Cancer is the second leading cause of death. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t get burial insurance for cancer patients. In fact, it won’t prevent you from purchasing an affordable policy. Hello, my name is Mitch Winstead from Allstar Senior Benefits. Our agency has over 34 years of experience. We have helped thousands of people. My toll-free number is 866-598-8170 or 910-538-4547. Email address is mitch@allstarseniorbenefits.com Website www.allstarseniorbenefits.com Call today for your “no pressure” quote
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States according to the American Cancer Society. We have helped many cancer clients secure an affordable final expense life insurance policy, so they could attain the peace of mind they are looking for.
Today, we will break down how we helped other cancer patients, and shed some light on this often misunderstood topic.
In this article, you will find out precisely how life insurance companies respond to cancer, what to expect, and how to find the best burial insurance for cancer patients.
Burial Insurance After Cancer
This probably comes as no surprise, but cancer is one of those health conditions that EVERY life insurance company will ask about. The key thing to understand is, every funeral insurance company has different underwriting. As such, they all have different guidelines and offers.
The truth is, and depending on when you last had it, it may turn out that your bout with cancer has no negative impact whatsoever on getting burial insurance. As a matter of fact, if you have cancer now, you are still eligible for a burial insurance policy, and it won’t cost an arm and a leg. One thing you must come to terms with is that a waiting period may be unavoidable with every insurance carrier depending on when you had the cancer and what type it was. At the end of the day, there is no scenario where we cannot find you an affordable burial insurance policy no matter how many times you had cancer, what kind, or when. We can help everyone. The key is to let a highly experienced final expense agency like Allstar Senior Benefits help you evaluate all your options.
Burial insurance for terminally ill people does not require physicals or medical exams. All you will ever do is answer some questions about your health. No stranger will ever need to invade your personal space.
If you have cancer now, we pray you get well soon. If you had cancer, we pray you beat it once and for all, and hope it never comes back. No matter what, there are always burial insurance options for you. We will help you sort through the details to find what your best and lowest cost choices will be.
How Final Expense Companies Underwrite Cancer
Not surprisingly, EVERY single funeral insurance application will ask about cancer in some way. The key thing to remember is that every company has its own unique underwriting guidelines. As a whole, there are multiple variables to consider that will ultimately dictate what you should expect given your unique situation.
Here are the main things final expense life insurance companies will take into account in regards to cancer:
- What type of cancer did you have?
- When was the last treatment (any kind)?
- When did you last have cancer?
- How many times have you had cancer?
Those are questions we will ask you, so we can determine what choices you will have with each company.
A couple of skin cancers don’t count
Not all cancer is equal in regards to their rates of mortality. When getting life insurance with cancer has some good news when it comes to skin cancer. There are some forms of cancer that are non-life-threatening in almost every scenario. It’s for this reason that these two types of cancer are a complete non-issue with virtually every burial insurance company.
- Basal Cell Carcinoma
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Most final expense life insurance applications will specially mention these cancers as exceptions. You could have either of them at the time you apply, and it won’t make any difference whatsoever. On a personal note, I have had basal cell carcinoma. I got it when I was 32. I grew up in the ’60s-’80s when most parents/kids did not use sunscreen. When I got it it was a little scary. I remember being in the shower one morning and I looked at my left forearm. I kept looking at this small nickel-sized funny looking on my skin. It was a dark red color with purple streaks in it. So I went to the dermatologist and got it shaved off my skin. They sent it off to the lab and gave me a secret code to call in 2 weeks. I was a little afraid to call the number because at that time I was not quite sure if it was indeed basal cell skin cancer. So when I called the number it gave me instructions to put in my secret code and if everything was ok then a recording would come on and say something like- this is a basal cell carcinoma (which by the way is the best possible outcome for skin cancer) and everything is ok. Also on the voice instructions, it said if we do not have a good outcome you will be placed on hold to speak to a counselor. So I waited after I put in my code and a voice said please stand by to speak with a counselor. I thought Oh my gosh! I must have melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Thankfully the counselor at the cancer lab said you have basal cell carcinoma. I was thinking to myself Thank God. Then I said to myself why didn’t they just give me a recording saying it was ok like the voice instructions said? I don’t know but for 5 minutes I was scared of a not so good outcome.
What If You Have Cancer Right Now?
If you have cancer currently (not basal or squamous cell), most life insurance companies will flat out decline you. However, there are still companies that will accept you. Granted, they will charge you more some given your current cancer diagnosis.
First, you must accept that currently having cancer means you will have a two year waiting period. This is completely unavoidable. There is no life insurance company that will offer you an immediate full face amount due to the fact that you currently have cancer.
If you are currently with cancer, your best and lowest cost option would be to take out a no health question policy. There are many companies that offer these. The only difference is what they charge.
This kind of policy has no questions or medical checks. They simply issue the policy to everyone who applies. A guaranteed issue burial insurance policy will cost anywhere from 15-30% more compared to a plan that has health questions. It’s a fantastic deal considering they literally don’t inquire about your health in any way.
You will have to wait two to three years before ANY guaranteed acceptance policy will pay out any death benefit. If you were to die within the first two to three years depending on which company you choose, they would refund 110% of the premiums that you paid them. Thankfully, you can’t lose money, and after the waiting period, you are fully protected for life.
One great thing to note is that if you die from an accident during the waiting period, they WILL pay out the double the premiums you paid in for the first 3 years and then double the face amount after 2- 3 years.
Cancer Health Questions
Each final expense insurance company will have their own particular health questions. With that, you will typically see cancer appear in two different sections regardless of which insurance company you are dealing with. In most cases, cancer will be asked about in the “knockout” and the “modified/graded” sections. We will break down each below.
Cancer in the questions section yes or no
First and foremost, if you say yes to any cancer question that appears in the knockout section of a health questionnaire, it means that the insurance company will not offer you any coverage. Again, every company is different, but here are the most common ways cancer will be asked about in knockout sections.
- Do you currently have cancer?
- Have you ever had more than one occurrence of the same or different type of cancer?
- Have you ever had Metastatic cancer that has spread to other parts of the body?
Cancer in the Modified or Graded Section
Just so you know, modified and graded life insurance are merely words used by burial insurance companies as labels for their higher risk clients. These plans always cost more and come with a full or partial waiting period.
Here are the most common ways you will see cancer asked about in graded or modified sections.
- In the last 2 years, have you been diagnosed with cancer, or received or been advised to receive chemotherapy or radiation for cancer?
- In the last 2 years, have you had or been treated for any internal cancer?
- In the last 3 years, have you been diagnosed with cancer, or received or been advised to receive chemotherapy or radiation for cancer?
- In the last 3 years, have you had or been treated for any internal cancer?
Cancer Has A 2 Year Minimum Look Back Period
Every funeral insurance company will, at a minimum, have a 2-year look back for cancers. There is no company will that will only ask about cancer within the last 12 months.
This means that if you have had cancer within the last 2 years, you will be subjected to whatever penalties the insurance carrier applies.
Help for you to make sure you always answer accurately
Which one was most recent:
- When you last had cancer
- The date of your last treatment for cancer
Whatever the nearest date is for either of those, that is the date you go by when you answer the health questions. Oftentimes, cancer patients will be declared “cancer-free”, but still go on to have more chemotherapy or other treatments. In that scenario, you would not go by when you were declared cancer-free. You would go by the date of your last treatment for cancer.
Cancer Treatments
In the case of cancer, final expense insurance companies group the treatment for it in the same category as having it. Ultimately, this means having treatment for cancer is equal to having cancer, and vice versa.
There are many types of cancer treatment. If you have experienced any of these because of your cancer, these would qualify as a treatment for cancer.
- Radiation
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Hormone Therapy
- Any prescription drugs meant to treat cancer or side effects of other cancer treatments (usually chemotherapy)
Medications for cancer
There are hundreds of different prescription drugs that are used in response to cancer. If you have filled any of the cancer prescriptions within the last 2 years, most, if not all, burial insurance companies will assume you had or were treated for cancer.
One cool thing to note is that many final expense life insurance companies have what’s called a “first fill” protocol. Basically, this means they look at when you first filled certain drugs. If you have been taking them for at least as long as their cancer look back period, they will no longer count against you.
If you can honestly answer no to a company’s health questions about cancer and you have been taking these “first fill” drugs for a time period greater than they ask about cancer, you can qualify for a level death benefit. This would mean instant coverage and the lowest rate possible. Below are some common “first fill’ cancer drugs.
- Anastrozole
- Arimidex
- Aromasin
- Femara
- Nolvadex
- Soltamox
- Tamoxifen
Expectations After Having Had Cancer
Everyone wants to know just how having cancer will impact the process of buying burial insurance. In keeping with that, below is a list of all the possible scenarios you could encounter in regards to cancer. In addition, you will see very clearly how insurance companies will respond to each situation.
You Have Had Cancer Or Have Been Treated For It Within The Last 2 Years
Unfortunately, there is no funeral insurance company that will ask about cancer within a time period shorter than 2 years. Due to this, you will consequently fall into the highest risk category with every company.
For the insurance companies that do offer you a plan, it will be a modified plan. Being modified means two concessions. First of all, expect to pay anywhere from 40-100% more in monthly premiums. Additionally, you will have a full 2-3 year waiting period.
Important: If you have had or been treated for cancer within the last 2 years, YOU CANNOT avoid a waiting period.
During the waiting period, the insurer will not pay out a death benefit if you pass away for any reason besides an accident. Instead, they will simply refund all your premiums plus interest.
Honestly, if you are in this situation, your best option is to take out a guaranteed issue burial insurance policy. It has no health questions or medical checks. They simply issue the policy.
You Have NOT Had Cancer Or Have Been Treated For It Within The Last 2 Years, but you have within the last 3 years
Hopefully, that title is not too confusing. Basically, your cancer or treatment for it was over 2 years ago, but it was still within the last 3 years. Essentially, there is a 1-year window that you fall into.
If you fall into this scenario, your options become considerably better. Essentially, there are final expense life insurance companies out there that only ask about cancer within the last 2 years. Because it has been longer than 2 years for you, you can honestly answer no to their cancer questions.
Ultimately, this means you become eligible for an immediate benefit, and you can qualify for their lowest rate possible. We pray you continue to be free of this horrible disease.
You Have NOT Had Cancer Or Have Been Treated For It Within The Last 3 Years
At this point, you are free and clear to be in the driver’s seat and pick your company you want. It’s pretty much unheard of for final expense companies to ask about cancer beyond the 3-year mark.
You will easily qualify for a level death benefit with lots of companies. Congratulations on beating cancer and staying free and clear of it!
How To Find The Best Burial Insurance For Cancer Patients
If it’s not already crystal clear, we will point out the obvious. There are many factors to consider! There are just so many things to consider. This is one of the biggest reasons why it’s important you work with the right company to find the best burial plan.
To find the best burial insurance for cancer patients, you must work with a well qualified independent broker that represents lots of insurance companies.
In the end, a company like Allstar Senior Benefits that operates this way will compare prices from lots of insurance companies to see which one will offer you the lowest rate and cover you the soonest.
There is no one insurance company that can be the best fit for everyone. That is why it’s so important to let us shop around and choose from lots of carriers.
Well, we do all that for you. We save you time and money. If you have had cancer and need burial insurance, give us a call. We will surely find you the best plan.
What Constitutes The Best Funeral Insurance?
Most articles online will have you believe that the best final expense plan is merely one that comes from a reputable company that has solid financial ratings. That is honestly the most foolish advice ever. That advice is merely part of the equation. The full equation of what constitutes the best burial insurance is as follow.
The best burial insurance is what plan costs the least and covers you the soonest. Additionally, the plan is provided by a financially stable insurance company.
Here’s the deal.
More than likely, your best burial insurance plan will come from an insurance company that you have never heard of. That does not mean the insurance carrier is bad or not trustworthy. All it means is they don’t spend hundreds of millions on advertising like AARP or Colonial Penn (which by the way are both are not the best choices).
The companies that have been around for a long time can afford to charge less for their insurance because they DON’T spend all the money on advertising. Call today for your no-pressure quote.
My name is Mitch Winstead from Allstar Senior Benefits. The toll-free number is 866-598-8170. or 910-538-4547 Email is mitch@allstarseniorbenefits.com Website is www.allstarseniorbenefits.com
THANKS FOR READING!! 
