Life & Critical Illness insurance after PPP

[benedicte]

We moved house last year and considered increasing the level of cover to reflect the increased mortgage but my financial advisor advised me to keep my existing insurance because premium levels would increase a lot if I were to go with a new insurer since I would be obliged to declare I had post partum psychosis and was diagnosed bipolar. Recently I met with him again to review our insurance and this time he said I actually wouldn't be able to get any life/critical illness insurer to cover me anymore so I am basically stuck with the one put in place before I had PPP which is not sufficient to cover the increased mortgage. Does anyone else have advice regarding life and critical illness cover having told the insurer about PPP/bipolar diagnosis?

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello benedicte

I'm sorry I don't have much advice but just wanted to say how unfair this is as PP is a temporary illness. Sometimes financial advisers are linked to certain insurance companies so it might be an idea to have a quote from a separate insurer to see if you can be offered cover. If you are in the UK the Citizens Advice Bureau might be helpful.

I'm sure there will be other mums here to offer advice and support. Take care.

[Lilybeth Volunteer in reply to Lilybeth]

Just to add benedicte ..... There's a post you might search for on here "Denied life insurance" from a few years ago with some helpful replies ........

[GorillaMumma]

I called lifesearch. They are a fee free broker and I couldn't recommend them highly enough. I was anxious about the whole process but it turned out to be easy. They recommended a policy who have accepted me with a declaration of PP but they are vetting me for 3 months before they accept me.

[JoannaBrooks in reply to GorillaMumma]

That's good to know. Is the cover a reasonable price and not inflated by having had PP? I tried to get cover and was turned down. But admittedly I was pregnant with my 2nd then so can see I was not ideal candidate with the risk of PP again (which I didn't get incidentally).

[GorillaMumma in reply to JoannaBrooks]

Yes I would say it was reasonable. The broker said a few companies wouldn't accept me so he sifted out the best deal from the companies that remained.

[JoannaBrooks in reply to GorillaMumma]

Hi GorillaMumma. Hope you are well. Don't suppose you can tell me what insurance company accepted you? Legal & general, Norwich union are rejecting me. And other ones are doubling the premium. Many thanks. So it's annoying as only had PP after my 1st son not 2nd nearly 7 yrs ago and well since

[GorillaMumma in reply to JoannaBrooks]

It was London and Country. It turns out they didn't accept me in the end. They made me fill out all the paperwork and said they would consider me a year after PP. I have to wait 2 months and then see what they say.

[JoannaBrooks in reply to GorillaMumma]

Thanks what a bummer. It's so annoying!! Good luck x

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hi Benedicte,

This does seem so unfair. I hope you can get some alternatives from the links that others have mentioned here. I seem to recall that there was something about insurance for mortgage when we moved too (which was a few years after PP and even more long ago now that I can't remember). As my husband deals with that side of things, I can't be sure, but seem to recall that he had to change companies and pay a slightly higher premium. It would seem to make sense that it reduces over time though, I am not sure? CAB would be a good place to start, if you are in the UK. And the Bipolar UK and Mind websites too might give you some pointers:

mind.org.uk/information-sup...

bipolaruk.org/FAQs/life-ass...

Take care, xx