HEPATITIS & LIFE INSURANCE ~ UNDERWRITING ISSUES Hepatitis and Life Insurance    If you have a history of Hepatitis, a broker may still be able to help you obtain life or critical illness insurance - although maybe not on standard terms. There are some critical factors involved that will determine your ability to obtain coverage & your information is always treated with the utmost privacy by the insurer or broker.   What Type of Hepatitis ? Hepatitis is an inflamation of the liver.  There are 3 main different types of Hepatitis, typically classified as Type A Hepatitis, Type B Hepatitis, or Type C Hepatitis. It is estimated that over 150 million people in the world have some form of Hepatitis. Hepatitis A  & Life Insurance : Hepatitis A is usually transmitted via a water or food sources.  Hepatitis A is caught through the contamination of food and water with faeces (stools) through poor personal hygiene or sanitation. Hepatitis B  & Life Insurance : Hepatitis B can be transmitted from mother to infant, by needles, or sexually transmitted.  With Hepatitis B, if the person still tests positive after 6 months, it is considered to be chronic Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is spread through the exchange of blood and body fluids. It can be caught through unprotected sex, unsterilised needles, needlestick injury (accidental puncture of skin by a used needle), or contaminated blood products.   Hepatitis C  & Life Insurance : Hepatitis C is spread through the exchange of blood or blood products. It is spread through sharing needles and needlestick accidents. It was also spread by blood transfusions when screening for hepatitis C was brought in. The 1'st time some people learn that they have Hepatitis C is when they have had routine blood tests performed at the doctors or when they take their medical exam for say insurance; Over 70% of the people that have Hepatitis C virus have no symptoms.  There are 4 other recognised hepatitis viruses, named from C to G. Hepatitis A and E cause only acute infection, while hepatitis B and C cause chronic (ongoing) illness. Hepatitis D is only present in people infected with hepatitis B.The glandular fever virus can also be a cause of hepatitis. Vaccinations are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B (singly or combined), and also as a combination of hepatitis A and typhoid.  Hepatitis & Life Insurance Underwriting Each individual will have personal circumstances and Uk life insurance companies will want to gather as much information as possible before making an underwriting decision. In order to check the type of Hepatitis, Insurers are likely to request a GP or Medical Report if you are requesting additional options over and above just say lifecover. Hepatitis A - the Life insurance rates are usually readily available for most cases once symptoms are resolved.  Life insurance underwriters are usually less concerned about Hepatitis A once symptoms are gone, and there are no medical problems as a result.  It should be possible to obtain a life insurance policy at the best possible rates, assuming no other underwriting issues. Hepatitis B - the life insurance rates that should be available to you will depend on whether you are considered chronic or not, as well as the results from your liver function tests.  Hepatitis C - the life insurance rates if you have this will usually depend on a number of factors:  While there are many ways to get Hepatitis C, some will affect your ability to get coverage.  If you had a blood transfusion at one point in time, received it from getting a tatoo, piercing, etc. it may be possibly less of an issue to get coverage - than if you developed Hepatitis C from using say intravenous drugs.   Note non-disclosure of your actual Hepatitis history wether actual or suspected, may make any plan claim void & the insurer is not obliged to refund any premiums paid if this was deliberately not disclosed.  What do Uk Life Insurance Companies look for - when Underwriting a History of Hepatitis ? It would depend on the type of Hepatitis and its severity as mentioned above. For Life or Critical lllness Cover most Uk insurers would view each case on an individual basis before making a decision. However the likely decision for all types of cover maybe a premium rating or decline in the worst cases. Note that decisions may vary quite dramatically between insurers so please contact us for help & advice. History - What happened in the past? How severe is the Hepatitis problem now & how does this affect you day to day? Do you have liver cirrhosis ? Medical Records - What do your medical records say about you?  Have you developed medical problems as a result of Hepatitis ?  If you have already developed associated problems as a result of Hepatitis, many companies may probably decline you.   Treatment - Have you been for Hepatitis treatment. Hve you had a liver biopsy & what was function control ?   Family History - Do you parents or brothers or sisters have a similar history of Hepatitis also? For help with Hepatitis issues why not visit www.hepctrust.org.uk or www.hepatitis.org.uk * ( * Note: You are now leaving the regulated site of Uk Life Insurance Quotes. Neither ourselves, nor Sesame Ltd, is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within the linked site.)  Have Hepatitis & looking in 2010 to compare Life Insurance products against other Uk Insurers - including Life cover, decreasing (mortgage protection) or level term assurance, Life with Critical Illness and Income Protection.  > Need a Competitive Life or Critical Illness Insurance Quote ?