Life life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family history

L

lou1

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Hi
I'm getting life insurance, and I think I'm going to get serious illness cover. What family history questions and health question are asked on the application? I'm getting it through ebs.

I have a family history of breast cancer. My mam died from it and 5 aunts have either had it or have died as a result of breast/ovarian cancer.

Do you have to say if there is a known breast cancer gene mutation in the family?
I havn't been tested for this gene yet, so i don't know if i have it. 2 of my aunts have tested positive for the brca1 gene. I want to get my life insurance sorted before i have anything on my record.

How much detail will they ask about my aunts?
I know i cannot lie on the questionaire, but if they don't ask directly and i don't offer up the information, will the insurance pay out if i get cancer?

Is there much of a loading for someone with a family history of cancer?

thanks
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

The questionnaires they use are very detailed and you will definitely have to disclose that your mother died of breast cancer. I don't think we had to answer questions about aunts and uncles histories but it might be different for breast cancer since it has a strong genetic link.I don't know what the weighting would be. Your best option is to go to a broker who will be able to get you the best quote, we went to irish mortgage corporation and found them very good.

We were told that if we didn't disclose something on the form they could use it to avoid paying out. The example we were given was that if you said you were a non smoker and died in a plane crash and were subsequently found to be a smoker then your policy would be null and void.
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

You will have to disclose the family history of breast cancer in respect to taking out life insurance (esp. given the genetic pre-disposition).... and any other illnesses. If you fail to disclose material facts that you were aware of at the time of taking out the policy - your policy would then become null and void and the policy wont be paid out.
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

I got my quote back for life insurance with serious illness cover. I told him my mothers family history when asked. They will cover me excluding breast cancer or any metastas from breast cancer. I'll have to go back and try and to get just life cover excluding specified illness. Its a waste of money paying for illness cover if the illness your most likely to get is excluded.

I'd be better off starting a savings account for a rainy day!!!

thanks for your posts
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

hello

just to say that as far as I am aware there is still a moratorium for genetic information being used against someone wanting to take out any form of insurance. This means that the insurers cannot use the results of most genetic tests (there are a couple of exceptions, I think) to up the premiums for people who have tested positive. You might want to check with whatever governing body they have for insurers, but it shouldn't mean that your premium is affected. I recently took out an insurance for various 'women's cancers'; no information was requested regarding family history, and I was assured that such disclosure was not required and even if they knew about family history or genetic testing results they would not weight the premium.

Good luck!
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

Hi yolliedolly
The only heath question I was asked was did either of my parents die under the age of 60. My answer was my mam died of Breast cancer at the age of 49.
This is the only information asked for and given. I was refused serious illness cover for any breast cancer related illness based on that one question, nothing about genetic testing was discussed. I wasn't even allowed to pay a higher premium to have breast cancer covered!!

I have contacted a different broker today to see if she can do any better...
thanks for your replys
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

they can ask about a family history of any illness but cannot seek results of any genetic test. Double edged sword, they could load you even though you may not have inherited the genetic predisposition, but I am not sure if they will honour or even accept a negative genetic test.
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

Under no circumstance does insurance companies have the right to access genetic test results. However, they do ask questions about family history of any illnesses - and you are then obliged to inform them of the family history.
 
Re: life insurance serious illness cover, what health Q's? Breast cancer family histo

If you get your hands on any life insurance proposal and read the declaration you sign you'll notice they all draw your attention to the fact that you do not have to disclose the results of any genetic tests you have had.

If an exclusion was issued then it would have been based on family history.

With certain cancers they are mainly interested in parents, brothers or sisters age 50 or less. (under age 60 if the condition affected two or more family members)
 
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