Obesity is one of the major reasons individuals are declined for life insurance. To pile on, clients who face weight problems usually have additional underlying issues that impact the insurance company’s decision. It puts a lot of pressure on the agent to dig into the details and shop strategically.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is usually the first speed bump with obese individuals. Their increased body mass index (BMI) can create increased vascular resistance which puts strain on the on the heart’s ability to pump blood. The more fatty tissue in the body the more likely an individual will have hypertension.
There are other difficult conditions that can come along with obesity such as Coronary Artery Disease, Type II Diabetes, Stroke, and Osteoarthritis and each can impact getting approved for life insurance. As agents we must understand the basics of these health conditions to ensure we give clients every chance to be approved. Below are 10 questions every insurance agent should ask when qualifying obese clients for life insurance:
- Age, height and weight?
- Weight 12 months ago?
- Recent change in weight?
- If yes, what type of weight change and what caused it?
- Has the client had any weight loss surgery?
- If yes, what type and when was it done?
- Pre- and post-surgery weight?
- High blood pressure?
- List of medications?
- Known complications or health problems associated with your weight?
Like I say over and over: You must thoroughly fact find before submitting an application for life insurance for an obese client. Insurance companies have different takes on obesity and the underlying issues so you must be diligent in your fact finding to reduce the roadblocks in underwriting. Lean on your marketing organization or insurance carrier for detailed help. There are companies out there that specialize in writing life insurance for obese individuals and it is the job of the marketing companies to identify those for you.
Contact us today if you would like help with clients with obesity. You can reach me directly at drew@redbirdadvisors.com or call 866-547-8780 ext. 102.
