Mental Health and underwriting?

[anaxagoras]

I don't sell a lot of life, i mainly cross sell it to clients with other lines. I'd not consider myself an expert in life at all. I know the basics between whole and term and that's basically all i deal with. So this may be a naive question.

I've had a few clients get turned down for policies due to mental health issues. For example I had a carrier turn a 16 year old kid down for having ADHD and being on ADHD meds. With how common adhd is it makes me surprised.

I obviously get that if someone is deemed a safety risk to themselves, or other sthat could affect life insurance. Severe depression, crippling anxiety, etc, etc...

But what about the guy seeing a therapist after a bad divorce? or someone who realizes they have mild depression? Generally speaking what kind of impact does this stuff have on underwriting?

 

[DHK]

My big thing is to make sure that they are current with their medications. I agree that I would also be surprised with a declination for ADHD. I have ADD and I've never been declined for insurance.

I've attached some files from The VSA's Virtual Underwriter that can help bring insight for various conditions and what you can do about them.

The VSA

 

[fed up]

Some times it is very beneficial to speak with an underwriter before submitting the application to discuss current situations and let them tell you how to submit

 

[Lloyds of Lubbock]

I think a cover letter will help.
You are the underwriters eyes and ears in the field.
The better your info is the smoother it will go.
If he is going for some help after a divorce not taking any meds he should be fine and with a cover letter you may even avoid an APS.

 

[theleadingagent]

Just recently got a decline for this same issue.

But it wasn’t disclosed at time of app