Buying Life Insurance After Thyroid Cancer – How to Get Your Best Rate!
People with thyroid cancer often face hurdles when applying for life insurance.
For example, How long must you wait for life insurance after thyroid cancer?
And how much will your coverage cost you?
We answer your questions and show you how to get the best rates from high-risk life insurers.
In this post, you’ll learn about the different types of life insurance and how each can assist you if you have a history of thyroid cancer.
Thyroid Cancer Overview
According to the American Cancer Society, they estimate that there will be 43,800 new thyroid cancers in the United States in 2022.
Women make up the majority of thyroid cancer cases.
Underwriting starts with the type and stage of thyroid cancer you have.
Thyroid Cancer Underwriting
Whether you have just been diagnosed or are in remission, getting life insurance with a history of thyroid cancer can be difficult.
You may be able to get coverage with a high-risk policy, but you’ll pay a much higher price.
To get the best deal on life insurance for thyroid cancer, you need to shop around for the best companies (that’s where we can help) based on your cancer history.
Underwriters want to know the following:
- When were you diagnosed with cancer?
- What type of thyroid cancer did you have?
- What was the stage of thyroid cancer?
- Were any lymph nodes positive for cancer?
- How was thyroid cancer treated?
- Has there been any recurrence?
- What medications and dosages do you take?
- Do you have any other health issues?
Each company has its guidelines used to determine your price.
We use a quick quote process that allows us to shop for companies that specialize in thyroid cancer.
We’ll get you underwriting feedback from companies specializing in high-risk life insurance in days.
Papillary Thyroid Cancer Life Insurance
Papillary is the most common type of differentiated thyroid cancer.
About 8 out of every 10 thyroid cancer cases are papillary.
This is the easiest thyroid cancer to insure, also known as papillary carcinomas or papillary adenocarcinomas.
| Cancer Stage | Underwriting Range |
|---|---|
| One | Standard – Standard Plus Rates |
| Two | Standard Rates |
| Three | Standard with a flat extra expense for 3-5 years. |
| Four | Postpone for 5-10 years before consideration |
You may be insurable when you’ve completed treatment, and your latest radioisotope scan is negative.
Rates are less favorable if diagnosed before age 20 or after 60.
Follicular Thyroid Cancer Life Insurance
Follicular thyroid cancer has similar underwriting outcomes as papillary thyroid cancer.
The second most common type of differentiated thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, is roughly 1 out of every ten thyroid cancer cases.
| Cancer Stage | Underwriting Range |
| One | Standard Plus Rates |
| Two | Standard Rates |
| Three | Standard with a flat extra expense |
The exceptions to the above are if there was an extensive capsular invasion or indication of Hurthle Cell cancer.
Postpone periods are longer due to the Hurthle Cell’s increased possibility of spreading to lymph nodes.
Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Medullary thyroid cancers develop from the cells in the thyroid that make up calcitonin.
Calcitonin helps control the amount of calcium in your blood.
For medullary thyroid cancer, underwriting is case by case.
The reason why is due to:
- Medullary cancer’s aggressive nature
- It tends to occur earlier in life
- Spreads more quickly than other thyroid cancers
- May not respond to radioactive iodine therapy.
For this reason, underwriters want to see multiple calcitonin tests before insuring you.
Typically, a 3-5 year postponement period is required after the completion of treatment.
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Anaplastic cancers are not insurable with traditional life insurance.
This is because they likely quickly spread to your neck or throat but rarely to other body parts such as your colon or kidneys.
However, guaranteed issue life insurance policies and accidental death benefit policies may be available.
A guaranteed issue policy will have a graded death benefit during the graded period (usually two years).
If you die during the graded period, your beneficiaries do not receive the full death benefit but a return of the premiums you paid plus interest.
If you died after the graded period, the full death benefit would be paid to the beneficiaries.
Once the graded period passes, the full death benefit will be payable.
Thyroid Cancer Life Insurance FAQ
The following are the most frequent questions we receive about thyroid cancer.
Yes, you can get life insurance often within a few months of surgery!
Life insurance depends on your age when diagnosed, cancer stage, type of cancer, and treatment received.
Yes, there are life insurance companies that specialize in cancer underwriting.
A guaranteed issue life insurance policy may be available now or if you are age 70+ with low-stage cancer.
Life insurance costs depend on the cancer stage, treatment received, and time since treatment.
All types are available, including term life insurance, universal life insurance, and whole life insurance.
The best life insurance companies vary depending on your medical details.
You will find that information here if you are looking for underwriting information about thyroid conditions.
Final Words
Life insurance provides a financial safety net in the event of your death.
When shopping for life insurance, remember that having a history of thyroid cancer may make it more challenging to get a policy, but not impossible.
Luckily, several life insurance companies are available to people with a history of cancer.
By choosing the right company (that’s where we help) for your situation, you can provide for your loved ones at the best rates possible.
There is never any pressure or obligation with our service. Thank you.
