Denied Life Insurance because of ITP

Please help! I have ITP and am pregnant with my second child. My platelets have been consistently at 76k throughout this pregnancy and I'm sure were at 76k when they did my life insurance physical. My ITP is not pregnancy induced as I live with this everyday, but my platelets work great for me and have never posed a problem in my life. I took a steroid to prepare for the birth of my first baby only to increase my platelets to a level so I could get an epidural if I wanted (and I did!), but other than that, I do not require medication on a daily basis for my ITP.

Well now, I need more life insurance because of my expanding family and they just denied me! Has anyone else had this problem? ITP is not a death sentence, their decision I feel is totally unjustified and probably based of their lack of knowledge or unwillingness to figure out what ITP really is. I really need more life insurance for my family, I am desperately hoping that someone else out there with ITP has dealt with this before and has had success with a life insurance company. Thanks!

It sounds as if you may already have a small policy? Check your policy and/or annual statements, or ask your insurance agent, because IF your policy was purchased when you were young, you may have the option to periodically increase the value of the policy with no health exam, etc. My dad had done this for all the kids when we were young, and we could up the policy value I think at 25, 30 and 35? yrs.?? My husband and I purchased something similar for our daughters. Don't know if those are standard years or not... Hoping someone in the biz will reply to you! Ann, Caitlin's Mom

In the past I purchased a policy (after ITP Dx) but I've let it lapse and don't recall which company so shop around.

Yup. Me too. Had mine cancelled 2 years ago. A letter was sent saying because ITP is a "Extreme risk disease", it was cancelled. I sent a lil sarcastic letter back asking since I have had ITP since 96, can I get a refund on the premiums I have been paying. Never got a responce!!-lol- Let us know if u find a company that insures us Extremies out here in platlet planet.
Arnold

I got life insurance through AMICA insurance. We have home and auto insurance with them as well. The company has a life insurance division. I got the policy after having ITP for at least 5 years=-and I've had it my entire adult life (Sept. 14 will mark my 30th ITP anniversary, as well as my oldest son's 30th birthday). You might want to try them. Here's a link:


www.amica.com/products/productsLife.html?cm_sp=homeflash-_-lifeAwareness-_-link

Thanks for all of your thoughts and suggestions. I tried getting insurance again with a different agent and I was approved through Prudential (yay!). I'm 33 and otherwise in great physical and medical shape and my premium for $700K is $144 a month (boo!). I asked my agent if the premium was so high because I have ITP and am currently pregnant, but he said Prudential only took into account my ITP. This is a little disheartening given my spouse with the same coverage and health record has a premium of $32 a month with another company. I've talked with my specialist and I have a normal life expectancy. Not sure why the insurance company is treating it as such a high risk??? Anyway, my specialist is willing to write a letter once I'm no longer pregnant regarding the severity of my ITP, stability of my platelets and my normal life expectancy. I am going to try with other companies after I have the baby to get a lower quote. I will be sure to update everyone with what I find out. Thanks again!!