How Anxiety Disorders Affect Life Insurance
If you have an anxiety disorder and need life insurance, we can help.
Anxiety Overview
There are five main types of anxiety disorders, including:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
We’ll help you get coverage from companies that understand mental health conditions.
Anxiety Underwriting
Life insurance underwriting is based on:
- The type of anxiety disorder
- The severity of the condition
- Control of your medical condition
- Compliance with doctors’ orders.
Life insurers want to know:
- What condition were you diagnosed with?
- How old were you when diagnosed?
- What medications and dosages do you take?
- Have you changed meds in the past 12 months?
- If yes, what changed?
- How often do you visit with your physician?
- Have you ever been hospitalized for this condition?
- If yes, when and for how long?
- Are you currently receiving disability?
- If yes, when did disability start?
- Is your condition mild, moderate, or severe?
- Do you have any other medical conditions?
- If yes, what do you have?
If you have other conditions such as bipolar or a history of depression,
We work for you, not the life insurance company.
It’s important to work with high-risk life insurance companies to get the best possible offers.
We’ll give you realistic underwriting feedback.
We can discuss anything with you if you have concerns about your medical history, notes in your records, etc.
FAQ
Anxiety may affect life insurance, but chances are you are insurable with a number of life insurers at affordable prices.
Most times when you are denied life insurance due to anxiety, it is due to applying to the wrong company. Most people are readily insurable, even at preferred rates!
While anxiety medication may affect life insurance, underwriters are more concerned with the underlying medical condition.
Life Insurance by Type of Anxiety Disorder
From an underwriting standpoint, life insurers review the type of anxiety disorder you were diagnosed with,
And categorize anxiety disorders as mild, moderate, or severe.
In addition, underwriters review factors such as:
| Favorable Factors | Less Favorable Factors |
| More than 12 months since diagnosis | Less than 12 months since diagnosis |
| Taking 1-2 medications | More than 2 medications |
| Compliant with medications | Non-compliance with medications |
| Regular follow-up with physicians | Sporadic follow-up with physicians |
| Attends therapy as directed | Skips therapy, sporadic sessions |
| Stable family, work environment | Instability in family, work, etc. |
| No other psychiatric diagnosis | Psychiatric or personality disorders |
| Single episode | multiple episodes |
| No suicide ideation or attempts | Suicide ideation or history of attempts |
Underwriters will review the severity of your condition,
And the number of above favorable/unfavorable factors as part of underwriting.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
With GAD, underwriters look at the anxiety’s severity and your response to medication and/or therapy.
If your condition is mild and you respond well to medications and/or therapy,
There is typically little (if any) negative effect on life insurance.
You may even qualify for the best-rate classes available.
Underwriters become concerned when the symptoms are more severe.
If your anxiety reaches the point where it causes lost time from work, hospitalizations,
If you are not taking your medications or going to therapy, that becomes more difficult in underwriting.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
With OCD, underwriters look at your medications and therapy compliance.
If your symptoms are controlled, and you have consistent follow-ups with your physician,
The impact on life insurance rates is minimal.
Underwriting becomes concerned when obsessions and compulsions negatively affect your daily activities.
Panic Disorder
During a panic attack, you may have symptoms of,
With panic disorders, life insurers look at how controlled the condition is,
A pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, high blood pressure, shaking, sweating, etc.
The medications you take, and the signs of the panic disorder negatively affect you.
The severity determines how/if it will negatively affect your life insurance rate.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
With PTSD, underwriters look at the underlying cause, current medical condition, and treatment history.
Lost time from work, failure to meet with your physician regularly,
Or any drug or alcohol abuse history will affect underwriting.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social phobias may affect life insurance if,
Your current medical condition prevents you from participating in daily activities.
Working with a therapist, taking medications as directed, and improving over time are all helpful.
Final Words
Life insurance is available for most people with anxiety disorders.
Even if you were previously rated or declined by other life insurance companies.
There is no pressure or obligation with our service.
We give you the information you need to make an informed decision about your life insurance.
Please take a few minutes to submit your request today.
Thank you.
