Parkinson's disease life insurance

‘Parkinson’s disease life insurance’ is simply a term used to describe someone diagnosed with Parkinson’s who takes out life insurance and it’s not a specific policy type.

As a result of recent medical advances in treatment, most people with Parkinson's disease thankfully have a near-normal life expectancy.

However, whilst Parkinson’s is not fatal, accordingly to the NHS it can place a greater strain on the body, making some more vulnerable to life-threatening infections[1].

Those with Parkinson’s are also more likely to suffer from conditions such as dementia, depression[2] and melanoma[3].

Having life insurance in place to help protect your loved one’s financial future can give you reassuring peace of mind whatever the future may hold.

The proceeds from a life insurance policy can be used to help:

  • Cover mortgage repayments
  • Meet family living costs
  • Pay utility bills
  • Leave an inheritance
  • Pay funeral costs
  • Clear outstanding debt

Why not compare quotes free of charge through our award-winning broker service?

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Can you secure life insurance if you have Parkinson’s?

Yes, it may still be possible for some people with Parkinson’s to secure some form of life insurance protection.

If you have Parkinson’s, you’ll need to disclose this to the insurer during the application process.

Insurers may need to ask additional questions about your condition and how it’s managed to gain a greater understanding of your health, such as:

  • When you were diagnosed
  • Medication required
  • Treatment undertaken
  • The frequency and severity of your condition
  • Whether you require walking aids

Depending on your general health, age and chosen policy type, you'll most likely pay a higher premium due to the increased risk you pose.

You may be asked to undergo a medical exam as part of the application and the insurer could ask to see your medical records or obtain a GP report.

The insurer will need to ask your permission in order to do this, and you’ll not incur any costs. However, if you refuse, your application will likely be declined as the insurer won’t have all the information they need to assess your application.

How much life insurance do you need?

Find out how much life insurance may be right for you by using our simple calculator. Fill in the costs you would like your policy to cover.

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£121,687 is the estimated average outstanding mortgage per household in the UK.

Our property is generally the largest financial commitment any of us will make.

Your life insurance should cover this significant debt should you no longer be around.
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According to Money Advice Service, full-time childcare in the UK now costs £242 a week.

The loss of a parent could result in the need for additional childcare whilst the surviving parent increases their hours to account for lost income.

Your life insurance cover should factor in this additional required outgoing.
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The average level of debt (minus a mortgage) in the UK is £15,385.

Factoring in any outstanding debts in your name when arranging life insurance ensures this burden is not passed to loved ones.
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You may wish to leave your loved ones an inheritance or lump sum gift upon your passing.

Factoring in the gift amount when arranging your cover will ensure the pay out amount will be sufficient to provide your loved ones with this selfless gesture.
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According to SunLife, the average cost of a UK funeral is now £4,417, whilst the total cost of dying is £9,493.

This is a 130% increase over the past 16 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

A significant cost which should be factored into the amount of life insurance you secure.
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If you are one of the 65% of the UK who are lucky enough to have savings, this could be used as protection if you were to pass away.

Any pay outs from existing life insurance policies and investments can also be used as financial protection for your loved ones if you were no longer around.

Factor this into your required cover amount.
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Your total cover estimate

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What life insurance policy options are available?

Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be able to secure one of the below policy types.

Level term

  • Pays out a fixed cover amount (sum assured) if you pass away during the policy term
  • You’ll need to provide medical information during the application
  • Well suited to covering an interest-only mortgage

Decreasing term

  • Pays out a cover amount which decreases over time if you pass away during the policy term
  • You’ll need to provide medical information during the application
  • Well suited to covering a repayment mortgage

Whole of life

  • Lifelong cover which guarantees a pay out
  • More expensive than term cover
  • You’ll need to provide medical information during the application
  • Well suited to providing an inheritance

Over 50 life insurance

  • Offers a maximum cover amount of £20,000
  • Lifelong cover which guarantees acceptance to UK residents aged 50 - 85
  • Well suited to help cover funeral expenses

How much is life insurance for those with Parkinson’s?

As mentioned above, it’s likely that applicants with Parkinson’s will pay higher premiums compared to standard applicants with no pre-existing medical conditions.

The severity of your condition and how well it is managed, also has a significant bearing on cost.

Aside from your diagnosis there are a number of key generic factors which insurers use to calculate the cost of your premiums.

  • Age at the point of application
  • Smoking status
  • Weight / BMI
  • Medical history
  • Your cover amount
  • Term length
  • Policy type

Does life insurance cover Parkinson’s disease?

If you didn’t have Parkinson’s when you took out your life insurance policy, and were diagnosed during the policy term, then your life insurance will cover death caused by the disease or related causes.

If you had Parkinson’s when you applied for your life insurance policy, this counts as a pre-existing medical condition which must be disclosed on your application.

Your insurer may either: accept the application and insure you to include Parkinson’s cover, include an exclusion for Parkinson’s, meaning death as a result of the disease itself or any specified related conditions won’t be covered, or decline your application.

Whether you’re covered for Parkinson’s will be stipulated in your policy.

From our experience, most insurers will provide cover for the disease if they accept your application rather than apply an exclusion, but you will pay a higher premium for the cover.

Can you get critical illness cover with Parkinson’s disease?

Critical illness cover provides a pay out if you fall ill during the policy term with a condition covered by your critical illness policy.

If your Parkinson’s symptoms are mild and you have little to no restrictions to your mobility, then you may be able to secure cover though a major insurer.

However, it’s possible that your policy will include an exclusion for pre-existing conditions. It’s also likely that your premiums will be loaded (inflated).

The scale of the loading will depend on the severity of your Parkinson’s and each insurer will access your application differently in line with their underwriting criteria.

This is why it’s important to compare quotes to secure the right policy.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson's is ‘a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative condition resulting from the loss of the dopamine-containing cells of the substantia nigra’[4].

The causes of the condition remain unknown.

Common symptoms include:

  • Tremors (shaking)
  • Slowness of movement
  • Muscle stiffness
  • Balance problems
  • Impaired posture
  • Slurred speech

In recent times many high profile celebrities have disclosed their Parkinson’s diagnosis, such as iconic actor Michael J Fox, comedian Billy Connolly and singer Neil Diamond, helping raise awareness of the condition.

Parkinson’s disease in the UK

It’s estimated that approximately 153,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinson’s and unfortunately, it’s the fastest growing neurological condition in the world[5].

1 in 37 people in the UK will be diagnosed with Parkinson's during their lifetime[5]. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for insurers to process life insurance applications from those with Parkinson’s.

For no known reason, men are statistically more likely to get Parkinson’s than women, and as we age the chances of being diagnosed increase significantly. Only 1.2% on those with Parkinson’s are aged under 50.

Compare quotes through Reassured

Reassured are the UK’s largest life insurance broker * and we have years of experience securing cover for applicants with a range of pre-existing medical conditions including Parkinson’s.

We work with some of the UK’s best mainstream life insurance providers, such as Legal & General, LV= and Aviva.

If your condition is more complex, we also have a dedicated advised team who could help you secure some form of cover through the specialists we work with: The Exeter and MetLife.

Regardless of your circumstances it’s always a good idea to compare multiple insurers as prices can differ. We can run a quote comparison for you completely free of charge and without obligation.

What’s more we also have a dedicated impaired risk team on hand to support you if you require.

Why not put our team to work today and secure your loved ones’ financial future?

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Sources:

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/

[2] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms/

[3] https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/non-movement-symptoms/skin

[4] https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/parkinsons-disease/background-information/

[5] https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/about-us/reporting-parkinsons-information-journalists

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