Rheumatoid Arthritis Life Insurance

Can you still find and qualify for Life Insurance even if you have Rheumatoid Arthritis? The answer is yes you can but it depends... Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA for short is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the connective tissues in your joints all over your body.  It typically manifests itself in people over age 30 to 50 but can be diagnosed at any age.  Women are more acceptable to the disease more than men as well.

How do you know if you have RA, symptoms may include:

• Stiffness in the morning
  Multiple joint arthritis i.e.-both hands or feet
  Rheumatoid Nodules - nodules under the skin
  Positive blood tests or Rheumatoid Factors from blood screens
  X-rays of the joints, can also detect RA

Rheumatoid Arthritis can also affect not just the joints of your body but organs as well, such as heart and lungs depending on the severity of the disease.

Statistics show that it's possible 50-70% of RA sufferers could become disabled in 5 years from diagnosis and possibly stop working within 10 years if the disease progresses.

The disease is treated with over the counter pain medications such as aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications or non-steroidal as well as more powerful and side effect prone medications such as Prednisone and Methotrexate to name a few.  There are other newer medications being tested and used as we speak due to that nearly 2% of the adult population has a chance to contract the disease. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Life Insurance Underwriting:

Your rate class or premium will be determined upon how severe the disease is and the medications that you currently take to control it. If it is mild with no disability or other organs involved only taking anti-inflammatory you could be non-rated with a Standard Rate class approval "depending". If moderate with the use of steroids you could be table rated from table 2 or b on upwards depending on the carrier you choose.  If very severe with limitations of functionality of joints or organs involved could be a decline or postpone until the disease gets better.

Information that your Life Insurance Broker will need to know for and Underwriting Pre Qualification Quote:

1. Date of Diagnosis:
2. Current medications: Name, amount and frequency:
3. Have you had any of the following:

• 4. Which joints are involved:
• 5. Are you active or sedentary, do you use a cane or walker:
• 6. Tobacco use:
• 7. Any other major health issues: