Has anyone had a problem obtaining insurance because they don't have their medical history?

Question

I recently took a new job and the company provides life insurance benefits. When I was completing the paperwork, it asked for a great deal of medical history with regards to my bio parents (such as did either of my parents have cancer, etc.). I am fortunate to have the info on my bio-parents, but it started me thinking about whether or not they would give me the insurance if I didn't have the information to provide or if leaving the spaces blank would constitute fraud. I was just curious if anyone had experienced issues due to their adoption with getting insurance coverage.

Answer 1

No, but some insurance companies have a limited enrollment period for people that choose not to disclose or cannot disclose that information.

Answer 2

Here's an idea.  Why not find out?

Answer 3

You cant leave the form blank because underwriters will ask about family history as it is a big factor in underwriting.

I went through this with some clients in the past.  A letter from the client indicating that they were adopted and did not know bio-family history was sufficient to allow them to get the best rates available.

Answer 4

what a great question!  i had never thought of that!

insurance companies use that information to risk asses you.  but i don't think it can either give a yay or nay to wether or not they allow you to be insured through their company.  but i'm sure if you don't answer they take the blanks as a yes and you may end up paying a higher premium than you would if you had the truth.

that said, insurance companies being what they are (i have many words to use here but none that are allowed, lol )  i imagine they sure could deny you for that reason.  i've never heard of it, but i'm sure it's happened.

that there is another very good argument for open records and more detailed medical history of adoptees.

Answer 5

Where I work, we have options for extra coverage on life and disability insurance.  Acceptance is based on one's health history, including family health history.  Although I am reunited and familiar with min, people who don't know their biological backgrounds are stuck with making something up or leaving it blank.  Leaving it blank, of course, will keep an applicant from being accepted.  Having to make something up is ridiculous.

Answer 6

Ironically, we had a similar concern with obtaining life insurance for our son.  When we were going through the adoption process, the last thing on our mind was obtaining life insurance for our child.  However, we did know that our son had a genetic disorder.  My aunt (who has diabetes) told us that we should look into getting our son life insurance as a baby since she has had trouble as an adult obtaining it due to her diabetes.  

When we called our insurance agent, they told us that it was good we were calling at that time because as long as he was under one year of age, we did not need to provide any medical information and he would be qualified regardless of any pre-existing conditions.  HOWEVER, and here's the kicker, in order to obtain the insurance, we needed to get approval from the ADOPTION AGENCY because the adoption had not been finalized yet so there was a concern that we had planned to harm our child and hence looking for insurance.  Fortunately, we had the blessing of the agency and the bio family in doing this once we explained the situation, but it does make one fearful for children of adoption and their financial security for their families as they hit adulthood especially if they are diagnosed with medical issues that they don't even know run in the family.  

Thanks for asking such a great question.

Answer 7

Yeppers.  And not only that, trouble getting a passport because the fake Birth Certificate issued after my adoption was filed so long after the actual birth

It's about time adoptees were given access to their own birth information

Answer 8

If you don't know, you just mark it no.  There is no obligation to reveal that you are adopted and don't know.  It is fraud only if you  lie about your information.

It is no different than if your parents died when you were 6 in a car crash.  How would you know if they would have developed cancer later on? You don't.  Some parents share nothing of their medical history with their kids.

Answer 9

Nope.  I usually place in that category, ADOPTED.

However, then I answer in those parental questions my labeled, ADOPTED parents bio as sometimes some insurance companies view medical history as a combination of genetic and environmental.

Have 3 life insurance policies obtained without issue.  Have 2 still active, the 3rd was a term for temporary use

Answer 10

I avoided this issue by giving them the information on my family.....my ADOPTED family.  It is none of their da** business that I was adopted; and I'll be da**ed if I get screwed over something that I had no control over!!  I now know my birth family's medical history - and I answer the questions I can with that information - but if I do not have that information for my birth family, I simply put down what I was raised believing to be the truth.

I worked as an admin assistant for an insurance salesperson, and OMG the life insurance companies are beyond anal about whom they cover.  It's horrible; and somebody needs to completely overhaul the health care field before we all get screwed.