We all know that life insurance is important, but getting a new policy after being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be difficult.
That’s because many companies won’t insure you or will charge you more based on your health history.
RiskQuoter helps you compare quotes from many different high-risk life insurance companies and finds you the right policy for your situation.
Pro Tip – Get an instant life insurance quote -> Companies use a health class of “standard plus” or “standard”
Life Insurance with Prostate Cancer
Life insurance with prostate cancer is possible if you chose active surveillance.
With active surveillance (and watch and wait), your entire PSA history is needed in order to get offers.
| Coverage Available | Age 45-59 | Age 60+ |
|---|---|---|
| Term | NO(1) | YES |
| Universal | NO(1) | YES |
| G. I. | YES | YES |
| Accident | YES | YES |
PSA needs to be stable for 12 months for age 60 or older, and 3-5 years for age 59 or younger.
Ideal active surveillance candidates:
- Age 60 or older when diagnosed
- Stage 1 cancer cells
- Gleason Score of 6 or less
- Stable PSA for 3 years or longer
- Regularly scheduled visits with your urologist.
Standard rates are available after a 12 month postpone period.
Unfavorable factors:
- Age 55 or younger when diagnosed
- PSA Level of 10 or greater
- Gleason Score of 7 or greater
- Stage T2 or greater
- If surgery or radiation has been recommended.
NOTE: Genetic testing such as the Oncotype DX GPS test may help.
Life Insurance After Prostate Cancer
For prostate cancer survivors, life insurance is based on your cancer history and treatment received.
Radical Prostatectomy
Life insurance is available in as little as 3 months after open radical prostatectomy or laparoscopic surgery if:[1]
- Pre-treatment PSA levels of 10 or less
- Gleason score of 6 or less
Post-surgical pathology stage T2b or less- Negative (clear) surgical margins
- PSA level less than 1.0 after treatment
- Age 60 or older at time of diagnosis
- No family history of prostate cancer
- No lymph node involvement
Standard rates are possible and Prudential may consider their non-smoker plus rate.
If you don’t meet the above, you have to wait 12 months to get life insurance.[2]
Can prostate cancer survivors get preferred life insurance rates?
If you had a radical prostatectomy and meet the above criteria,[4]
Prudential will consider preferred rates two years [3] after radical prostatectomy.
John Hancock will consider preferred rates 10 years after radical prostatectomy.
Unfavorable factors that affect underwriting:
- Pretreatment PSA 11-20
- Gleason 7
- Cancer stage T3a
- Hormone therapy prior to treatment
- Diagnosed between age 50 – 55
- Positive surgical margins
- PSA >1.0 after surgery
- Gleason 8
- Cancer stage T3b or greater *
- Hormones after treatment *
- Any Recurrence *
- Diagnosed prior to age 50 *
- Cancerous lymph nodes
* Requires a 5 year postpone[1]
Radiation Therapy
Life insurance is available 12 months after completing radiation therapy.
Underwriters want to see that treatment worked and cancer is in remission.
Ideal factors for radiation patients
- A pre-treatment PSA level of 10 or less
- Gleason score of 6 or less, and some Gleason 7 (3+4)
- Post-treatment PSA level of 0.2 or less.
- PSA level stable for more than 12 months
- Age 60 or older at time of diagnosis
If you meet the above, some life insurers will consider “standard” rates or possibly a “non-smoker plus” rate.
Your entire PSA and biopsy history (dates and level) is needed from the time it first became elevated until now.
Unfavorable radiation treatment factors:
- Gleason Score of 7 (when it’s a 4+3)
- Under Age 60 when diagnosed
- Hormonal Therapy
- PSA Increase of 1.0 or more above your nadir
- Gleason Grade of 8 or greater.
- PSA increases greater than 2.0 ng/ml are considered a recurrence.
Cancer recurrence requires a 5 year postpone period.
Types of radiation treatment include:
- Internal radiation such as brachytherapy.
- External radiation – EBRT- IMRT, IGRT, 3D-CRT, SBRT, and Proton Beam.
A quick note about radiation – The type of treatment and dose of radiation doesn’t matter as much as the outcome.
We’ll also need to know about any prostate disorders such as BPH, prostatitis, and high-grade PIN.
Prostatectomy and Radiation
Underwriting considers this to be a more extensive cancer, with life insurance being offered on a case-by-case review.
Minimum postpone periods follow radiation guidelines.
A radical with positive surgical margins is viewed more favorably than cancer that spreads beyond the prostate gland.
Prostate Cancer Underwriting Questions
Underwriters need to know:
- When were you diagnosed?
- What was your PSA level at the time of diagnosis?
- How was cancer treated?
- Radical Prostatectomy
- Radiation
- Active Surveillance – Watch & Wait
- Other
- The date of surgery or the start of treatment?
- The end date of all treatment?
- What stage and grade was cancer?
- What was the Gleason score?
- Were surgical margins positive or negative?
- Has cancer reoccurred?
- Have you had any genetic testing?
Let us know if you’ve had other health issues as they may impact underwriting.
With the above, we’ll be able to provide you with accurate life insurance quotes based on your medical history.
Denied Due to Prostate Cancer?
Have you been denied because of prostate cancer?
Many declines are due to working with the wrong life insurer as only a few specialize in high-risk cases.
Life Insurance Success Stories
Here are some actual clients that we have helped.
Gleason 6 – Radical Prostatectomy
- Age 55 at the time of diagnosis
- Stage T1b Prostate Cancer
- PSA was 6
- Gleason was a 6
- Radical prostatectomy 2 years ago
- No further treatment required.
- No recurrence
Approved – Non-Smoker Plus rates
Gleason 7 – Radical Prostatectomy
- Age 54 when diagnosed
- Stage T1c prostate cancer
- PSA was 6
- Gleason = 7 (3+4)
- Radical prostatectomy 3 years ago
- No further treatment required.
- No recurrence
Approved – Standard Non-Tobacco rates plus a 3-year flat extra expense of $600 per every $100,000 of coverage.
Gleason 7 is the reason for the more expensive life insurance rate.
Active Surveillance Treatment Plan
- Age 69 when diagnosed
- Stage T1a
- Historical PSA of 5.0
- Rising PSA Level
- 5.1 at diagnosis
- 5.6 at 6 months
- Gleason 6
- Active Surveillance
Approved – Standard Non-Tobacco rates.
For the active surveillance history, life insurers were concerned about the 0.5 increase in 6 months.
But, it was documented that he planned to start treatment should his PSA reach 6.
Radiation using Brachytherapy
- Age 68 when diagnosed
- Stage 1
- Pre-Treatment PSA = 6.5
- Gleason Score – 6
- Brachytherapy treatment
- Post-Treatment PSA Level has been 0.8 – 1.0.
- No recurrence
Approved – Standard Non-Tobacco rates.
For brachytherapy cases, underwriters focus on PSA levels after reaching your nadir (lowest level).
FAQ
The following are the most common questions we receive.
You can get life insurance if you meet the criteria we described above.
Life insurance is available if you meet the active surveillance criteria described.
Prudential, Lincoln Financial Group, John Hancock, and Protective Life are some of the best insurance carriers.
Some companies specialize in radiation and active surveillance, while others specialize in radical prostatectomy.
Keep in mind that only a few companies specialize in high-risk coverage, that’s why it’s important to work with us.
Radical prostatectomy is favored in the early years, but radiation and active surveillance receive similar offers as more time passes.
We found a great resource for understanding your diagnosis at the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Conclusion
There’s never any pressure or obligation with our service.
We provide you with underwriting feedback from insurance carriers that specialize in high-risk underwriting.
Please take a few minutes to submit your request.
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Michael Horbal
Author
Michael Horbal is the founder and owner of RiskQuoter.com and a licensed life insurance agent who has helped thousands with affordable protection for families and businesses.
References
[1] Prudential Financial, Inc. (2017) Prostate Cancer [PDF file]
[2] Lincoln National (2020) Prostate Cancer Life Insurance Application Result
[3] Prudential Financial, Inc. (2016) Good News for Clients Treated for Cancer [PDF file]
[4] John Hancock Insurance (2018) Field Underwriting Guide – Your Guide to Underwriting Impairments, Part II Pg. 23 [PDF file]
