Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Mental health and life insurance - who knew?

11 replies

Springforward · 19/09/2012 20:08

We're arranging life cover for a mortgage we'll hopefully be taking out soon. According to our IFA, apparently my premium will be higher than usual because I am currently taking an antidepressant (reactive depression, following two miscarriages in less than 6 months last year).

Am I being naive to be Shock at this? I have not had a single day off work due to this condition, I don't have any symptoms now, and I'm in the maintenance dose phase - I'm planning to come off it in the New Year. Why on earth am I a higher insurance risk?

Has anyone else had this experience?

OP posts:
SnapesOnAPlane · 19/09/2012 20:13

I'd presume because depression = higher suicide risk?

Springforward · 19/09/2012 20:15

I wondered that, but I'm not suicidal... also I thought that policies didn't pay out on suicide, but that might just be a plot I picked up from some novel or something!

OP posts:
RillaBlythe · 19/09/2012 20:17

My friend can't get cover for her mortgage at all, because she was hospitalised as a teen with anorexia. About 15 years ago now.

Springforward · 19/09/2012 20:33

Blimey Rilla - that's a bit rough.

I wonder if anyone has ever challenged this under the Equality Act/ its precursors?

OP posts:
Housewifefromheaven · 19/09/2012 20:45

I pay a much higher life insurance premium because I admitted on the forms that i used to drink more than the recomended limits, and that id been to the doctor about it. I had to have a liver function test even though i hadn't had a drink in over two years!

The insurance company did say though that I can reapply in a couple of years and my premium will go down considerably - maybe it would be the same for you?

Springforward · 19/09/2012 20:50

It might be Housewife - I've done that in the past when I stopped smoking, maybe this will be the same, fingers crossed.

OP posts:
OodHousekeeping · 19/09/2012 21:20

Dh has a minor back condition and pays triple what I do. Because he has regular check ups. This condition wouldn't kill him or even disable him.
Broker said that if he didn't ever get it checked it would be ok.

RillaBlythe · 19/09/2012 21:50

Yeah. It's because she was sectioned, basically. But it seems bonkers to me that something from so long ago - since then she has been to uni, worked solidly, got married etc - can still be given so much weight when it is not an issue any more.

joanofarchitrave · 19/09/2012 21:53

Dh is uninsurable. Worth googling for the 'specialist' insurers that Mind recommend, but even they won't touch dh.

Wolfcub · 19/09/2012 22:01

I had problems with this too and pay an arm and a leg. Dh was uninsurable for ages due to poor medical history including epilepsy and kidney problems but we managed to get insurance through Scottish provident and the loading on my portion isn't too appalling

Lonecatwithkitten · 19/09/2012 22:49

Try being a vet we are about to top ourselves according to insurance companies. Actually they don't mind it if we are successful what they hate the idea of us messing it up and needing long term support.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page