Can I get life insurance with a criminal history?
The secret to finding affordable life insurance with a criminal history is to use an independent special risk broker or agency.
A special risk broker who has years of expierence in dealing with high risk life insurance propsects will have mulitple life insurance carriers to choose from. The broker will already know the carriers that are more likely than not to make an offer on a policy.
Every life insurance carrier underwrites risks differently. While one carrier may specialize in underwriting those with say heart disease, another may specialize in diabetes, or in this case indivduls with a criminal history. The secret is to find the carrier that matches your particular situation.
What information will the carrier need?
First off, it’s important to be totatlly honest upfront with the carrier. You don’t want to leave out any information that might make it harder to get approved for coverage. Life insurance companies have several ways of getting information so it’s best to just be upfront.
Some of the information the carriers will need when undewriting life insurance with a criminal history include:
- Date of incident(s) crimes
- Brief description of the cicumstances surrounding the charges
- List of all charges
- Misdemeanor or felony
- Class (A or 1, B or 2, C or 3, D or 4)
- Date of conviction
- Outcome of conviction
- Did you serve any jail time? If so, what length of sentence and release date?
- Any parole or probation? Completion date?
- Have all court proceedings associated with the matter been discharged including restituion and or fines?If no, need details.
- Are you employed? If so, what occupation and lenght of employment?
- Any history of drugs/alcohol abuse? If yes, need details.
- Any motor vehicle violations on record? If yes, need details.
Other details needed
In additon to the information above regarding criminal history the carrier will need additional details to include:
- Date of Birth
- Height/Weight
- Any tobacco use in last 5 years
- Male or Female
- Any previous or ongoing medical history? Taking any prescribed medications? Any hospitlizations?
- Any current alcohol use? If so, number of drinks per day, per week?
Finding out if an offer is availalbe
Once the information above is completed, it is now time for your agent or broker to go to work and find the best offer avialble in the industry from carriers that undewrite the lowest rates for life insurance with a criminal history.
Your agent will discreetly shop your coverage by talking to undewriters about your particular situation. One of the secrets of using an agent or broker who specializes in this particualr coverage is to keep your informaiton out of the medical information bureau (MIB). The MIB is a clearinghouse for insurance carriers.
If you have applied or been declined for coverage in the past the MIB would have a record of it. By not submitting a formal application for coveage until you have a tentative offer will keep your information out of the MIB. This can help from complicating the process and avoid being placed into the MIB file when not necessary.
Once an offer of coverage is made, you will at that time formally apply for coverage and go thru the normal medical undewriting requirements needed by the insurance company.
Wrapping up the coverage
Once you have formally applied for a plan an amount of protection the underwriting process typically takes anywher from 4-8 weeks to complete. The underwriting will typically consists of an application, blood test, exam an background checks regarding finances, etc. The insurance company can come back after all underwritng is completed and offer the tentative quote, adjust the offer, decline to offer or postpoone the offer pending further information.
Your agent will go over the options with you.
Conclusion-
So, if you are looking for life insurance and have a crimnal history don’t give up on finding coverage.Find an expeirenced agent or broker to help you thru the process. If you would like a free consultation please feel free to reach out to us at 678-207-8160 or mike@specialriskterm.com
