Life assurance rejected due to anxiety / depression?

pan1

Hello All,

Looking for some advice, I am trying to get life insurance but I have several medical conditions. Diabetes type 2 and high blood pressure. Both are well managed with medication.

The other problem I have is that I suffered from depression / anxiety. The forms ask me whether I thought of self harming and how many times I thought about it. However, I last suffered from depression and anxiety 5.5 years ago and although I did think of self harming and I did mention this to the doctor I cannot remember all of the details. I am worried if I don't know the exactly details it might invalidate my policy.

Also, am I likely to get any type of life assurance give me condition. I have tried Legal and Gen. Aviva and they have both declined me. Any advice would be welcome.

dunstonh

I am worried if I don't know the exactly details it might invalidate my policy.

If you declared it on the application then its not a concern if you stated you couldnt recall all the details. The insurer will make a decision whether it contacts the GP or not and asks for that information. Your duty is to declare what you know to the best of your knowledge.

Also, am I likely to get any type of life assurance give me condition. I have tried Legal and Gen. Aviva and they have both declined me. Any advice would be welcome.

Remember that you now need to declare these declines on any other application you make.

Is the depression clinical and ongoing but controlled or was it event driven? (something happened that caused it and you are now moved on from that)

pan1

Hello

Is the depression clinical and ongoing but controlled or was it event driven? (something happened that caused it and you are now moved on from that)

Don't quite know what happened, it was a stressful time with and I fell into a depression. I am over it now. I was discharged by the psychiatrist team over 5 years ago, no re-occurrences, no need to see the GP about it. No medication. It just seemed so long ago.

Any idea of which insurance company would be willing to take on a basket case like myself.

Chris_Pollard

Pan1, firstly, don't think of yourself as a basket case! If your mental health history is as you have outlined and you've not seen any specialists about it for five years, I doubt this is an issue for the insurer; especially if you mentioned "self harm" as opposed to suicidal ideation.

Although in my employed life (in the past) I have underwritten thousands of lives, it really isn't possible for anyone here to provide you with a valid second opinion. However, suffice to say just because one or two insurers have rejected you, doesn't mean everyone will.

My first recommendation would be to contact a financial adviser as they are best placed to scout the market. They would benefit from having more information, so I would suggest that you contact L&G and Aviva and ask them to write to your GP to explain why they have rejected your application (I presume they have obtained medical reports). Your GP will probably let you have a copy of their letter and you can share this with your financial adviser.

Don't give up.

TrickyDicky101

dunstonh wrote: »

Remember that you now need to declare these declines on any other application you make.

at)

I don't think that's correct - if they have declined to quote why would the op need to reveal this?

dunstonh

TrickyDicky101 wrote: »

I don't think that's correct - if they have declined to quote why would the op need to reveal this?

When you get a quote on life assurance, it is based on clean health. After you answer the questions and the application is submitted to the insurer and they contact the GP (if required) or look at the information given and then decide if they are going to offer cover on standard terms or revise the terms or refuse cover.

They are not declining to quote. They have already initially quoted and the life assurance has been applied for but rejected.

Weighty1

dunstonh wrote: »

When you get a quote on life assurance, it is based on clean health. After you answer the questions and the application is submitted to the insurer and they contact the GP (if required) or look at the information given and then decide if they are going to offer cover on standard terms or revise the terms or refuse cover.

They are not declining to quote. They have already initially quoted and the life assurance has been applied for but rejected.

To be fair, very few insurers now ask about previous adverse decisions. If memory serves me correctly, only Royal London do.