Oh, for the fortunate few who find the right doctor who hits on the right medication for their mood disorder the first time, making life insurance a simple process. One day it presents as an annoyance and the next as less than that. But more common is the medication dance that, while it makes the patient or life insurance client appear unstable, is really a matter of trying to match up one of or a combination of the myriad of drugs available.

The end result is the same in most cases. Once that goal is reached then the seas calm and stay that way and stability is reached. The problem is that life insurance underwriters often look at that period of seeking stability as a problem. What I see as an equal problem is the life insurance underwriter who will look the other way while a client tries several different blood pressure medications, all the time while their blood pressure is running borderline high. The life insurance underwriters don’t see that as instability even though the blood pressure fluctuation can kill you out of no where, equal to if not more than bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder.

So the difference comes in severity of the change. If a person with bipolar disorder is in danger during that medication change then, for their own protection, they might need to be hospitalized for a short period while the new medication takes effect. That generally wouldn’t be true of blood pressure, but well could be if the pressure was running high enough to be life threatening. I doubt a doctor would send you home with out of control blood pressure.

Bottom line. So, from a life insurance standpoint it all comes down to stability, whether that is a mood disorder that is achieved easily, blood pressure that is controlled by one simple pill or diet and exercise control. With stability comes a lack of concern over mortality issues and with that , better life insurance treatment and rates. If you have any question please call or email me directly. My name is Ed Hinerman. Let’s talk.