What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by bacterial or viral infection, worms or other parasites, alcohol, drugs, poison, or transfusion of the wrong type of blood. It can be mild and brief or prolonged and severe. The three main types of hepatitis are A, B, and C.
*Hepatitis A: This type has a slow progression of symptoms and can be spread by direct contact or through fecal infected food and water. Most commonly found in young adults and followed by a full recovery.
*Hepatitis B: This type has a rapid onset of symptoms and is mostly found in blood products. It can be transmitted through unsterile needles, blood transfusion, from mother to child soon after birth or during sexual intercourse. The hepatitis B infection can range from mild lasting only a few weeks to severe resulting in prolonged illness, destruction of the liver, liver cancer and, possibly death.
*Hepatitis C: Spread directly from one person to another via blood or contaminated needles. Can result in acute illness with this type of hepatitis but more likely results in chronic liver disease which may eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.
The symptoms of hepatitis can take years to appear these symptoms have been explained as flu-like in nature such as fever, loss of appetite, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, abdominal pain, and, seldom jaundice. Hepatitis is rarely diagnosed from symptoms only, but rather through several test of the blood as a result of unexplained symptoms and possible exposure if a physician deems a risk. The test will determine elevated liver functions and determine the need for further testing for the presence of the disease.
What Specific Factors Are used to Determine Insurability After a Hepatitis Diagnosis
Qualifying for a life insurance policy after hepatitis can be complicated, but still possible. When evaluating a diagnosis of hepatitis risk for life insurance, the following factors will be carefully considered by the carriers underwriters to determine insurability and rate. Supportive evidence that you are stable with treatment under a physicians monitoring or on the road to recovery will determine insurability.
- When was the hepatitis diagnosed?
- What kind is it? A, B, C or a combination?
- Is there a specific diagnosis including cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis?
- Is the client in remission? For how long? When was the last flare up?
- Are you taking anti viral medications currently? (Interferon, ribaviron)
- Are the current lab results normal? Liver enzymes?
- Did the hepatitis do any damage to the liver?
- Does the client currently drink alcohol?
- Other major health problems?
Use a Impaired Risk Life Insurance Agent to Locate a Insurance Company
Many Life agents are experts in researching what carriers concentrate on writing clients who have impaired risk such as Hepatitis and what questions and support materials will be needed prior to submitting the application. They can assist you by directing you to those carriers and carrier guidelines that will give careful consideration to your specific criterion and measure it against their current sub-standard table ratings in order to get you approved at a favorable rate. All carriers have their own table ratings for every impaired risk case.
How Can You Assist in Obtaining a Favorable Life Insurance Underwriting Outcome
- It is essential for the client to have regular follow ups with his doctor once the diagnosis of hepatitis has been made to include liver function tests.
- Client also needs to comply with any medical health suggestions the doctor makes such as alcohol cessation
What Life Insurance Underwriting Outcome Should I Anticipate for Hepatitis?
Life Insurance approval for Hepatitis depends on kind of hepatitis (A, B, C), if it is chronic or acute, the cause of the hepatitis (virus, parasite, etc.), the results of current tests and labs, age of client and treatment. If the case is mild, in remission and all lab results are normal, "Standard" is usually available.
More severe cases that are chronic with elevated labs results and current flare up are table 2 or higher rated. If the applicant is currently drinking alcohol, the case is usually a decline. A rating table increases the "standard rate" by 25%. Table 2 would be rates 50% over the standard rate; Table 4 would be rates that are double the standard rate.
