<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

This is a summary of my post of several weeks ago about getting additional life insurance for my husband who will probably turn out to have CD.

Most people (3) who addressed the question of added risk to health from CD said that if one sticks to the gf diet, then there should be no added risk to health that should concern an insurance company. Whether or not insurance companies are indeed concerned is another matter.  Several (2) thought people with CD tended to live longer than the general population because of their closer attention to good diet. One person, however, provided the reminder that one can also develop other  serious autoimmune problems, so it may not be a bad idea to keep that in mind while considering needs for insurance. There wasn't agreement about the statistics for other complications.

If one expects to get a CD diagnosis and is considering additional life insurance, there was agreement (2) that it should be obtained before getting the diagnosis.  Three people had unfavorable responses from insurors because of CD--one was turned down, one was put into a higher-risk bracket, and the third turned to a different, more liberal company with success. Two people reported that their insurance company was ignorant of the condition, and one of these people said that her children with CD got more insurance.  One person suggested referring to it as "Celiac" rather than "Celiac disease" and another suggested "wheat allergy."  One person questioned the need to even get a definitive diagnosis if you are sure that is what is going to happen (a child is diagnosed and you are sure which parent is the genetic link; just go gf). This line of thinking is that a diagnosis will just cause problems with insurance later on.

One respondent has an agent with State Farm in NC whom he really likes, who has a CD family member, and who might be a good person to answer questions.  E mail me if you want the telephone number for this agent.  I assume it is ok to give to other people on this listserv, since it was given to me.

Thank you to all people who responded.  As for us, we checked our finances again and decided against the additional insurance.  My husband is in the process of evaluation.  I think he probably needs the definitive diagnosis in order to believe it and go on the diet.

Diane in VA

* All posts for product information must include the applicable country *