Melanoma Life Insurance: Your Complete Guide to Skin Cancer and Life Insurance

A melanoma diagnosis (or any skin cancer) can be daunting, but obtaining life insurance afterward is possible. With the right approach, you can secure affordable coverage!

This guide covers how melanoma and other skin cancers impact life insurance, the best strategies for approval, and which insurers offer the most favorable rates. You’ll learn:

• Melanoma Underwriting: How a melanoma diagnosis affects life insurance underwriting.
• Stage Specific Coverage: From melanoma in situ to advanced melanoma.
• Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: How non-melanoma skin cancers affect rates.
• Insurer Insights: Which life insurers offer the best policies for melanoma survivors.
• Real-Life Examples: Actual underwriting results for applicants with a history of skin cancer.

In addition to skin cancer, we have written numerous life insurance guides for all types of cancer survivors and patients, heart conditions, and gastrointestinal conditions.

A melanoma diagnosis does affect your life insurance premiums and eligibility. Underwriters examine several key details to determine your risk profile and rate class, including:

• What type of skin cancer did you have, and when were you diagnosed?
  • Melanoma – Superficial spreading, nodular, lentigo maligna, or acral lentiginous melanoma
  • Basal Cell and Squamous Cell
  • Pre-Cancerous Skin Conditions – dysplastic nevi, Paget’s disease

• Stage and Severity
  • What was the melanoma stage and tumor size?
  • Was there any recurrence?
  • What was the depth and thickness? (Breslow, AJCC)
  • Clark’s Level thickness for cancers diagnosed before 2010.
  • Were any lymph nodes cancerous? How many?
  • Was the melanoma ulcerated?

• Treatment History
  • How was the cancer treated? Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy.
  • Where on your body was the skin cancer located?
  • How many times have you had skin cancer?
• Time Since Treatment
  • When were you diagnosed?
  • When did you start treatment?
  • When did you complete all treatment?
  • Do you visit your dermatologist regularly?
• Overall Health and Medical History
  • Is there a family history of melanoma?
  • Do you have any other health conditions, such as:
    • Endocrine Issues: Diabetes, thyroid cancer or disease, etc.
    • Respiratory Related: Asthma, sleep apnea
    • Neurological Conditions: Stroke, epilepsy, MS
    • Mental Health

Gathering all relevant medical information—especially pathology reports—will improve the accuracy of the underwriting feedback you receive.

By understanding these factors, we can better assist you in navigating the process and finding the type of life insurance that suits your needs.

According to the American Cancer Society, doctors expect to diagnose approximately 105,000 cases of melanoma in the United States in 2025.

Underwriting guidelines vary significantly based on the type, stage, treatment options chosen, and time since diagnosis and recovery.

If you were diagnosed with melanoma in situ, or Stage 1a or 1b melanoma surgically removed, life insurance is typically available immediately after surgery.

Getting life insurance after melanoma in situ is surgically removed with no further treatment, a standard rate and possibly a standard plus rate are available after surgery.

For example, one of our clients had melanoma in situ (0.1mm thick) on her forehead, with a layer of skin surgically removed via Mohs’ surgery. She applied with us and received the following:

• Standard Plus Rates – Banner Life, Prudential, and Mutual of Omaha
• Standard Rates – Corebridge, Lincoln Financial, John Hancock, Pacific Life, and Protective Life.

Banner Life’s rates were the best for this client.

Stage T1a melanoma is less than 1mm thick and not ulcerated.

Standard life insurance rates are available after surgery with the right companies. Other companies will postpone or decline coverage.

One of our clients had a T1a melanoma surgically removed with no further complications. The following offers were received:

• Standard Rates – Prudential, Lincoln, John Hancock and Protective
• Postponed or Declined – Corebridge, Pacific Life, Banner Life

Lincoln National’s rates were most competitive for this case.

Stage 1b melanomas are more severe than Stage 1a melanomas because they are thicker (over 0.8 mm) and ulcerated.

While life insurance is available after surgery, rates will include a table rating or flat extra expense. As more time passes since surgery, better rates become available.

One of our clients was diagnosed with stage T1b melanoma, which was surgically removed with no further complications. He applied through us a few months after surgery and received the following:

• Standard with Flat Extra Expense – Prudential, Lincoln, Mutual of Omaha
• Table-Rated Offer – Corebridge Financial at a Table 4 rating.

Corebridge Financial offered the best rate, and we believe that as more time passes, we will be able to secure a standard rate for this client.

Stage 2 melanoma presents more challenges for life insurance, often requiring waiting periods and higher premiums due to the increased risk factors.

When you’ve been diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma, life insurance companies will postpone offering coverage to you for a minimum of 12 months after completing all treatment.

Most companies will add a flat extra expense for 5-7 years when life insurance is available.

Prudential, Lincoln National, and Protective Life have all been competitive companies for our clients with stage T2a or T2b melanomas.

Stage 3 requires lengthy postponement periods of 5 years or longer from the end of treatment. This is due to the higher risk and potential spread of cancer to nearby lymph nodes.

Companies will include a life insurance table rating and a flat extra fee when life insurance becomes available.

The table ratings typically add 50% to the standard rate for the policy’s life. The flat extra will add $1500 – $2000 per $100,000 coverage you consider and may last 5-7 years.

With stage 4, the cancer has spread to other organs.

Life insurance companies will deny all coverage except for accidental death benefits and guaranteed issue insurance policies.

A graded benefit guaranteed issue policy limits coverage amounts to $25,000. Accidental death benefit coverage is available for up to $500,000.

Life insurance rates for non-melanoma skin cancers are competitive, with some companies even willing to consider their best rate classes.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): These non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common and generally don’t affect life insurance eligibility. Most applicants qualify for preferred or better rates after treatment, unless advanced therapies, such as radiation or chemotherapy-based creams, are used.

In that case, you are most likely looking at a standard or standard plus rate.

For example, pre-cancerous conditions such as actinic keratosis or atypical moles (dysplastic nevi) can impact underwriting.

Dysplastic Nevi are existing moles that may resemble melanoma. People who have dysplastic nevi are at a higher risk of developing melanoma. Underwriters consider your history, the number of dysplastic nevi, and the time elapsed since removal.

Obtaining preferred rates for dysplastic nevi is possible. Most companies consider individuals with fewer than 4-6 dysplastic nevi for their preferred rates.

Similarly, actinic keratosis is a skin condition that can sometimes develop into skin cancer if left untreated. Once treated, underwriting follows the same rules as basal cell carcinoma and sometimes squamous cell carcinoma.

We have answers if you have questions about life insurance with skin cancer.

A melanoma or skin cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean life insurance is out of reach. You can find coverage that fits your needs with the right insurer and strategy.

Request a life insurance quote today – No pressure, no obligation.

References:

Basal Cell Carcinoma Overview. Skin Cancer Foundation. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/basal-cell-carcinoma/ Accessed June 17, 2020.

Key Statistics for Melanoma Skin Cancer. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer/about/key-statistics.html Accessed June 17, 2020

Munich American Reassurance Company. (2020). Malignant Melanoma [PDF file].

Prudential Financial, Inc. (2017) Rx for Success Skin Cancer. [PDF file].

Melanoma underwriting rate chart – compiled from multiple carriers

Stage	Postpone?	Flat Extra	Likely Outcome?
In situ	No	No	Standard Plus
Stage 1a	No	No	Standard
Stage 1b	No	Possibly	Std + Flat Extra
Stage 2a*	Yes	$750 – $1000 (1)	Std + Flat Extra
Stage 2b*	Yes	$1000 (2)	Std + Flat Extra
Stage 3*	Yes	$1500 – $2000 (3)	5 Year Postpone
Stage 4*	Yes	Yes (4)	10 Year Postpone

Legal & General America. (2011) Dialogue Melanoma – Issue #17 [PDF file]

AIG – American General Life Insurance Company (2014) Melanoma Data A, Thickness 1.01 – 2.0 mm [PDF file]