Life
Insurance with Coronary
Artery Disease - CAD
Have you been charged an excessive
rate or declined for life insurance due to your history
of coronary artery disease (CAD)?
 Coronary
artery disease, also referred to as coronary heart
disease or CAD, is the most common health condition
that life insurance companies encounter. Additionally
it is one of the leading causes of death in the US
affecting both men and women in large numbers. While
many life insurance companies are not willing to consider
CAD for competitive rates, some companies have a good
understanding of its impact on mortality and will be
more “open minded” when evaluating this
condition. The information below will provide you with
general information on coronary artery disease including
some facts and statistics as well as its impact on
life insurance rates.
Understanding
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary artery disease, also known as atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis,
is the result of the narrowing of the arteries that carry
oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle which allow it to
pump blood effectively. Partial closure of these arteries
can cause angina (chest
pains) and complete blockage will lead to a heart
attack..
CAD occurs over time and begins with an
injury to the inner wall of an artery potentially caused
by high
blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes and
smoking among other factors. At the place of injury, fatty
deposits called plaque begin to collect and harden. As the
fatty deposits accumulate, they slowly narrow the artery
and restrict the flow of blood to your heart. If the plaque
buildup ruptures, the body’s response is to send blood
cells called platelets to the site to try to repair the artery.
These platelets can clot resulting in a blockage which can
lead to a potentially fatal a heart attack.
See also, “Arteriosclerosis
and Its Impact on Life Insurance Rates”.
Other related medical conditions
(or medical terminology) include Coronary Artery Disease,
CAD, Heart Disease, Coronary Angioplasty, Atherosclerosis,
Coronary Stents, Heart By-Pass Surgery, and Heart Catherization.
Learn more information on receiving a term
life insurance quote with these medical conditions
from our life insurance specialists.
Coronary
Artery Disease Statistics and Facts
 Coronary
heart disease affected more than 15 million American is 2004,
American Heart Association.
Coronary
heart disease caused about 452,300 deaths in 2004
and is the single leading cause of death in America
today, American Heart Association.
This
year an estimated 1.2 million Americans will have
a new or recurrent coronary attack, American Heart
Association.
Coronary
artery disease is the nation’s leading cause
of death.
Every
34 seconds a person in the United States dies from
heart disease which results in more than 2,500
Americans die from heart disease each day, Mamashealth.com.
Risk
factors for CAD
There are many contributors to coronary
artery disease and life insurance companies are especially
interested in the presence of these risk factors and how
they impact each individual. The good news is that many of
the factors associated with CAD are controllable. Following
are the most important risk factors in evaluating an individual
with coronary artery disease:
- A family history of heart disease,
- Age, the older you are the greater risk of CAD,
- Stress,
- Obesity,
- Smoking or tobacco use,
- High Blood Pressure,
- Poor nutrition,
- Diabetes, and
- Lack of physical activity/exercise.
These risk factors are often present in
combination and may lead to even additional problems that
may have long term effects adding to an increased risk of
CAD. For example, lack of physical exercise and poor diet
will lead to obesity which could result in high cholesterol
and diabetes. When these risk factors occur in multiples,
you stand a much greater risk of developing coronary artery
disease. Consequently, you can expect to pay a higher rate
for life insurance.
The Impact
of Coronary Artery Disease on Life Insurance Rates
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause
of death in the US and will therefore be a significant concern
for all life insurance companies. When determining your rate
for life insurance, companies will be specifically interested
in the results of your diagnostic testing. Tests such as
exercise stress tests, stress echocardiograms, angiograms,
thallium testing and CT scans reveal the existence and significance
of CAD. Additionally, the presence of the risk factors listed
above and any treatment such as coronary
angioplasty or coronary
by-pass will be major considerations in determining
your rate for life insurance.
Coronary artery disease is best diagnosed
through a series of medical tests such as an exercise stress
test, stress echocardiogram or an angiogram. The exercise
stress test is the simplest test and is useful in determining
the likelihood of CAD. If the exercise stress test is abnormal
a stress echocardiogram or angiogram can help identify the
level of plaque buildup, the percentage of arterial narrowing
involved (stenosis) as well as the number of vessels affected.
From the insurance company’s perspective, each of these
variables will help determine the severity of the condition
and its overall threat to mortality. From the physician’s
perspective, these results can be used as a barometer for
future maintenance as well as an indicator of a potential
treatment strategy. See, Life
Insurance Underwriting Versus Practical Medicine.
If your exercise stress test shows abnormalities,
the severity of your abnormality will determine your actual
rate for life insurance. A mildly positive stress test may
result in a life insurance health
class of standard with
an additional 25%-50% extra charge or rating.
If the stress test shows moderate to strong abnormalities
the rate you can expect may be standard with an extra charge
of 75%-100%.
If there is a positive stress test, you
will likely do a follow up stress echocardiogram or angiogram.
Either of these tests will be more definitive in determining
the presence and severity of CAD. A normal stress echocardiogram
or angiogram will go a long way to ruling out the presence
of CAD and will positively impact the rate you pay for life
insurance. In fact, some life insurance companies may give
you standard rates if the stress echocardiogram or angiogram
is normal.
If the stress echocardiogram or angiogram
is abnormal, the level of plaque blockage along with the
number of diseased vessels and their locations will be of
critical importance in assessing your level of risk. If there
is only one vessel involved and the blockage is in a favorable
location, surgery such as angioplasty may be an effective
solution. Angioplasty is a procedure whereby the artery is
reopened by inserting a thin tube (catheter) with a balloon
through the vessel and expanding the balloon in the affected
area to widen the arterial wall. In some cases, stents are
inserted to help prevent arteries from narrowing again in
the future. For more information see, Angioplasty
and Life Insurance.
If you have had a successful angioplasty
procedure and assuming limited risk factors noted above,
your life insurance policy will most likely be rated with
a small extra charge. With only one or two vessels affected
and no other underlying heart issues, you might qualify for
life insurance at a standard rate depending on the insurance
company but will likely be charged 25% to 50% more than the standard
health class. Compliant medical follow up is also
mandatory to getting the most favorable rate.
Those with CAD requiring multiple angioplasties
with stents or major surgical procedures such as a heart
by-pass will pay significantly higher rates for life
insurance. A best case scenario in these cases will likely
be 50%- 150% more than the standard health rate. This assumes
limited risk factors above and compliant medical follow up
with a cardiologist.
If you have major CAD with multiple risk
factors noted above you may pay rates in excess of 200% more
than the standard rate. This includes individuals with several
health concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes
along with coronary artery disease. With a combination of
health problems, and depending on the stability of your overall
health, you may even be declined
for life insurance.
In most cases, you may not realize that
you have CAD until you experience symptoms or suffer a heart
attack, but the good news is that you can take steps now
to protect yourself from future problems. Healthy lifestyle
changes such as a better diet and regular exercise along
with medications for high cholesterol and blood pressure
can go a long way in slowing the development of coronary
artery disease. Taking care of yourself will greatly improve
your chances of getting the best possible rate when applying
for life insurance.
An additional point of importance is to
realize that all life insurance companies do not use the
same underwriting philosophy when assessing the risk of coronary
artery disease. Some companies are more aggressive than others
so choosing the right company will go a long way to assure
you get the best rate for your life insurance policy.
How
Can MEG Financial Help?
At MEG Financial, we have worked with many
individuals across the country that have had related
histories and have helped many obtain fairly priced life
insurance. A number of these clients previously attempted
to buy life insurance elsewhere but were either turned down
or asked to pay a significantly higher rate. Our experience
helping others with related problems is invaluable
to you in identifying the insurance company that will treat
you most fairly.
For more specific information or to obtain
a custom quote, call MEG Financial today at (877) 583-3955.
You may also submit this short
form and an independent insurance agent will personally
contact you to go over any questions or other concerns.
 Related
Links for Coronary Artery Disease
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