Life Insurance for Lupus Patients
Some diagnoses carry more weight than others, particularly for those patients who are concerned about providing for their families. Lupus is one of those diagnoses. While whole life and term life insurance policies can be difficult to get for patients with a history of lupus, it is possible. Because there are increased risks associated with the disease, it may cost more for people with lupus to get coverage. Realistically, most lupus patients will pay more in premiums for their life insurance, but coverage is out there. Here’s how to find it:
First, patients will need to determine which of the two types of lupus they have. There are two main types of lupus.
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Discoid Lupus
Discoid Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the skin. It can lead to scarring, hair loss, and hyperpigmentation of the skin. It can go and return, although it is chronic. It is more common in women than men, and it is most common in women between ages 20 and 48. In about 10% of the patients with discoid lupus, it will progress to systemic lupus. Early recognition and treatment can improve the prognosis significantly.
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Systemic Lupus
Systemic Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues. While the symptoms do tend to come and go, this can cause widespread tissue damage and inflammation. Some typical signs of lupus can be painful joints, rash, major fatigue, and loss of circulation.
For patients with discoid lupus, finding a life insurance policy will be significantly easier than for those patients with systemic lupus. If a beneficiary has discoid lupus, or has lupus that has been dormant for many years, they can apply for a fully underwritten life insurance policy. This is a policy with the lowest premium rates, but discloses the applicant’s full medical history.
For patients with systemic lupus or lupus with other health concerns, a simplified issue or guaranteed issue life insurance policy is a reasonable way to go. Simplified issue life insurance policies ask far fewer questions about medical history, and guaranteed issue policies do not require any disclosure of medical history. Simplified issue premiums are more expensive than fully underwritten, and guaranteed issue policies are the most expensive overall. Despite having to pay higher premiums, access to these three different options for life insurance policies means that patients with lupus and their families do have the opportunity to benefit from a life insurance policy.
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