Doctors often check the calcification levels in your arteries as this helps predict your risk of heart disease.
To determine your calcium scores, they can use noninvasive tests like the Electron Beam CT (EBCT) and Multislice CT (MSCT).
If you’ve ever had one of these tests, insurance companies will be able to see the results, which will be a factor for your insurance rating.
To help you, we’ve created this article to guide you through the life insurance process as an applicant with high calcium scores.
Table of Contents
- Life Insurance Underwriting for Calcium Scores
- The Importance of Complete Medical History
- Life Insurance Quotes for Calcium Scores
- Calcium Score Life Insurance Case Studies
- Seeking Expert Guidance
- Life Insurance With High Calcium Score
- The Bottom Line – It’s Possible to Get Life Insurance With a High Calcium Score
Life Insurance Underwriting for Calcium Scores
After you’ve had your calcium score tested, the life insurance agent will ask several questions about the results:
- When did you have your EBCT or MSCT?
- What was your total calcium artery score?
- Have you had other heart tests like stress, echocardiogram, and coronary angiogram? What were the results of these tests?
- Do you have any other risk factors for heart disease?
- Do you have any other serious health problems like cancer?
- Are you taking any prescriptions?
While no specific medications treat your calcium levels, you could take various heart medications. All of the common prescriptions will not cause you to be declined.
Be sure to answer all the questions on your application truthfully with as much information as possible. Insurance underwriters get nervous when an application seems incomplete and might give a worse rating than you deserve.
The Importance of Complete Medical History
A calcium score may be essential in determining your insurance rate, but it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle. When insurers look at potential policyholders, they consider a broad spectrum of health factors and try to understand the complete medical picture.
Firstly, if you have a high calcium score, but the rest of your medical history is positive – regular checkups, no other major health concerns, and a healthy lifestyle – this could work in your favor. Insurers value the entirety of your health profile, not just one aspect.
Secondly, it’s crucial to remember that while calcium scores are indicators of potential heart disease, they aren’t definitive diagnoses. A person might have a high calcium score and never develop heart issues or have a low score and encounter heart problems.
Life Insurance Quotes for Calcium Scores
Doctors test your calcium score because this information is a good predictor of future heart problems.
They have found that the higher your calcium score, the more likely your arteries will build plaque, which could lead to blockages and heart problems. As a result, a higher calcium score is worse for your insurance rating.
Insurance companies also consider your age as they are more tolerant of higher calcium scores for older applicants.
Every company has different categories, but here are the most common:
- Preferred Plus: Possible for an applicant that shows no sign of calcification or an applicant older than 35 with very little calcification, usually a CACS score lower than 10. Applicant should have no risk factors for heart disease.
- Preferred: Also possible for an applicant that shows no sign of calcification or an applicant older than 35 with very little calcification, a CACS score lower than 10. It’s a bit easier to get this rating than Preferred Plus.
Applicants can have minor issues, like being overweight or having high cholesterol.
- Standard: Applicants older than 35 and with low calcium levels could also qualify for a standard rating. This would be CACS levels anywhere from 5 to 50.
More senior applicants have more leeway and could qualify for a common rating with higher calcium levels. Applicants who are younger than 35 cannot show any signs of calcification.
- Table Rating (substandard): Applicants showing signs of calcification are most likely to get a rated policy. Applicants under 35 must have CACS levels lower than 10 to qualify for a rated policy.
Applicants between 35 and 44 must have CACS levels lower than 400, applicants between 45 and 64 must have CACS levels below 1,000, and there is no CACS limit for applicants older than 65.
The lower your CACS levels, the better your rating will be. Your table rating will also depend on your other risk factors for heart disease and overall health.
- Declines: Applicants with CACS levels above the accepted limit for their age group will be denied a policy. Also, applicants with other heart issues or risk factors may be rejected as these problems, combined with calcification, could be too much for an insurance company to accept the risk.
Decoding Insurance Ratings: Navigating Calcium Scores and Criteria
| Insurance Rating Categories | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Preferred Plus | No Calcification or Minimal (CACS < 10) for Those Over 35; No Heart Disease Risk Factors |
| Preferred | No/Minimal Calcification (CACS < 10) for Those Over 35; Tolerates Minor Issues Like Weight or High Cholesterol |
| Standard | For Those Over 35 With Low Calcium (CACS 5-50); Seniors May Qualify With Higher Levels, Under 35 Must be Calcification-Free |
| Table Rating (Substandard) | Rated Policy Likely for Calcification Signs; CACS Levels Vary With Age, Lower Levels Improve Rating |
| Declines | Denial for CACS Levels Exceeding Age Limits; Possible Rejection for Other Heart Issues or Combined Risks |
Calcium Score Life Insurance Case Studies
Each person is different, and everyone has different health situations. Here are some examples of clients we’ve worked with to give you a rough idea of what you can expect.
Case Study #1: Male, 38 y/o, non-smoker, tested for low calcium levels at 34, was denied coverage.
He had calcium levels of 34 and a CACS of 11. When he applied after his test, he was declined. He assumed he wouldn’t be able to get life insurance.
After talking to us, he realized he had just applied too young, given his calcium levels. His chances were better now that he was in a different age category.
We also referred him to a company that regularly handles applicants with high calcium levels and was more accepting of this risk factor. By trying again this time, the applicant received a rated policy.
Case Study #2: Female, 58. Diagnosed with a CACS of 500 at 54, was a former smoker, and used to be overweight; now taking medication for cholesterol and high blood pressure.
For years, she was in poor health. She was overweight, smoked, and wasn’t treating her high cholesterol and blood pressure.
After an EBCT showed that her calcium levels were relatively high, she decided to improve her lifestyle. She lost weight, quit smoking, and started taking medications, significantly impacting her health.
After she made those changes, she applied again, assuming she would get an excellent rate. However, she was rejected. Even though this applicant had an acceptable calcium score for her age group, we knew the insurance company must be too focused on her past health.
All she had to do was get a statement from her physician showing her improved lifestyle and health. After that, she got a rated policy. Easy as that.
Seeking Expert Guidance
When faced with a high calcium score, many potential policyholders might feel discouraged. However, working with professionals who are well-versed in navigating the complexities of life insurance underwriting can make all the difference.
Insurance agents who specialize in high-risk clients or those with specific medical conditions can guide you to companies more likely to offer favorable rates, even with elevated calcium scores.
Additionally, these professionals can provide invaluable advice on improving other aspects of your health profile to make you a more attractive candidate for insurers.
Moreover, just because one insurer declines your application or offers an unfavorable rate doesn’t mean all of them will. Companies have differing underwriting criteria, so it’s beneficial to shop around, preferably with the help of an expert.
They can steer you towards insurers more lenient or understanding regarding high calcium scores and provide you the best chance at securing a policy that fits your needs and budget.
Life Insurance With High Calcium Score
If you have a high calcium score, you will get a higher rating category. Before you apply, you should do some of the work we mentioned above, like improving your health.
Aside from improving your health, the best way to secure cheap coverage is to compare carriers. Each company will offer different rate classes to applicants with higher calcium scores. Obviously, you want to find the best company, but how do you find it?
The Bottom Line – It’s Possible to Get Life Insurance With a High Calcium Score
Securing life insurance with a high calcium score might seem challenging, but it’s far from impossible. Understanding the intricacies of how insurance companies evaluate calcium scores is crucial.
Equally important is presenting a comprehensive health profile, consistently maintaining good health, and being candid about your medical history.
While a calcium score is a significant factor, insurers evaluate many elements to determine policy eligibility and rates. Working alongside seasoned professionals can help navigate the process, offering insights into which insurers might be more lenient or understanding of elevated scores.
Every individual’s health situation is unique, and the insurance industry is vast.
By putting in the effort to improve one’s health, being thorough in providing medical details, and seeking the proper assistance, securing a favorable life insurance policy becomes a tangible reality, regardless of your calcium score.
