Re: Term Life Insurance Struggles

[Guest guest]

<< Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 19:38:30 -0000

From: " rwd2lady " <rwd2lady@...>

Subject: Term Life Insurance Struggles

I have cried most of the morning, which I know is silly, but it just

makes me sooooo mad. I'm trying to get term life insurance for

myself and my husband to take place of the very expensive life

insurance that we have through our mortgage company for our house

mortgage. Getting insurance for my husband was easy. For myself it

has been a struggle and extremely humiliating. I've talked to 3

companies and all 3 companies refused to insure me because of my

weight loss surgery. They told me that I would have to wait 3 years

after my surgery before they would cover me and then they would add

50% of my weight loss back onto my weight info and then do the

insurance coverage. They said the reason they are making me wait 3

years is because of the dangers of the WLS, I explained to them that

I didn't have the by-pass but it made no difference. They also said

that they add the 50% back onto my weight because they say

that " their studies show " that WLS patients end up gaining back the

weight so they just automatically put it on for us. I just felt so

humiliated and discriminated against. Why is it, that in this day

and age, obesity discrimination is considered acceptable. Even if I

waited the 3 years and even if I got down to what the insurances

companies consider the " ideal wieght " I still would end up paying

more because of the 50% they are going to add back onto me. Has

anyone else dealt with this? I'm not really sure why it upsets me

so much, but I think it's just because, I feel like I'll always be

different, I'll never be treated normal, even when someday I hope to

look and be like the " normal people " .>>

I wonder if this is discrimination and you could have legal recourse?

I think I'd call a couple of lawyers instead of insurance agents. If

this isn't discrimination, it should be...ever considered becoming an

activist on behalf of overweight people? Someone has to stand up for

inquality and work to get the laws changed..you could get lots of

signatures at weight loss places, etc....just a thought;-)

Kem in Eugene

- 55 pounds

Dr. Neal 8.6.04

<º)))><

[Guest guest]

Am I missing something here? Yes, charging someone more because they

are overweight is discrimination but I don't think it's cause to drag in

the lawyers. You and I both discriminate every day. Not based on skin

color or gender but on our experiences. I discriminate against

Mc's because my experience has shown that a double quarter pounder

with cheese is not a band-friendly food. You likely discriminate

against restaurants for the same reason.

I have been declined for life insurance because of my weight but, I see

that as how insurance works. We all pay into the insurance pool

(premiums) and our survivors are able to draw out (coverage amount) when

we die. If I am more likely to die because I am obese, it makes sense

that I would be charged more for the same amount of coverage than my

wife who is not overweight since she would be more likely to have a

normal lifespan and a longer period of paying premiums before making a

claim. The same goes for smoking - smokers pay more.

Did your application ask you about skydiving, scuba diving or being a

private pilot? All are risks that the company can quantify and

therefore charge more for. The insurance company discriminates against

these people because of their past experience with claims. I would

expect that, if the insurance industry determined that they have a

significantly higher rate of claims for left-handed people with nose

rings (no offense intended to pierced southpaws) they would ask about

this as well. I would expect that your insurance company groups the

band and the bypass together because they don't know any better.

Think of all of the positive steps you've taken in getting the band and

losing the weight. It was a journey not a single step and society is

going to assume that you and I will both put 50% of the weight back on

because most people who lose weight do that. I trust that we will both

prove them wrong. If you're still mad at society, you can always get

something pierced.

My best, .

Kem Tillford wrote:

> << Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 19:38:30 -0000

> From: " rwd2lady " <rwd2lady@...>

> Subject: Term Life Insurance Struggles

>

> I have cried most of the morning, which I know is silly, but it just

> makes me sooooo mad. I'm trying to get term life insurance for

> myself and my husband to take place of the very expensive life

> insurance that we have through our mortgage company for our house

> mortgage. Getting insurance for my husband was easy. For myself it

> has been a struggle and extremely humiliating. I've talked to 3

> companies and all 3 companies refused to insure me because of my

> weight loss surgery. They told me that I would have to wait 3 years

> after my surgery before they would cover me and then they would add

> 50% of my weight loss back onto my weight info and then do the

> insurance coverage. They said the reason they are making me wait 3

> years is because of the dangers of the WLS, I explained to them that

> I didn't have the by-pass but it made no difference. They also said

> that they add the 50% back onto my weight because they say

> that " their studies show " that WLS patients end up gaining back the

> weight so they just automatically put it on for us. I just felt so

> humiliated and discriminated against. Why is it, that in this day

> and age, obesity discrimination is considered acceptable. Even if I

> waited the 3 years and even if I got down to what the insurances

> companies consider the " ideal wieght " I still would end up paying

> more because of the 50% they are going to add back onto me. Has

> anyone else dealt with this? I'm not really sure why it upsets me

> so much, but I think it's just because, I feel like I'll always be

> different, I'll never be treated normal, even when someday I hope to

> look and be like the " normal people " .>>

>

> I wonder if this is discrimination and you could have legal recourse?

> I think I'd call a couple of lawyers instead of insurance agents. If

> this isn't discrimination, it should be...ever considered becoming an

> activist on behalf of overweight people? Someone has to stand up for

> inquality and work to get the laws changed..you could get lots of

> signatures at weight loss places, etc....just a thought;-)

>

> Kem in Eugene

> - 55 pounds

> Dr. Neal 8.6.04

> <º)))><

>

>

[Guest guest]

I can somewhat relate to your life insurance woes. My husband and

I got it a couple of years ago. He was labled " preferred " so he got

a wonderful rate. Because of my obesity, they put me through all

kinds of test, which was expected. My mom has an insurance

background so I knew there would be trouble for myself. Anyway, I

had a couple of nurses come to my house to run test, went to labs

for other test...it was like they were looking for me to have

something so they could decline me. In the end, every nurse and lab

tech said my test results were all normal. In fact, one doctor

said, " If I were to just look at these test results on paper I would

think you are a normal, healthy individual, but when I look up to

see you, I would almost think I had the wrong test results. " I took

it as a compliment. In the end, they did approve life insurance for

me...though mine is 4 times more than my husband. It was a little

awkward and embarrassing for me but my husband never complained.

Not an experience I want to go through again, anytime soon!

>

> I have cried most of the morning, which I know is silly, but it

just

> makes me sooooo mad. I'm trying to get term life insurance for

> myself and my husband to take place of the very expensive life

> insurance that we have through our mortgage company for our house

> mortgage. Getting insurance for my husband was easy. For myself

it

> has been a struggle and extremely humiliating. I've talked to 3

> companies and all 3 companies refused to insure me because of my

> weight loss surgery. They told me that I would have to wait 3

years

> after my surgery before they would cover me and then they would

add

> 50% of my weight loss back onto my weight info and then do the

> insurance coverage. They said the reason they are making me wait

3

> years is because of the dangers of the WLS, I explained to them

that

> I didn't have the by-pass but it made no difference. They also

said

> that they add the 50% back onto my weight because they say

> that " their studies show " that WLS patients end up gaining back

the

> weight so they just automatically put it on for us. I just felt

so

> humiliated and discriminated against. Why is it, that in this day

> and age, obesity discrimination is considered acceptable. Even if

I

> waited the 3 years and even if I got down to what the insurances

> companies consider the " ideal wieght " I still would end up paying

> more because of the 50% they are going to add back onto me. Has

> anyone else dealt with this? I'm not really sure why it upsets me

> so much, but I think it's just because, I feel like I'll always be

> different, I'll never be treated normal, even when someday I hope

to

> look and be like the " normal people " .

>

[Guest guest]

If you're still mad at society, you can always get

> something pierced.

>

...I love it! You are 100% right about the logic applied by

insurance companies. I used to work with some of the largest ones,

and it's all about " assumption of risk " . The more risk they assume,

the more they will charge. The insurance industry is VERY, VERY, VERY

conservative. Like bankers, who only want to lend money to people who

don't need it, insurance underwriters only want to provide coverage

for people who (they hope) will (almost) never die.

Carlene

[Guest guest]

I'm afraid that insurance companies are a business like any other.,

and they can make any policy they want. They are trying to make money

for their shareholders. Fair? moral? Of course not, but they have no

requirement to be.

Having said that, i hope you'll turn that sadness into ANGER and use

that anger to fight a bit. Email Don Mills, the Inamed rep Don.Mills

@ Inamed dot com. and ask for help. I'm NOT sure he can offer any,

but in the case of insurances refusing to cover the band - when they

do cover the bypass - he has sent letters that helped gain coverage.

Yes, it's a long shot, but worth a shot. Also try other life

insurance companies.

Don't let this get you down too much. you've accomplished a wonderful

thing with your weight loss, and that is the thing to remember.

Sandy R

>

> I have cried most of the morning, which I know is silly, but it

just

> makes me sooooo mad. I'm trying to get term life insurance for

> myself and my husband to take place of the very expensive life

> insurance that we have through our mortgage company for our house

> mortgage. Getting insurance for my husband was easy. For myself

it

> has been a struggle and extremely humiliating. I've talked to 3

> companies and all 3 companies refused to insure me because of my

> weight loss surgery. They told me that I would have to wait 3

years

> after my surgery before they would cover me and then they would add

> 50% of my weight loss back onto my weight info and then do the

> insurance coverage. They said the reason they are making me wait 3

> years is because of the dangers of the WLS, I explained to them

that

> I didn't have the by-pass but it made no difference. They also

said

> that they add the 50% back onto my weight because they say

> that " their studies show " that WLS patients end up gaining back the

> weight so they just automatically put it on for us. I just felt so

> humiliated and discriminated against. Why is it, that in this day

> and age, obesity discrimination is considered acceptable. Even if

I

> waited the 3 years and even if I got down to what the insurances

> companies consider the " ideal wieght " I still would end up paying

> more because of the 50% they are going to add back onto me. Has

> anyone else dealt with this? I'm not really sure why it upsets me

> so much, but I think it's just because, I feel like I'll always be

> different, I'll never be treated normal, even when someday I hope

to

> look and be like the " normal people " .

>