Prostate Cancer Life Insurance – How to Get Your Best Rate
Life insurance for prostate cancer survivors has been our specialty since 1998. We all know that having coverage is important, but getting life insurance after a prostate cancer diagnosis can be difficult. That’s because many companies won’t insure you or will charge you more based on your health history.
We understand how cancer and treatment will affect your life insurance and work with you to get a great policy at an affordable rate. Here are some things we do to get you the best deal.
Benefit #1 – Prostate Cancer Expertise
Life insurance for prostate cancer survivors is complicated. You will get declined or overpay because you ended up with the wrong agent, company, or both.
Your cancer stage, Gleason Score, PSA history, and type of treatment received are the main factors affecting your price and the company you should apply to.
Benefit #2 – Insurance Company Independence
We work for you, not the life insurance company. We have 40+ life insurance companies available to help you. And of all those companies, only a small percentage specialize in prostate cancer. Compare that to an agent who only represents one company.
Benefit #3 – Great Policies with Affordable Rates
Whether you need term life insurance, universal or whole life insurance, we have choices available for you. Once we have your underwriting feedback from insurers, we show you all the companies so you can choose the company and policy that is best for your needs.
“Mike was a great help in finding affordable insurance and
guiding me through the process!”
Joel G.
What Makes My Service Stand Out?
As the owner of RiskQuoter, I am personally involved with every client as your independent life insurance agent.
I don’t outsource your information to other agents or sell your data like many life insurance websites do.
When I work with you, I’ll ensure that I fully understand your prostate cancer history and will work with you to find the best policy that meets your needs whether you still have cancer or you’ve been cancer free for one year, 2-years, 5-years, or longer.
Something else to remember is that there is never any pressure or obligation with my service.
See what they’re saying.
Our happy customers have a lot to say about our service!
“You handled this anxiety producing situation with skill and an incredibly astute sense of the issues. I can’t thank you enough.”
Robert T.
Client“Mike shops for the best rate based on underwriting per person. He was in touch constantly and made the whole transaction run smoothly.”
Don H.
Client“Great Communication – Works to help clients. Fantastic rates.”
John S.
Client“Very professional and thorough.”
Stan B.
Client“While the underwriting took a while, Michael was consistently in touch and provided excellent service.”
Valerie A
Client“Your services and assistance in obtaining my life insurance policy has been outstanding in every aspect.”
Philip B.
ClientHow Our Life Insurance Service Works for Prostate Cancer
Here’s a quick overview to show you how we can help you find the best prostate cancer life insurance rates.
We offer prostate cancer life insurance expertise, and the best companies and policies to help you.
Get a Prostate Cancer Life Insurance Quote Today!
If you would like to see more exact details of how prostate cancer insurance works, continue reading here.
Life Insurance and Prostate Cancer
Can you get life insurance with prostate cancer?
Getting life insurance with prostate cancer is possible when you choose active surveillance.
Your entire PSA history is needed to get life insurance offers when you have cancer and are in active surveillance (watch and wait).
| Coverage Available | Age 45-59 | Age 60+ |
|---|---|---|
| Term | NO(1) | YES |
| Universal | NO(1) | YES |
| G. I. | YES | YES |
| Accident | YES | YES |
(1) Some 55-59-year-olds may be eligible for coverage.
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:
You can get life insurance if you have cancer and meet the following criteria.
- Age 60 or older when diagnosed
- Stage 1 cancer cells
- Gleason Score of 6 or less
- Stable PSA for three years or longer
- Regularly scheduled visits with your urologist.
Standard rates are available after a 12-month postpone period.
Some cases may encounter a flat extra expense.
If you were diagnosed with a mental health condition such as anxiety triggered by cancer, companies don’t hold that against you for underwriting.
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 your urologist recommends surgery or radiation.
Note: Genetic testing such as the Oncotype DX GPS test may help.
The above assumes you’ve had no other significant health history, such as diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis, or other cancers.
Skin cancer is ok as long as it wasn’t melanoma.
The best life insurance companies for cancer patients will depend on the above factors.
Life Insurance After Prostate Cancer
Can you get life insurance after prostate cancer?
Life insurance depends on your cancer history and treatment for prostate cancer survivors.
Radical Prostatectomy
The best life insurance for prostate cancer survivors is available in as little as three months after open radical prostatectomy or laparoscopic surgery if: [1]
Standard rates are possible, and Prudential may consider their non-smoker plus rate.
- Pretreatment 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
You must wait 12 months to get life insurance if you don’t meet the above. [2]
Can prostate cancer survivors get preferred life insurance rates?
What are the best life insurance companies for cancer survivors?
Prudential will consider preferred rates if you meet the above criteria, [4] and it’s been two [3] or more years since having a radical prostatectomy.
John Hancock will consider preferred rates ten years after radical prostatectomy.
Unfavorable factors that affect underwriting:
- Pretreatment PSA 11-20
- Gleason 7
- Cancer stage T3a
- Hormone therapy before treatment
- Diagnosed between the ages of 50 – 55
- Positive surgical margins
- PSA >1.0 after surgery
- Gleason 8
- Cancer stage T3b or greater *
- Hormones after treatment *
- Any Recurrence *
- Diagnosed before age 50 *
- Cancerous lymph nodes
* Requires a five-year postponement [1]
Radiation Therapy
Life insurance is available 12 months (sometimes sooner) after radiation therapy.
Underwriters want to see that the treatment works and that the cancer is in remission.
Ideal factors for radiation patients
- A pretreatment 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 the time of diagnosis
If you meet the above, some life insurers will consider “standard” rates or possibly a “non-smoker plus” rate.
We need your entire PSA and biopsy history (dates and level) from when 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 five-year postponement 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.
Underwriters are more interested in the outcome.
We’ll also need to know about prostate disorders such as BPH, prostatitis, and high-grade PIN.
Have you had any genomic testing completed? It’s important to let us know what test you had and what the result was, as it can help with underwriting.
Genomic prostate cancer tests include:
- Decipher
- FoundationOne Liquid CDX
- Oncotype DX
- Prolaris Test
- ProstaVysion
We’ll share these test results with companies to get coverage for you.
Prostatectomy and Radiation
Life insurance underwriting is case by case, as this combination of treatments is considered a more extensive prostate cancer.
Underwriters are concerned about the potential to spread to lymph nodes, your bladder, or gastrointestinal organs.
Minimum postponement periods follow radiation guidelines.
A radical with positive surgical margins is viewed more favorably than cancer that spreads beyond the prostate gland.
Any underwriting offers will likely include a table rating and a flat extra expense.
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 therapy?
- What stage and grade was cancer?
- What was the Gleason score?
- Were surgical margins positive or negative?
- Has cancer reoccurred?
- Have you had any genomic testing?
- Do you have any other health conditions?
- Do you participate in scuba diving or private aviation?
Let us know if you’ve had other significant health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, or stroke history, as they will 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.
Burial insurance for cancer patients may be possible for those with advanced stage 3 or stage 4 cancer.
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 two years ago
- No further treatment is required.
- No recurrence
- The only other issue was elevated cholesterol
Approved – Non-Smoker Plus rates for term life insurance
Gleason 7 – Radical Prostatectomy
- Age 54 when diagnosed
- Stage T1c prostate cancer
- PSA was 6
- Gleason = 7 (3+4)
- Radical prostatectomy three years ago
- No further treatment is 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 six months
- Gleason 6
- Active Surveillance
Approved – Standard Non-Tobacco rates.
Life insurers were concerned about the 0.5 increase in 6 months for the active surveillance history.
But, it was documented that he planned to start treatment should his PSA reach 6.
Radiation using Brachytherapy
- Age 68 when diagnosed
- Stage 1
- Pretreatment PSA = 6.5
- Gleason Score – 6
- Brachytherapy treatment
- Post-Treatment PSA Level has been 0.8 – 1.0.
- No recurrence
- Slightly elevated liver enzymes.
Approved – Standard Non-Tobacco rates.
Underwriters focus on PSA levels after reaching your nadir (lowest level) for brachytherapy cases.
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.
For example, some companies specialize in radiation and active surveillance, while others specialize in radical prostatectomy.
Remember that only a few companies specialize in high-risk coverage. That’s why it’s crucial to work with us.
In the early years, life insurers prefer radical prostatectomy. Radiation and active surveillance receive similar offers as more time passes.
We found an excellent resource for understanding your diagnosis at the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Final Words
There’s never any pressure or obligation with our service.
We provide underwriting feedback from insurance carriers specializing in high-risk underwriting.
With Covid still prevalent, some companies have limited offers for older ages, but we can help you navigate that.
Please take a few minutes to submit your request.
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Michael J. Horbal
Owner of RiskQuoter
Too many people overpay for life insurance because they end up with the wrong life insurance company, agent, or both. That’s why I started RiskQuoter – To help you get the best life insurance rates available.
As an independent insurance agent, I’m licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and offer 40+ life insurance companies to ensure you get your best rate!
Sources for This Article
[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]
By Michael Horbal – updated on – 10/13/2022