Can I Find Affordable Burial Insurance Despite Arthritis?

Living with arthritis can be a painful experience, especially for seniors. However, it’s important to know that in the vast majority of cases, arthritis is not life-threatening. If you happen to have arthritis, rest assured that the opportunities to find affordable burial insurance are just as available to you as they are to the general population. Even if your condition is severe, there are still options to explore.

What Determines the Cost of Burial Insurance?

While burial insurance typically does not require a medical exam, insurers often ask individuals to complete a health questionnaire as part of the application process. This questionnaire helps insurers assess the level of risk associated with providing coverage. The answers to certain questions can impact whether a person qualifies for the policy. Insurers pay close attention to questions that relate to severe conditions with a significant impact on life expectancy.

Younger individuals without significant health issues generally receive the lowest rates because they are expected to pay premiums for a longer period. They pose the lowest risk for insurers, which is why they can secure burial policies with immediate coverage at favorable rates.

On the other hand, older individuals in poor health might face higher rates and a two-year waiting period before their policies become active. Those with severe health conditions may not be approved for policies that require answering health questions. Instead, they may be better suited for guaranteed issue policies that are assigned without any questions asked.

How Does Arthritis Affect Insurance Rates?

When it comes to arthritis, you will likely not face any specific questions about it during the burial insurance exam. Arthritis may impact your quality of life to some extent, but it typically does not shorten your lifespan, except in rare severe cases. If you have no other health issues, you can qualify for burial insurance without a waiting period and enjoy lower premiums.

What if My Arthritis is Severe?

The only way arthritis can potentially affect your ability to obtain immediate burial insurance coverage is if it is severe enough to hinder your performance of the six activities of daily living (ADL). These activities include eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, transferring, and continence.

In the most severe cases of arthritis, these ADLs may be affected, impairing your mobility, ability to breathe properly, and even causing damage to your heart. If you cannot perform the ADLs, you may face higher rates and might only qualify for coverage with a two-year waiting period. During this waiting period, if you pass away, your beneficiaries may not receive the full death benefit.

However, it is important to note that mobility hindrance alone will not make it difficult to obtain immediate coverage. If you rely on a wheelchair but can still perform the ADLs, insurers will not use that against you when assigning coverage.

Discover Your Suitable Policy Today

Regardless of your personal circumstances, we are committed to helping you find excellent burial insurance coverage. Our goal is to ensure that you obtain the policy you need at a price that reflects your situation. If you’re interested in securing burial insurance, please don’t hesitate to call us today at (800) 398-9821.