Told no by a life insurance company? Here is what to do next.

Most life insurance declines happen because the wrong carrier was chosen for the applicant, not because the applicant is uninsurable. Different carriers evaluate the same medical history very differently. A decline at one carrier does not mean a decline at the next.

Why declines happen

• Wrong carrier for the file. Every carrier has a different underwriting manual. One carrier may decline insulin-dependent Type 2 cases above a certain A1C; another writes them at standard rates. If the agent who placed your file did not know the carrier map, your application may have gone to a company that was never going to approve it.
• Missing records. Underwriters sometimes decline because records were incomplete, out of date, or missing a key specialist's note. Pulling the full records and re-submitting changes the outcome in some cases.
• Complication that was not fully explained. A single ER visit, an abnormal lab, or a lapsed prescription can trigger a decline when context would have made the picture clearer.
• Change in health since the last application. Carriers write to the medical history on file at the moment of application.

What a decline means for your next application

A decline is reported to the MIB (Medical Information Bureau). Other carriers can see it when you apply later. That is why we recommend not applying anywhere else before we review the file. A second decline on top of the first narrows your options further.

What we do with a declined file

1. Pull a copy of the decline letter and the records the carrier reviewed.
2. Identify the specific reason for the decline, not just the summary.
3. Match your file to the three or four carriers whose underwriting manuals treat your specific situation most favorably.
4. Pre-shop your file privately with those carriers (an informal review before any formal application) and apply once, to the one most likely to approve.

We routinely place coverage for clients who have been declined by other agents, sometimes at better rates than they were originally quoted by the first carrier. The first application often is not the best application.