Parkinson’s Disease

Life insurance with Parkinson’s Disease

Overview

Life Insurance is often available for those with Parkinson’s Disease.

Those with severe symptoms / more advanced progression and/or other complications may be declined by standard insurers. This condition does mean that Life Insurance premiums are likely to be higher.

The following guidance is aimed at those who have been diagnosed with more advanced Parkinson’s.

 

Key Issues for Parkinson’s Disease

To determine if Life Insurance can be offered and at what premium, an underwriter will likely require a fair level of detail about the person affected.

This is driven by multiple factors which you will need to inform us about in any Life Insurance enquiry including :-

  • Parkinson’s Uniqueness & variability – Each person is affected differently by Parkinson’s disease and no two people will experience the exact same symptoms. The impact of Parkinson’s disease can be unpredictable and it is common for people to have good days and bad days.
  • Indirect impact of Parkinson’s – While Parkinson’s disease doesn’t directly cause death, the consequential burden on the body and so some people become more vulnerable to serious and life-threatening infections.
  • Complexity and range of Parkinson’s treatments – without a direct cure for Parkinson’s, medical treatments are being trialled and evolved all the time. There are also a wide range of treatments from drugs to physiotherapy and occasionally surgery. Every person’s treatment plan will be very personal to them.
  • Lifestyle & self-management – the impact of a healthy lifestyle and a positive commitment to self-manage the ability and willingness as well to make and follow informed decisions relating to treatment are all factors which can affect a person with Parkinson’s

Pulse Insurance specialise and may well be able to find cover for those with Parkinson’s and other conditions, when other insurers decline. If you have not already been declined for life cover, you could consider approaching mainstream insurers. 

It is quite likely that we will require a Medical Report before cover can be issued. We will discuss this with you when you enquire.

  

If you need a specialist underwriter

Pulse specialise in taking your Parkinson’s and any other specific conditions and needs into account and finding you Life Insurance cover, if it is available.  

We use our knowledge and experience to find a solution when other Life Insurers have declined to quote.

 

Why Pulse Insurance?

  • Pulse Insurance have been focused on finding unusual cover since 1998
  • We strive to offer a caring and sensitive service
  • We are knowledgeable insurance professionals who work as a team
  • We provide a personal service to guide you through
  • If we cannot help, it will not be for the want of trying or know-how

While finding cover for everyone is not always possible and the premium will be higher to reflect increased risk, we like to think we are good at helping people find the cover they need.

In many of Parkinson’s cases we can offer indicative premiums and/or sense of if cover may be available or not early on; so, you can decide to proceed or not.

 

Being Transparent

It is always important to declare your Parkinson’s and any other medical conditions completely.

 

Your Personal & Medical Details

Everything you disclose about your Parkinson’s to any life insurer or life agent should be treated with sensitivity and appropriate levels of privacy.

  

Requirements for more information

While our initial enquiry may not gather enough information to provide an indication of cost, our insurers may ask for more in depth information regarding your Parkinson’s and/or any other conditions. Sometimes the details you can provide may allow them to reduce the premium they seek.

As you have a serious medical condition, it is likely that underwriters will need to seek a Doctor’s report or for you to undergo medical examinations, blood tests or other tests that will confirm your health to allow them to quote an accurate premium and confirm cover details. The costs involved in obtaining the medical information are usually paid by the underwriter, but if not, you will be informed before they are requested.

Pulse will never sell your details to anyone. We will use your details to provide the service you have asked for according to the permissions you grant us– read our Privacy and Data Protection policy in full.

 

Medical Reports

If you have any recent or relevant medical reports, these can enable underwriters to provide a more accurate indication. 
 
Please send these either to [email protected] or post them to us
 
n.b. Do not worry if you don’t have any medical reports as they are not usually needed to give an indication of cover / cost.
It may be necessary anyway for separate specific medical reports to be sought if you decide to proceed with an application.
 
If you have any queries, please give a member of the team a call on 01280 841430.
 

Additional Covers

Pulse may be able to offer covers beyond everyday Life Insurance to give you the peace of mind and protection you desire.

The reasons you may need life cover may be simple or complex, but having the right cover brings peace of mind for you and your family.

 

Useful Parkinson’s resources

We suspect if you have read this far, you are relatively well informed about your Parkinson’s.

You may know of or find these external resources useful; although Pulse are inevitably not responsible or in control of the accuracy or nature of the information provided.

NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/pages/introduction.aspx

Parkinson’s UK: http://www.parkinsons.org.uk

http://www.brainandspine.org.uk/parkinsons-disease


Age UK: http://ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/conditions-illnesses/parkinsons-disease/

 

For Pulse Intermediaries 

The following details may help you when competing an application for your client.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Blood-pressure-(high)/Pages/Treatment.aspx#medication

 

Medications and Treatments

The main types of drug treatment for Parkinson’s disease have been:

  • Drugs which replace dopamine (levodopa; the most common drug treatment)
  • Drugs which mimic the role of dopamine (dopamine agonists)
  • Drugs which inhibit the activity of acetylcholine (a chemical which becomes overactive due to a lack of dopamine and can cause tremor)
  • Drugs which prevent the body breaking down dopamine
  • Other drugs such as anti-sickness medication

 The list of medicines will inevitably evolve, but include (some of the brand names are included in parentheses): –

  • Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetric)
  • Apomorphine hydrochloride (APO-go, APOKYN)
  • Benzotripine Mesylate (Cogentin)
  • Bromocriptine mesilate (Parlodel)
  • Cabergoline (Cabaser)
  • Carbidopa Monohydrate/Levodopa (Caramet, Duodopa)
  • Carbidopa/Levodopa (Parcopa / Sinemet)
  • Carbidopa/Levodopa
  • Carbidopa/Levodopa/Entacapone (Stalevo)
  • Co-beneldopa (Madopar)
  • Co-careldopa
  • Entacapone (Comtan, Comtess)
  • Mirapexin /Pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate
  • Orphenadrine hydrochloride (Biorphen, Disipal)
  • Pergolide mesilate (Celance)
  • Pramipexole (Mirapex)
  • Pramipexole Dihydrochloride extended release (Mirapex)
  • Procyclidine hydrochloride (Arpicolin, Kemadrin)
  • Rasagiline mesilate (Azilect)
  • Rivastigmine Tartrate (Exelon)
  • Ropinirole hydrochloride (Requip)
  • Rotigotine (Neupro)
  • Selegiline hydrochloride (Eldepryl, Carbex, Zelepar)
  • Tolcapone (Tasmar)
  • Trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride (Artane, Broflex)

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