Denied life insurance because of PND

I had PND and had counselling and meds for a long time, got life insurance through Polly with no problems and the team I spoke to were kind and understanding!

I was denied totally too - for self harm I never did !!!

My abusive DM had protected my sister and when she self harmed (we are very close in age) and presented to an and e she gave MY details so in future it didn’t affect her. I was unaware for about 15 years till I tried to get life insurance and I was shocked. Nobody would take my word for it

Like pp have said, use a broker. It's their job to find you a suitable product

www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/managing-money/insurance-and-mental-health-guide/specialist-insurance-providers-for-pre-existing-mental-health-conditions/

Have a look here. I got mine via Hive/compass underwriting.

Hello, there are companies that can write off mental health conditions as pre-existing and not cover them.

I had the same issue as I self harm and have severe depression and OCD.

A few years ago I could not get insurance but more recently there are companies that will take you for a slightly lower amount, but write off mental health. Let me look them up.

It depends on the severity of the issues though. I was very unwell for a good 5 years, under psychiatric care and self harmed 1000s of times. I'm actually fine now (and still amazed about that!) but as a PP said a certain number of self harm/suicide attempts can stop you getting it even if you've recovered. Personally as well I don't want to tell a stranger all about my darkest times, in great detail, so I'm just going to continue on without it.

I used to underwrite life insurance. It’s usually a ‘have you ever harmed yourself’ question and then a time frame for last symptoms, seeing a psychiatrist etc. this will be why you’ve declined. Also over a certain number of instances of self harm/ suicide attempts is a decline regardless of last symptoms. They don’t tend to offer exclusions on life insurance and you’ve be hard pressed to find critical illness depending on the exact disclosures you’ve made

Hey, I am with beagle Street and have m.h issues. Good luck.

You're 55 though, so of course you've managed to get and pay off a mortgage and save a nice little pension pot...! It's practically impossible for a large majority of younger generations.

With respect to you, it really annoys me when people of your generation brag about how financially well off they are. They usually also can’t understand how all people in their 20s & 30s don't already have a mortgage on a house and pension savings etc etc and think they just don't know how to save.... If only that was the only hurdle! It just isn't the same now as it was for you.

Considering the high percentage of people who are on or have been on antidepressants I'm amazed they reject people on the basis of historic mental health issues

I mean 1 in 10 of people with mental health problems.

Note this is a rough guesstimate.

Do you mean 1 in 10 of all people looking for insurance are declined because of mental health problems? Or that 1 in 10 of people with mental health problems are declined?

There's one called dead happy takes all mental health issues. No clue on price just seen it advertised. May be of use.

There are some specialist brokers who will know which insurance companies to place the cover with. The companies have different policies towards mental health in terms of the elapsed period since the last episode, and how the rate any mental health issues.

Instead of challenging Vitality - and what would be the point, this is clearly their policy - just try other providers.

Most insurers don't offer exclusions on life insurance. They might have standard exclusions, such as suicide on the first year of the policy, but most don't apply exclusions due to medical history etc. Exclusions are often used on critical illness cover and income protection, but not on life insurance.

I'm a life & disability underwriter so I know a bit about this. I offer life insurance to people with mental health conditions on a daily basis. It's not often I have to decline someone. Maybe 1 in 10, at a guess. So keep trying, you just need to find the right company. They all have a different risk appetite.

Also been refused because of past mental health problems- from 25 years ago.

I had exclusions for physical things that I’d had checked out and found to be fine ie a colonoscopy which was clear but for some reason my entire digestive system was excluded from cover. I did challenge this and was told it was because it was because of the risks of the procedure even though I’d had it done by the time the policy had been granted. Got it sorted in the end but it pisses me off because the process feels like it’s a deterrent to actually getting things checked out so making it more likely that there might actually be a problem.

I was also refused (by a broker) for having a history of MH problems. I suppose I could have shopped around more but tbh I found having to discuss stuff like how many times I self harmed (literally thousands though not for a long time) so horrible that I just gave up. I also can't remember exactly what is on all my medical records as I was really unwell and don't have copies, so could end up invalidating it all with false info anyway.

I asked if I could get it with a suicide payout exemption and they said no.

I can’t get it either because of mental health reasons although far more recent than yours.

I was rejected by Scottish widows but told to reapply in 18 months which suggests that they maybe have would take you on given yours was 8 years ago?

I ended up with Dead Happy who unfortunately have just gone bust (my policy still stands but with another company).

It is surprisingly hard to find life insurance for existing mental health conditions. Dead Happy just had a simple clause saying not pre existing conditions covered which is what I wanted.

I actually work in the industry and joined a working party who are doing more for insurance and mental health. It’s early days still but I feel very passionate about this.

We have life and critical illness cover with Aviva, no issues with my MH history. I think I cost an extra £2 per month or something in the price breakdown but that’s it.

I have cover but with multiple exclusions due to short term use of anti-anxiety medication after my dad died, so could be tied to one specific trigger event. The exclusions are really strange considering the reason for them. I spoke with the GP and they couldn't understand why they had made the decision they did. I also queried with our broker who said that I'd unlikely get cover elsewhere if one rejected me/imposed exclusions. I tried another insurer and sure enough, similar exclusion. Ended up just going with them because I honestly couldn't face the effort of looking elsewhere and challenging it. Feels very "computer says no".

I was refused life insurance as well (at 38 - I’d had skin cancer in my 20s).

I was very angry and upset at the time. Waste of angst and emotion, looking back.

I then did two things (a) got life insurance through an employers blanket scheme which I still keep - I’m now 55 and (b) I make sure I have a good pension saved so that my mortgage etc is paid if I die before it’s paid off.

Bear in mind; I cannot get private health cover in the U.K. either. If I get cancer of any type, and the nhs is slow or hopeless, well, I have two choices - wait and risk dying or pay to be treated out of my own pocket.

Ultimately, you CANNOT fight the insurance system. Don’t bother.

Yes it’s shit and unfair. Save your efforts for finding a good solution.

also …

Count your blessings. Do you have family history of say, huntingdons? Or Parkinson’s? Or BRCA1 or 2?

If not, thank your lucky stars every single day.

Best of luck.