your lab results.


If you have infrequent seizures and are being treated successfully with medication, you may have the best chance of getting the your life insurance coverage at a standard rate.

Having regular follow-up appointments with your doctor helps your rates, too.

If you have more recent seizures, more often, your rate will be higher. 

And, if your condition is severe, and not stable, with a more recent diagnosis, and frequent hospital visits, chances are you may find it more difficult to get approved for life insurance.

 

Can you qualify for life insurance?

Yes, you can qualify for life insurance coverage if you have epilepsy. However, the approval and the rate class you are placed in based on your medical history can be unpredictable.  However, if you follow our tips stated above you may have a better chance at finding affordable life insurance coverage.

 

Life Insurance Quotes for Epileptics

  

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Epilepsy Resources

 


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How to Get Life Insurance with No Medical Exam and No Health Questions

Life Insurance for Epilepsy | Life Insurance Cost Calculator


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