Epilepsy Insurance Questions & Answers

How do life insurance underwriters view a person with epilepsy?

Life insurance for people with epilepsy is a medical condition which is often considered a higher risk when being assessed for a life insurance policy.

A person who is applying for a standard life insurance policy will be required to take a medical exam so the underwriter can ascertain the amount of risk exposure.

If the person who has epilepsy is considered a higher risk, then this will be reflected in how they are rated and the premium charged for a policy.

Underwriters use a variety of criteria when assessing a person but when it comes to finding life insurance for people with epilepsy. The most common aspects that might be examined by an underwriter include the following:

• The number of years since the person was first diagnosed
• Establishing if there have been any symptoms or epileptic episodes in the preceding 6 months or so
• Ascertaining if the person is currently taking any anti-seizure medications
• Finding out if the trigger mechanisms have been identified
• Determining if any tests were performed over the previous year

What are the health risks of epilepsy?

Epilepsy is also called “Seizure Disorder” and is a neurological condition generally caused by atypical electrical activity in the brain. The sudden occurrence of a seizure can affect the safety of a person while performing normal daily activities.

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A seizure can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Most individuals who have been diagnosed with epilepsy have their condition controlled with anti-seizure medication, and also be helped by identifying any triggers which bring on the onset of the seizure.

The most common symptoms of epilepsy involve a loss of muscular or positional control which is characterized by jerking movements in the limbs, muscle stiffness, sensory disturbances, muscle stiffness, blank staring, or lip smacking. The type of symptoms an individual experiences can vary from person to person.

In some rare instance, the condition can also result in death and is referred to as SUDEP or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, but this is a rarer phenomenon.

Finding life Insurance with epilepsy

Finding life insurance for people with epilepsy can be a bit a challenge for individuals because some life insurers can be more restrictive when it comes to issuing a policy and in how they rate a person who has this condition

Not all life insurance companies are the same in the criteria they use to assess a person’s application or in how they rate a person. The premiums charged by different insurers can also vary quite significantly.

Some insurers are more lenient when it comes to various medical conditions. Others are more stringent in determining how they will rate a person who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.