Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies & Asthma Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Fatigue Crohn's Disease Cystic Fibrosis Depression Diabetes Epilepsy
Fibromyalgia General Chronic Illness GERD & Acid Reflux Headaches & Migraines Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Parkinson's Disease Prostate Cancer

Chronic Illness Blog »
All Health Conditions »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

All Support Forums »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Health Conditions
    • Chronic Illness Blog
    • Allergies & Asthma
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Fatigue
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Cystic Fibrosis
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Epilepsy
    • Fibromyalgia
    • General Chronic Illness
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Headaches & Migraines
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Parkinson's Disease
    • Prostate Cancer
  • Support Forums
    • All Support Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
  • Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • LinkedIn
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

Life Insurance

Chronic Illness Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
>
Life Insurance  
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Show-Me_Greg
New Member
Joined : May 2013
Posts : 5
Posted 5/15/2013 7:54 AM (GMT -7)
New to the forum and have a quick question.

Where have you all been able to buy life insurance, with an elevated PSA?

My numbers have ranged from 7.8-9.7 over the last 24 months.

Biopsied and all 12 came back negative BUT nobody will even consider writing me a term policy.

Thanks

profile picture
Joefrompgh
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2011
Posts : 22
Posted 5/15/2013 8:15 AM (GMT -7)
Wow! I guess the policies that require physicals go to the "down and dirty;" that is they deny contracts on anything that appears threatening.

There are term policies that you can more easily get that only ask questions such as "have you been DIAGNOSED with cancer, heart disease, etc." However, the amount they are willing to underwrite is usually not large (perhaps up to $20,000) and the payments are high. You may also be able to get term insurance if your employer offers it. I have several $10K policies...two universal (one that I've had since age 24 and one that I purchased upon retirement that only was interested if I was TREATED for cancer within the past three years (I also wrote an explanation that I was treated five years prior and they said that was ok). The latter contract costs $29/month, which is a bargain. And I have a third $10K rerm contract that is provided by more former employer free of charge and ends at age 80.

I wish you luck in your search and perhaps a general agent may be able to steer you in the right direction.
profile picture
Nomar Lupron 4 Me
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2013
Posts : 1922
Posted 5/15/2013 8:23 AM (GMT -7)
Greetings from a former Missourian myself. Born in Saint Louis. I guess I can say raised there too but not grew up as most who know me say I never grew up.

There are a slew of policies that only require a few medical questions to be answered. I can't recall if they were term policies or whole life.

Particularly if you have never been diagnosed with cancer, you should be able to qualify in say 25,000 increments with several companies until you get to the desired level.

In some cases, the death benefit is return of premium to the beneficiary if death were to occur in first couple of years, and then full face amount thereafter.

If you check your email spam file, you may already have offers from several life insurance companies.

Not an option I would recommend especially in your case, but most policies have a one or two year contestable period. So if an unethical one were to outlive some less than fully honest answers on the app, their beneficiary would still get paid for death after the contestable period.
Diagnosed @ age 64 Feb 2013 PSA 3.68 (6 mo velocity) Gleason 9 (4+5)

T1CN0M1B a/k/a D2 Adenocarcinoma w. 7 of 12 cores worst ones 70% right perineural Invasion PNI

oligometastatic 5 tumors 1 right sacroiliac, 2 thoracic vertebral bodies (spine), 2 right posterior ribs

Began Lupron 4 month 03-28-2013.
PSA after 28 days 0.90 w free PSA 0.22, T=24

In UF & Shands Metastatic Disease Program

Jim
profile picture
BB_Fan
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 1015
Posted 5/15/2013 8:25 AM (GMT -7)
I have an undetectable PSA, but I was just denied a longtern care policy because i had a recurrent PSA after surgery and require salvage radiation. Really surprised me. I figured that if I had a recurrence of cancer again with a G8, I would need long-term care.
Dx Dec 2008 at 56, PSA 3.4
Biopsy: T1c, Geason 7 (3+4)
Robotic RP March 2009
Path Report: T2c, G8, organ confined, neg margins, lymph nodes - tumor vol 9%
PSA's < .01, .01, .07, .28, .50. ADT 3 5/10. IMRT 7/10.
PSA's post HT/SRT .01, < .01
End ADT3 5/11
PSA 10/11 < .01, T 103
PSA 1/12 < .01, T 214
PSA 6/12 < .01, T 380
PSA 1/13 < .01, T 389
PSA 4/13 < .01, T 362
profile picture
142
Forum Moderator
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 7188
Posted 5/15/2013 9:08 AM (GMT -7)
I've been watching all the various offers since this question comes up often. The "diagnosed" point is where you might get by - check AARP, they flood me with offers, but none will cover me, being diagnosed and treated.

Once anything says you are diagnosed, you are pretty much out of luck based on what I've seen. For what they want in premiums vs what they will pay, it seems just as good an idea to put some money in a savings or investment account each month.

The only option I have is to buy a company policy during open enrollment at the end of the year.


Moderator - Prostate Cancer
(Not a medical professional)

DaVinci 10/2009
My adjuvant IGRT journey (2010) -
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=1756808
HT (Lupron) 6-mo injection 9/12;Prolia 6-mo inj 12/12
profile picture
JNF
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2010
Posts : 4101
Posted 5/15/2013 4:30 PM (GMT -7)
Basically for life or long term care insurance you have to be clear of treatment for five years. There are individual exceptions, but the five year clear of treatment and no increase in PSA is pretty standard. I am a financial advisor and insurance is a significant part of our business.
PSA 59 on 8-26-2010 age 60. Biopsy 9-8-2010 12/12 positive, 20-80% involved, PNI in 3 cores, G 3+3,3+4,and 4+3=G7, T2b.
Eligard and Jalyn started on 10-7-2010. IMRT to prostate and lymph nodes started on 11-8-2010, HDR Brachytherapy December 6 and 13, 2010.
PSA < .1 and Testosterone less than 3 since February 2011
profile picture
davidg
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4093
Posted 5/15/2013 5:27 PM (GMT -7)
AFLAC is 5 years cancer free.

I have life insurance i got before diagnosis but I think it runs out in 8-9 years time.
40 years old - Diagnosed at 40
Robotic Surgery Mount Sinai with Dr. Samadi Jan, 2011
complete urinary control and good erections with and without meds
Prostate was small, 34 grams.
Final Gleason score 7 (3+4)
Less than 5% of slides involved tumor
Tumor measured 5 mm in greatest dimension and was located in the right lobe near the apex.
Tumor was confined to prostate.
The apical, basal, pseudocapsular and soft tissue resection margins were free of tumor.
Seminal vesicles were free of tumor.
Right pelvic node - benign fibroadiopse tissue. no lymph node is identified.
Left pelvic node - one small lymph node, negative for tumor (0/1)

AJCC stage: pT2 NO MX
profile picture
Worried Guy
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 3766
Posted 5/15/2013 8:13 PM (GMT -7)
It was an insurance physical that discovered my PSA was 17.8! They turned down my application while telling me to contact my physician immediately.
Thank you MetLife. I don't know whether to love, or hate you.
Jeff
Age: 60, Mar 37 yrs, 56 dx, PSA: 4/09 17.8, 6/09 23.2
Biopsy: 6/09 7 of 12 Pos, 20-70%, Gleason 4+3 Bone, CT Neg
DaVinci RP: 7/09, U of Roch Med Ctr
Path Rpt: Glsn 3+4, pT3aNOMx, 56g, Tumor 2.5x1.8 cm both lobes and apex
EPE present, PNI extensive, Sem Ves, Vas def clear, Lymph 0/13
Incont: 200ml/day ED: Trimix
Post Surg PSA: 10/09 .04, 7/10 <0.01, 7/11 <0.01, 1/12 <0.02
AdV Sling 1/10/11 Dry
profile picture
davidg
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4093
Posted 5/15/2013 8:16 PM (GMT -7)
17.8? I'd say to thank them.
40 years old - Diagnosed at 40
Robotic Surgery Mount Sinai with Dr. Samadi Jan, 2011
complete urinary control and good erections with and without meds
Prostate was small, 34 grams.
Final Gleason score 7 (3+4)
Less than 5% of slides involved tumor
Tumor measured 5 mm in greatest dimension and was located in the right lobe near the apex.
Tumor was confined to prostate.
The apical, basal, pseudocapsular and soft tissue resection margins were free of tumor.
Seminal vesicles were free of tumor.
Right pelvic node - benign fibroadiopse tissue. no lymph node is identified.
Left pelvic node - one small lymph node, negative for tumor (0/1)

AJCC stage: pT2 NO MX
profile picture
Worried Guy
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2009
Posts : 3766
Posted 5/15/2013 8:53 PM (GMT -7)
Yep. I should thank them.

This was after I had a "complete" 55 year physical from my GP who did not include a PSA in my blood work because he read about some European study that showed men with no symptoms, negative DRE, and no history of PCa in the family should not be screened.
I went to a Uro and his DRE was very different. He immediately identified a well developed problem on the left side.
I told my GP about this and he took the message to heart.
He changed his mind about the PSA test and now gives more aggressive DREs as well.

Thank you MetLife.
J
profile picture
Gregz263
Regular Member
Joined : May 2010
Posts : 140
Posted 5/16/2013 4:26 AM (GMT -7)
I had just completed the purchase of a new 20 year term policy 1 month before my doctor advised me of my elevated PSA of 4.7. I guess the insurance company did not check my PSA during their medical screening. Phew! Guess I just snuck that one in under the wire.
Age 46 at DX
PSA 1/06 1.0, 4/09 2.9, 4/10 4.6, 4/10 4.7, 10/10 4.7
Bio 5/10 12 of 12 negative
Bio 7/10 12 of 12 negative
CDU sat Bio 10/10 30 of 30 neg
1/11 4.5, 7/11 4.3, 1/12 5.7, 4/12 5.3, 7/12 6.1, 10/12 9.1
8/12 CDU sat Bio 52 cores (ouch)
DX 9/6/2012 9 of 52 pos. Gleason 6 and 7
30 DART treatments complete 11/12, brachytherapy 55 Pd 103 seeds 12/12/12, follow up DART, 10 sessions, 3/13
profile picture
Joefrompgh
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2011
Posts : 22
Posted 5/16/2013 8:47 AM (GMT -7)
Gregz263...while electronic records are now fully upon us, back in 2010, not very much so.

I highly recommend that you keep the paper copies of both your 2009 and 2010 psa readings in a safe place, just in case, if and when that day comes, the insurance company doesn't make payment for whatever reason. Not saying they will hold back the money but its best to play it safe.

profile picture
Nomar Lupron 4 Me
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2013
Posts : 1922
Posted 5/16/2013 10:32 AM (GMT -7)
Greg, here's an example of what I was talking about that showed up in today's email unsolicited. I am not endorsing this particular insurance company as many offer something similar

http://www.lifebymutual.com/?cc=U76&r=3

Graded Benefit Life Insurance from United of Omaha Life Insurance Company "United of Omaha" provides:

Guaranteed acceptance for ages 45-85
No physical exams or health questions to answer
Affordable rates that never increase – Ever!
Benefits that are never reduced because of age or health

Of course the actuaries build anti-selection into the rates, and it's only return of premium first couple of years and whole life rather than term, but you can get coverage in small increments form various carriers.
Diagnosed @ age 64 Feb 2013 PSA 3.68 (6 mo velocity) Gleason 9 (4+5)

T1CN0M1B a/k/a D2 Adenocarcinoma w. 7 of 12 cores worst ones 70% right perineural Invasion PNI

oligometastatic 5 tumors 1 right sacroiliac, 2 thoracic vertebral bodies (spine), 2 right posterior ribs

Began Lupron 4 month 03-28-2013.
PSA after 28 days 0.90 w free PSA 0.22, T=24

In UF & Shands Metastatic Disease Program

Jim
profile picture
Show-Me_Greg
New Member
Joined : May 2013
Posts : 5
Posted 5/16/2013 11:56 AM (GMT -7)
Thanks.

I have a large policy expiring next year and am not quite in a position to be self funding and not need life insurance. I will look into buying 3 or 4 small policies as suggested.


56 yrs old, excellent health -
Feb '11 - DRE - enlarged PSA 6.0
Feb '11 - DRE - enlarged PSA 8.8
Mar '11 - Biopsy 12 of 12 Negative
Sept '11 - DRE - enlarged PSA 11.5
Dec '11 - DRE - enlarged PSA 5.9 Free PSA 13%
Aug '12 - PSA 7.1 Free PSA 13%
May '13 - DRE - enlarged PSA 7.9 Free PSA 13%
profile picture
Nomar Lupron 4 Me
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2013
Posts : 1922
Posted 5/16/2013 12:05 PM (GMT -7)
Greg, If the premiums are not too horrendous, may want to start the clock now since death benefit the first couple years is only return of premium, (Some states require at interest) not the full $25 K per policy.

If you wait until your current policy expires, there is an extra year or so of gap in your coverage
Diagnosed @ age 64 Feb 2013 PSA 3.68 (6 mo velocity) Gleason 9 (4+5)

T1CN0M1B a/k/a D2 Adenocarcinoma w. 7 of 12 cores worst ones 70% right perineural Invasion PNI

oligometastatic 5 tumors 1 right sacroiliac, 2 thoracic vertebral bodies (spine), 2 right posterior ribs

Began Lupron 4 month 03-28-2013.
PSA after 28 days 0.90 w free PSA 0.22, T=24

In UF & Shands Metastatic Disease Program

Jim
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply

Forum Information

Currently it is Wednesday, February 20, 2019 9:15 AM (GMT -7)
There are a total of 3,042,662 posts in 332,457 threads.
View Active Topics

Who's Online

This forum has 163279 registered members. Please welcome our newest member, Macs.
158 Guest(s), 9 Registered Member(s) are currently online.  Details
alephnull, acarined, AnxiousTexan, Hoagie, Macs, Alxander, suttie, straydog, halbert




HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter PinterestPinterest LinkedInLinkedIn
© 1997-2019 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved.