Nature or nurture? The age-old debate has raged on for decades regarding just how we’re impacted by our genetics and our environment. As scientists continue making breakthroughs in DNA testing, we’re starting to better understand how our genetic makeup – and therefore our family ties – affects our health. Some 20 years ago in the insurance business, family history had little to do with underwriting outcomes. Today, this critical component of an individual’s overall picture of health is one that needs to be investigated and well-documented to ensure favorable offers are generated for every client.
The three categories of family history that are of primary concern are cardiac cases, cancer and diabetes. Although certain lifestyle habits and environmental factors can dramatically impact a client’s likelihood of experiencing any of these health issues, there is a statistically proven genetic link to each that leads to increased risk. For example, according to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer will affect an estimated one in six American men. However, a man with two immediate relatives with a history of the disease has more than double the risk of being affected. Remember, a genetic link is only a risk factor; it does not confirm that a client will have prostate cancer at any time in his life. More importantly, there are steps you – as the agent and field underwriter – can take to help present his case to carriers in the best light possible.
Initially, these cases will require you to do a bit of digging into the client’s family history. Was there a situational, environmental or behavioral reason for the family member’s condition? Maybe the client’s father’s listed lung cancer was actually due to Black Lung disease from working in the coal mines. It’s possible that the mother’s heart attack was due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise, which led to hyperlipidemia and high cholesterol. Or it could be that the client’s brother had cirrhosis of the liver because he was an alcoholic. In these types of instances, this background information of the client’s family history can make or break the outcome of an underwriting decision.
Even if the condition or disease was not lifestyle induced, all hope is not lost for the client. Rather, it requires you to provide as much evidence as possible to the carrier to help the underwriter think outside the box. In your cover letter, be sure to present all available information related to healthy exercise, eating habits and alcohol intake. If the client has had medical tests run and doctor visits that have resulted positively, specifically outline the outcome(s). If ethnicity plays a role in risk for a particular disease, note if your client is not in the at-risk group. Or, consider detailing positive health conditions and histories for other immediate family members in addition to that of the client.
Family history and genetic makeup of a client are just two of those things you can’t control, but how the case is presented is up to you. By doing the absolute best job of field underwriting possible and creating a cover letter full of positive aspects of the client’s health and other beneficial factors, you can feel confident knowing you’re doing everything you can to help the underwriter make a solid offer. If you have specific questions about a case you’re unsure of how to present, simply contact your Creative Life family. We’ve got a great history of helping agents with client cases just like yours.
FOR AGENT USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 12401 – 2012/7/23