Applying For Life Insurance With Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
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Before issuing a life insurance plan, insurance companies do check for your medical history and existing medical conditions because it affects the premium you have to pay. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, you may have to pay a higher payment than usual as the risk is undertaken by the insurance company in such cases is higher than usual cases.
What Qualifies as a Pre-Existing Medical Condition?
According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), it is any condition, injury, ailment, or disease, which has been diagnosed by a doctor 48 months before the date on which the policy is effectively issued.
Type and Severity of the Medical Condition
It is important to remember that different insurance companies may have different terms and conditions regarding this situation and qualify for their life insurance policy in general. Nevertheless, most companies are not too keen on providing life insurance to individuals with severe pre-existing conditions like terminal illnesses. This is because it involves risks that the company may not be willing to undertake easily.
If given, the amount of premium charged is significantly higher. Severe conditions like cancer and diabetes have markedly more risk involved which leads to a higher rate. Even then, it is important to get life insurance as soon as possible because if your condition worsens, it will lead to an even costlier premium. This is applicable even if you have no such pre-existing medical condition because there is never any telling when trouble might occur.
You may also like to read:- 10 Life Insurance Terminologies a Policyholder Should Know
Do Not Hide Your PED Information
Taking into consideration the high premium that might be involved, people often tend to lie on their life insurance applications. This is a grave mistake and will actually cause more harm than good. All life insurance applications undergo thorough assessments. Intentionally lying on your application can be deemed as fraud which then has penalties.
Not only will your current policy be denied, but you may also have a hard time ever getting life insurance ever again. Even if your application does go through, your lies may be caught and penalized later. The best way to go is to fully disclose all information and sincerely undergo the medical checkups as required during the application. It will ultimately help you get the best out of your plan.
Difference For PED Clauses in Health Insurance v/s Life Insurance
The primary difference when opting for life insurance, rather than for health insurance, with a pre-existing medical condition, is that there is no waiting period involved. Health insurances require you to usually participate in a waiting period before the policy begins to cover expenses regarding the particular medical condition. This is usually for a few years.
In the case of life insurance, you only have to wait for a few weeks before your approved plan starts to be in effect. Immediately after, full coverage is started for the insured person.
Must Check
Also Read:- How To Save Tax With Life Insurance?
Endnotes
Do not lose hope if you have a pre-existing condition. Apply sincerely and with truthfulness, and your application might be approved. Also, take care of your health so that you can ask for a lower premium in case your condition improves. It is also beneficial if you apply early in life as the younger and healthier you are, the lesser will be the premium charged on your life insurance policy.
Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
