2023 Burial Insurance with Emphysema
last updated on June 2, 2023Trying to find affordable burial insurance with Emphysema may seem difficult. Emphysema is a progressive lung disease that is not curable and has been the third leading cause of death in the U.S. for some time now.
Finding a life insurance policy if you’re diagnosed with emphysema can be tricky and nearly impossible if you don’t know where to look.
But, here’s the good news!
We can get you approved for burial insurance with emphysema. We’ve helped a lot of people qualify for first-day benefits and we can help you too. We specialize in getting coverage for people with high-risk conditions.
Funeral Funds have access to numerous life insurance companies and we can assist you in finding a policy that fits your needs.
FOR EASIER NAVIGATION:
- What Is My Best Insurance Option If I Have Emphysema?
- What Types Of Burial Insurance Should I Avoid?
- What Type of Burial Insurance is Best?
- If I Have Emphysema, Do I Need A Medical Exam to Qualify for Burial Insurance?
- Burial Insurance Underwriting If You Have Emphysema
- Burial Insurance and Supplement Oxygen Use
- How Should I Pay My Premiums?
- Emphysema and Burial Insurance Riders
- Why Do The Insurance Companies Care About Emphysema?
- Complications of Emphysema
- Emphysema Treatments the Insurance Companies Care About
- Should You Wait Before Buying Burial Insurance with Emphysema?
- How to Get the Best Burial Insurance Rates with Emphysema
- How Can Funeral Funds Help Me?
- Additional Questions & Answers On Burial Insurance With Emphysema
What Is My Best Insurance Option If I Have Emphysema?
STAGE 1 – MILD EMPHYSEMA
If your emphysema is under control, you can qualify for level death benefit with first-day coverage.
You will be fully covered from the first day, and you have no waiting period. When you pass away, your beneficiaries will receive 100% of the death benefit.
Best Option: Level death benefit
STAGE 2 – MODERATE EMPHYSEMA
If you have moderate emphysema, you can qualify for first-day benefits. This is your best option because you are not healthy enough to qualify for a level death benefit plan.
You can qualify for first-day benefits even if you are on oxygen, provided you are not on oxygen for 24 hours a day.
Best Option: First Day Benefits (Hybrid first-day coverage)
STAGE 3 – SEVERE EMPHYSEMA
If you have severe emphysema and you use oxygen for 24 hours, you will only qualify for guaranteed issue burial insurance.
The guaranteed issue is straightforward. There is no medical exam or health questionnaire to answer. Your approval is guaranteed if you qualify for the age requirement.
The guaranteed issue policy has a two-year waiting period. If you pass away during the two-year waiting period, your beneficiary will receive the refund of all premiums paid, plus 10% interest.
Best Option: Guaranteed Issue Burial Insurance
There are two drawbacks to this type of policy. First, there is a mandatory two-year waiting period. Second, the premiums are higher than a burial insurance policy with underwriting. So you need to pay more and wait two years before your policy will pay out.
What Types Of Burial Insurance Should I Avoid?
| PLANS TO AVOID | WHY? |
|---|---|
| Term life | Premiums increase after 5 years. Coverage ends after 80. |
| Pre-paid funeral plans | Expensive |
| Universal life | Tied with stocks |
| No health questions policies | With 2-year waiting period |
| Plans offering "teaser rates" | $9.95 per unit plans or $1 buys $100,000 coverage |
| Over priced plans | Insurance from TV and junk mail |
| Plans that accept mail-in payments | Risky |
| Plans that accept Direct Express | High lapse rate |
| Plans that accept Credit Cards | High lapse rate |
What Type Of Burial Insurance Is Best?
| FUNERAL FUNDS PLAN BENEFITS | INCLUDED |
|---|---|
| 1st Day Coverage | YES |
| Rates NEVER Increase | YES |
| Coverage NEVER Decreases | YES |
| Easy to get approved | YES |
| No Medical Exam | YES |
| Same Day Approval | YES |
| Death Claims Pay Fast | YES |
| Builds cash value | YES |
| Coverage Up To Age 121 | YES |
If I Have Emphysema, Do I Need A Medical Exam To Qualify For Burial Insurance?
NO. You don’t need a medical exam to qualify for burial insurance with emphysema. A non-medical exam policy makes it easier for you to get covered immediately regardless of your emphysema stage.
You don’t need to provide blood and urine samples either. You only need to answer some health questions. You can also opt for a no health questions policy if you have severe emphysema and use supplemental oxygen.
Burial Insurance Underwriting If You Have Emphysema
All life insurance companies want to know if you have emphysema.
You will often find it in the health questionnaire asked this way:
- Have you been told or been treated for or advised to receive treatment or medication for COPD or lung disease?
- During the past 24 months, were you diagnosed with emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with or received treatment or medication for emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or chronic bronchitis?
The insurance carriers want to know if you have emphysema. They will not ask for any details about your condition’s mild or severe.
Aside from the health questions, burial insurance companies conduct prescription history checks to verify your answer to the health questionnaire.
There are Emphysema medications they are on the lookout for. If these medications show in your prescription history, you will be classified as a person with emphysema.
Here is a list of common medications for Emphysema that the life insurance underwriters will need to know before reviewing your life insurance application:
- Tiotropium (Spiriva)
- Ipratropium (Atrovent)
- Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin, others)
- Salmeterol (Serevent)
- Formoterol (Foradil)
- Levalbuterol (Xopenex)
- Budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort)
- Fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair)
- Mometasone and formoterol (Dulera)
Asthma and Emphysema share many medications to treat both conditions.
Here’s a list of medications used to treat asthma and emphysema:
- Advair
- Azmacort
- Dilor
- Serevent
- Theodur
- Tilade
- Ventolin
Some insurance companies look for a combination of these drugs. If they see you taking 2-3 medication combinations from asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema drug list, they will consider you an emphysema patient.
Burial Insurance And Supplemental Oxygen Use
Every first-day coverage life insurance company application will ask about oxygen use. If you say yes to the oxygen use question, your application will be declined for first-day coverage. The only oxygen use approved for life insurance is if the oxygen is used for sleep apnea.
If you have emphysema and use supplemental oxygen to treat your condition, we need to know if you are using oxygen for 24 a day. If you are not using supplemental oxygen for 24 hours, you will still qualify for a plan with first-day benefits.
However, if you are using supplemental oxygen for 24 hours, your best option to qualify for life insurance is a guaranteed issue life insurance policy.
How Should I Pay My Premiums?
Savings or checking accounts are the best. We recommend you set a bank draft from your savings or checking account. That way, the bank will automatically pay your premium each month, and you will not worry about your policy lapsing due to non-payment.
Emphysema And Burial Insurance Riders
You may have the option to add a policy(s) rider to your basic policy. Insurance riders add benefits to your policy. Adding insurance riders can enhance your policy to fit your specific needs.
Some riders can be added to your policy without additional cost. However, some riders come with some extra costs. Don’t worry; riders are affordable and involve little to no underwriting.
| FUNERAL FUNDS ADD-ONS | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|
| Terminal Illness Add-On Benefit | Included with most plans |
| Nursing Home Care Add-On Benefit | Included with most plans |
Why Do The Insurance Companies Care About Emphysema?
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive lung disease that causes shortness of breath due to over-inflation of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs.
The lung tissue used to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide is impaired or destroyed. When this tissue is damaged, the airways collapse, making it hard for the lungs to release that’s why the air becomes trapped in the alveoli. This leaves no room for fresh oxygen-rich air to enter.
Emphysema is an example of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It frequently occurs with obstructive pulmonary problems, chronic bronchitis, and almost daily cough and phlegm. It is not a curable condition, but some treatments can help to manage the disease.
Like most lung-function diseases, smoking is the most often leading cause of emphysema. Other causes are long-term exposure to irritants like marijuana smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust.
In rare cases, emphysema is caused by an inherited deficiency in alpha-1 antitrypsin, a protein that protects the elastic structures in the lungs.
Most insurance companies will want to know your serious lung problems before approving coverage.
Complications Of Emphysema
The insurance companies know that most people with emphysema are more likely to develop conditions like:
- Heart Problems. Emphysema may increase the pressure in the arteries connecting the heart and lungs. It can result in cor pulmonale where a section of the heart expands and weakens.
- Large holes in the lungs or bullae. Emphysema patients can develop empty spaces in the lungs called bullae. It can be as large as half of the lung. It can reduce the amount of space available for the lung to expand. Large holes or bullae can increase your risk of pneumothorax or collapsed lung.
- Collapsed lung or pneumothorax. A collapsed lung is life-threatening to people with severe emphysema because lung functions are already compromised. This condition is rare but serious when it occurs.
Emphysema Treatments The Insurance Companies Care About
Emphysema treatment can take many forms. Some are viewed favorably by insurance companies, and some are not.
A doctor may prescribe any of these treatments depending on the severity of your condition:
- Quit smoking. Smoking may stop the disease’s progression and improve lung function. Smoking cessation may prevent lung function from rapidly deteriorating to its standard rate after smoking is stopped.
- Bronchodilation medications (Albuterol, Ipratropium, Methylxanthines) can cause the air passages to open more fully and allow better air exchange. Bronchodilators are usually the first medication prescribed for shortness of breath.
- Medications are often prescribed if a suspected infection increases shortness of breath. Even with no pneumonia, people treated with antibiotics tend to have shorter episodes of shortness of breath.
- Steroid medications. Steroids decrease inflammation in the body. It can reduce the inflammation in the lung and has shown benefits in emphysema. Steroids may be given orally or through an inhaler.
- Sometimes it is necessary to have supplemental oxygen at home. Home-based oxygen tanks and portable oxygen units enable patients to be mobile and engage in normal day-to-day activities.
- Surgery. Lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery is performed if both upper lobes of the lungs are involved. The operation allows a better expansion of the lower portion of the lungs. For most advanced emphysema, transplantation of either one or both lungs can improve the quality of life for a few years.
Should You Wait Before Buying Burial Insurance With Emphysema?
Buy it now if you can qualify for level death benefit with immediate coverage!
Unfortunately, many people with respiratory issues like emphysema consider purchasing burial insurance but decide to wait. There is no cure for emphysema, and it progressively worsens with time, the condition will only be managed, but it will not improve.
The more symptoms you exhibit, the more treatment you need, knocking you out of immediate coverage.
The great thing is you can still qualify for burial insurance. We will guide you in your application process.
You don’t want a decline on your record if you can avoid it the first time. Some companies do not accept anyone who was previously declined in the last 12 months; we will help you avoid this at all costs.
If your emphysema is severe and you need supplemental oxygen, guaranteed issue life insurance is your only option for coverage. The life expectancy of an emphysema patient is not long. That is why it’s so important to act now and start working on the waiting period.
How To Get The Best Burial Insurance Rates With Emphysema
As an emphysema patient, you should quit smoking; if you chew tobacco, you will face much higher insurance rates. You need to stop tobacco use if you want to get affordable insurance protection.
Aside from stopping smoking or chewing tobacco, the best way to save money on insurance is to let us compare insurance companies for you. Some companies will flag on your emphysema diagnosis, while others will give you reasonable rates. We will find you the one that offers the lowest rates.
We have worked extensively with emphysema clients and know the ones that give the best rates.
How Can Funeral Funds Help Me?
To find the best burial insurance with emphysema, you need to talk with an independent life insurance agency like Funeral Funds that have the necessary connections with the right insurance companies.
Our agents are extensively trained in the underwriting criteria and requirements for burial insurance coverage with emphysema.
Funeral Funds has access to many life insurance companies and can compare insurance policies, benefits, and premiums. We will shop your application to different emphysema-friendly life insurance companies to ensure that you get the best policy tailored to your individual needs.
We will assist you in securing the coverage you need at a rate you can afford. So, if you are looking for funeral insurance with emphysema, final expense insurance with emphysema, or burial insurance with emphysema, we can help.
Working with an agency specializing in emphysema insurance will increase your chances of finding the most affordable coverage. Fill out the instant quote form on this page to get quotes from different insurance companies, or call us at (888)862-9456 to discuss your options.
Additional Questions & Answers On Burial Insurance With Emphysema
Can I get life insurance with emphysema?
Yes, you can get life insurance with emphysema. However, your life insurance eligibility will depend on the severity of your condition.
Is emphysema considered a terminal illness?
No, emphysema is not considered a terminal illness, but it can put you in serious health complications like heart failure or pneumonia. Stage 3 and stage 4 can be life-threatening.
How much does emphysema shorten your life?
Emphysema can be life-threatening, especially during the late stages. People with emphysema can live up to five years after diagnosis.
Can I get burial insurance with emphysema?
Yes, people with emphysema can get burial insurance. Burial insurance is available to people who are 50-85 years old.
What is worse COPD or emphysema?
Emphysema is worse than COPD because emphysema is late-stage COPD.
Why is emphysema incurable?
Emphysema is incurable because the alveoli do not regenerate. While the symptoms can be controlled, there is no cure for this disease once you have it.
How do you know what stage of emphysema you have?
Your emphysema is determined by looking at your symptoms and undergoing a breathing test. The breathing test will check your airflow blockage.
Can I get funeral insurance with emphysema?
Yes, you can get funeral insurance with emphysema. The severity of your condition will determine your life insurance eligibility.
Can emphysema progress quickly?
Emphysema symptoms can appear rapidly but take a long time to develop. There are four stages of emphysema, and it gets severe as your reach each stage.
What is the life expectancy of someone with COPD and emphysema?
People with COPD and emphysema can live up to five years after diagnosis. For severe emphysema, the survival rate can be 50% in two years.
At what stage of emphysema do you need oxygen?
You may need supplemental oxygen during the last two stages of emphysema. During the last stages of emphysema, your breathing will be severely affected because your alveoli are destroyed, and it needs help to bring oxygen to your body.
Can I get cremation insurance with emphysema?
Yes, you can get cremation insurance even if you have emphysema. Many life insurance companies offer life insurance coverage for people who have preexisting conditions.
Should someone with emphysema get the Covid vaccine?
Yes, people with emphysema must get the Covid-19 vaccine to protect themselves from getting infected.
Does mild emphysema get worse?
Yes, mild emphysema can get worse over time. The lung damage is not reversible once you have it.
Is emphysema considered a pre existing condition?
Yes, emphysema is a pre-existing condition. Any health condition you have before you apply for a life insurance policy is considered a pre-existing condition.
Is emphysema classed as a terminal illness?
No, emphysema is not considered a terminal illness. It is a chronic illness that gets worse over time.
Can I get final expense life insurance with emphysema?
Yes, you can get final expense life insurance with emphysema. The severity of your condition will determine your life insurance eligibility.
What is considered high risk for life insurance?
People with a high tendency to die prematurely are considered at high risk for life insurance. Significant medical conditions with high mortality are generally considered high risk. Life-threatening hobbies or occupations are also considered high risk for life insurance.
Can I live 20 years with emphysema?
Yes, you can live up to 20 years if your condition was diagnosed early or while you are still in the mild stage of emphysema. However, the length of time you may live will depend on your age, health, and symptoms.
Can insurance deny coverage for preexisting conditions like emphysema?
Yes, life insurance companies have a list of preexisting conditions they accept. High-risk medical conditions that significantly affect mortality may be denied coverage.
Is emphysema a reason for disability?
Emphysema can be a reason for disability if you go out of work for 12 months, and it is so severe that it can cause death.
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