Factors for Underwriting Heart Disease
The underwriting of heart disease looks very closely at the cardiac testing results of the EKGs and echocardiograms, as well as stress and treadmill test results. Key factors they’ll be looking at, depending on the impairment or issue at hand, will be ejection fractions, wall thickness, condition and performance of the valves, and basic overall performance of the heart and circulatory system. Obviously, those who are diagnosed with heart disease at an earlier age are going to be more of a concern for possible progression than those that have onset later in life.
If a case presents with a heart attack history (myocardial infarction aka MI), obviously that’s a significant concern; heart attacks are the leading cause of death in America. Typically, after such an event, there’s going to be some kind of treatment to address the stenosis (narrowing of the blood vessels). Usually that will come in the form of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), angioplasty (ANGP), and/or stenting (also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or PTCA).
After such an event, underwriters are typically going to be looking at a six-month postponement, and then a Table 4 (minimum) depending on the condition of the heart and coronary arteries after the event. Also considered is the age of the patient and if there are good cardiac follow-ups and cardiac testing results afterward.
In next blogpost, we will share the questions a life insurance applicant with heart disease should expect to answer.