Intolerance and life insurance

[ANGEDELAVIE]

Help needed please - I have recently been diagnosed with a Gluten intolerance. I am on the case albeit also being veggie is causing every shopping trip to take an age reading the ingredient list. My real question / problem / issue is that no one wants to insure me now - I am reaching out to the community as I am sure I am not the first to have this experience - any advice / guidance etc would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much in advance!

Dawn

[Jacks]

Why wouldn't anyone insure you?

[ANGEDELAVIE in reply to Jacks]

Because I have been diagnosed as coeliac - I tried to explain to the underwriters that - whilst annoying that I have to avoid certain foods - it can and will be controlled - if it was a disability rather than a disease - it would be discrimination - so very annoying.

[Henbur]

Are diagnosed coeliac with gluten free prescription? What type of insurance and what country are you in? Have you had associated symptoms/ complications that have led to investigations eg gastroenterological / neurological/ cardiac/ urological? How long ago was diagnosis? I'm just trying to establish recent medical history as these may be factors that are complicating matters.

[ANGEDELAVIE in reply to Henbur]

chronic diarrhea, muscle and joint pain - colonoscopy uncovered unusual cells that I am having further tests for.

[Henbur]

If you are located in the uk it is highly unlikely that a diagnosis for coeliac alone would prevent you getting insurance. I suggest it is the abnormal cell result that is the issue here simply because underwriters will not insure against risk so while investigations are taking place into the abnormal cells there is too much exposure for them as they would be insuring against a potential future issue. In addition many dont insure certain things for a period of time after treatment. For example I had 3 ablation procedures that were very straightforward and had a successful outcome however my travel and medical insurance sky rocketed for two years even though they would not cover any issues related to my heart or the procedure. I was not able to change my life insurance for a couple of years because that required I could prove that I had not had any further issues for 2 yrs post the treatment. I have recently changed my insurance providerand my coeliac has not even come up because I was able to answer no to questions about health issues, procedures and ongoing investigations in the last 2 or 5 years etc. and coeliac was not listed on the standard ailment list. I see no reason why the coeliac alone would cause the issues you are having but your ongoing health issues and the need for future investigations wil have a negative impact because there is too muchrisk until you are diagnosed. That said there are specialist insurers out there and there is always a product but it may come at a cost to you at this juncture.

[ANGEDELAVIE in reply to Henbur]

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

[Jacks in reply to Henbur]

I agree. It might be that the underwriters don't like the hospital appointments as in "have you been a patient within the last ....." and "are you undergoing tests" etc, rather than coeliac disease being the issue. It is one of the few diseases that can be controlled entirely by diet alone, hence prescription food rather than drugs.