Life Insurance For Someone With Learning Difficulties

JOOLSMAC

Can Anyone Help.
My Daughter Is 16, Autistic And Has Severe Learning Difficulties .she Is Physically Healthy But Needs 1:1 Care Mostly And All Physical Care Such As Toileting, Cutting Up Food, Bathing Etc.because Of This I Can Only Work Part Time And We Live On Her Disabilty Allowance, And Her Mobility Allowance Lets Us Run A Car - Essential As There Is No Way We Could Use Public Transport.
My Life Is Built Around Her Really. My Dilemma Is That If She Were To Die We Would Lose All Her Benefits And Really Struggle As My Much Reduced Earning Capacity Over The Years Has Meant We Can't Save Much.my Husband Is In A Low Paid Job.
You Could Say Well Tough ,go To Work Full Time If That Were To Happen And I Agree To A Point- I Just Know That I Would Not Be In Any Fit State To Do That.
We Want To Take Out Life Insurance For Her To Cover That Eventuality But She Would Have To Sign A Declaration Saying She Had Read And Understood All The Small Print - Which She Can't Do.
Has Anyone Else Come Across This. Do You Know Of Any Insurance Companies Who Do This. We're Not Trying To Be Fraudulent But Just Want To Safeguard The Future
Hope You Can Help
Jools

clear_blu

I have come across this problem a number of times and unfortunately each insurance company I have approached has said the same. The proposer must be capable of understanding the contract before they can offer assurance. Sorry.

DavidHM

True, but does she have to be the proposer? (I suspect the premiums will be much higher if she's not but at least then you'd have the choice as to whether to insure her).

clear_blu

DavidHM wrote:

True, but does she have to be the proposer? (I suspect the premiums will be much higher if she's not but at least then you'd have the choice as to whether to insure her).

There has to be an assurable interest for anyone else to propose the policy. I doubt that ANY company would be able to establish an assurable interest on the basis that if a disabled child were to die then state benefits would be lost and the healthy parents would have to get a job.
Dont forget that the principle of parents being unable to insure a child was introduced particularly because unscrupulous parents used to insure them and do away with them.
I am NOT suggesting that this principle has anything to do with this case however.

JOOLSMAC

Put like that it sounds awful, although I realise you're just stating the legal position.
This topic has arisen because I have recently bumped into a lady whose daughter had similar problems to ours and unfortunately had died suddenly at 21 years of age. The family actually ran a business and their emotional devastation has led to the Mum mentally breaking down and the business going to the wall. They now live in council accommodation and have a prettty awful time really. She actually said to me that although their emotions would have been the same she felt that had their whole lifestyle not also been decimated it would be easier for them and their other children to cope.She suggested we look at life insurance.
Thanks for you interest.
Joolsmac