what about life insurance?

Hi i am new to this forum, I was diagnosed a few years ago and don't really know too much about whats happening to me yet, i do know that i have a very low viral load what ever that means, I am a single mother of a two year old boy, who thank the lord is neg for hcv, what i am wondering is can we get life insurance, i dont want much, just 30,000 or so to help my mom to take care of him just in case i do not make it till he is all grown up...does any one know this answer or have any tips where to look for a policy??  thanks, mysmile*

[jonihs]

The only thing I know about life insurance is that G.I.P.A. said companies will not insure you until you have been SVR 5 yrs. She said that might go lower the more people who stay clear. But I'm sure no company would cover you now , but I hope I'm wrong. If you find one, post it and let us know. Good Luck! Joni

[litecloud]

am new here also, but if your job has health insurance, sometimes they offer life insurance no questions asked. I have a 100K policy. Good luck

[Ambush]

Due to the HCV, you are uninsurable.  There's no sense in trying to hide your status as it is on record and the policy would not be paid.I did read something here about possible insurablility 5 years after clearing the virus.
ambush

[oldhippiechick67]

Yup, Ambush is right about that.  I luckily got life insurance somehow in March last year, and was diagnosed in June with HepC
and why the insurance co missed that on the blood they took from me is beyond my understanding.  I heard too that once you have it no company will cover you until you have cleared the virus through treatment and are clear 5 yrs later.  I am not an insurance expert, that is all I have read and heard about on these hep C sites.  Your son would get some Social Security as a death benefit if you were to die from it, which is unlikely (unless your liver biopsy shows serious liver damage/cirrhosis stage 3 or 4 and you drink and do drugs like a maniac).  The Docs say our chances of dying from Hep C are pretty slim....unless the liver is real bad like I said.  Anyways, I hope that helps answer some of your concerns.

[ral]

Hi Mysmile welcome. I read a thread here a few weeks ago about someone who got life insurance even though they had hep C there are somemore aggresive (aggressive) companies out there. go back thru the archives or maybe someone here will re-post the article. Or actually now that I think about it I read it in one of my Hep C magazines I will try to find it tonight or tomorrow and post the pertinant data. Good Luck. GOD BLESS you will be OK and your baby.

Bob L

[ral]

Hi Mysmile welcome. I read a thread here a few weeks ago about someone who got life insurance even though they had hep C there are somemore aggresive (aggressive) companies out there. go back thru the archives or maybe someone here will re-post the article. Or actually now that I think about it I read it in one of my Hep C magazines I will try to find it tonight or tomorrow and post the pertinant data. Good Luck. GOD BLESS you will be OK and your baby.

Bob L

[HepCinLA]

I got life insurance thru Hartford (but I pay way more than my husband does for basically the same coverage).

[ral]

Hi mysmile*

I can't find the my copy of the article yet but it was in the last Hep C Connections magazine.

They are in Denver Co and thier Phone # is 303.860.0800 or 1.800.522.HEPC

Their website is www.hepc-connection.org

Good Luck it was an article on Life Insurance

Bob L

[ral]

You Don't Think About Life Insurance Until You Can't Get It!

[DebbieDo]

I got hepatitis when i was 20 yrs old in 1969.......I was young and away from home and i never thought it was a disease THEN.I was told to get plenty of sleep and stay away from alcohol.  I pretty much did most of my life....I had a son in 1975 (healthy)..And In 1977 I bought life insurance, they never gave me a physical and when asked if i ever had a serious disease I said NO>........because i truely thought that i never did......so now what......will i have insurance when i die, will they investigate my health......Its not like i will be worth millions......just curious, since the subject has been brought up.....Deb  :)~

[fsplink]

My husband has life insurance with New England Financial and they are the ones who discovered his hepatitis and they still issued him a policy. The rates did go up though.

[n2cats15]

I have farmers insurance - my agent her in Denver says that she has written several life insurance polices for people with hep C.  Good luck to you!

[mysmile*]

Thank you all so much for your hospitality and encouragement.  I have since been denied several times and have pretty much found that i can get life ins.  however it is extremely expensive.  Much more so than a student such as my self can afford.  The other question that i have is kind of embarrassing, i am just wondering if you are already infected with hcv, and you have sexuall relationships with another infewcted individual, is it possible to raise your viral load that way?

Thanks mysmile*

[tedinoregon]

an update:

I just had a term life policy underwritten by State Farm Insurence (Agent Bruce Goodman in Sacramento, CA).  I was underwritten as a class 5, which is not bad.  A $100k term life policy costs $50/mo.  Over time my class rating can go down and premiums will cost less.  Also, will be able to apply for universal life in a year or so after staying "undetectable."  This is GREAT news for those who have cleared the virus.

I have been undetectable since Nov 2007.  I started tx in Oct 2007 and ended in Feb 2008.  HepC type 2.

[nygirl7]

Wow that is something to make sure this stays at the top over..........maybe people are starting to understand that this disease usually isn't what kills you and if you are UND it certainly most likely isn't going to!

Thanks Ted - I hope this is true here in NY / CT as well.  I do NOT want to leave my kids with the big fat nothing they'll get if I lose my life insurance at my job and have nothing else to count on!

As broke as broke a I am.............this is something I need to do!