Table of Contents
March 2022 Update: The criteria for getting cover pending a normal smear is everchanging, please complete this questionnaire and I can check if cover is possible.
Hi,
We would like to get mortgage protection but I have been dealing with abnormal smears for a while. I’ve been four years under hospital care scheme having check-ups. Last smear abnormal again. So do I wait for my next smear test result in 3 months or is it worth trying now?
Regards
Ruth
I fully expected the insurers to postpone Ruth.
So it was a nice surprise to get her immediate cover at the normal price.
She was so happy as she could complete the purchase of her new home with her partner.
Some life insurance companies will postpone offering cover until you have a normal smear.
In Ruth’s case above, she had a CIN III fours years ago, followed by another normal smear.
Since then, she has had a series of low-grade smears.
My underwriter took the view that Ruth was low risk.
She was undergoing regular pap smears, and the most recent CIN was low-grade.
Because of these factors, she got the normal price without waiting for a normal smear.
However, four of our five insurers would not offer her cover.
So you can see how important it is to choose the most sympathetic life insurer for abnormal smears.
All the other insurers we approached would have postponed Ruth.
Again it depends on the life insurance company.
I managed to serious illness cover for a client* who had an abnormal smear last year and hadn’t had a normal smear since. But the insurer added an exclusion for cancer of the cervix or uterus to her policy.
In this case, the client had a strong supporting letter from her consultant.
Usually, the insurer requires a normal smear before offering serious illness cover.
*Update: Since getting cover with the exclusion, my client had a normal smear. Because of this, her insurer was happy to remove the exclusion. She is delighted!
With CIN 1, you can get income protection at the normal price without exclusions.
Unfortunately, the answer is no.
If you’re waiting for a colposcopy (from hse.ie)
The colposcopy will confirm whether abnormal cells are present, the grade of those cells (CIN 1, 2 or 3) and determine whether you will need treatment to remove them.
Until the results are available, the insurers will postpone any application for life cover.
If confirmed as CIN1 or CIN2, life cover should be possible without the need for a follow up normal smear. But please check with me first before applying because the underwriting criteria constantly changes in this area.
The insurers may insist on a follow-up normal smear in this case.
A well answered gynaecological questionnaire can be enough. But in some cases, the insurer will write to your GP for a report.
Lisa was scheduled for LLETZ treatment as a result of CIN2 in 2 weeks.
But she needed mortgage protection in place within three weeks to draw down her mortgage.
She could not schedule a repeat smear test in the next three weeks.
So I had to find an insurer that would offer cover based solely on the LLETZ report.
Insurer 1: For a CIN2, we would need a normal follow up smear test.
Insurer 2: For life cover only, we can offer cover once confirmation of no invasion following the treatment.
Insurer 3: To consider cover, we would need a copy of the report following her LLETZ treatment & if this confirmed that it was completely excised & confirmation of no invasion, we could offer cover.
Insurer 4: We would need a normal follow up smear.
Insurer 5: The client will have needed a normal follow up smear after her treatment for us to consider.
Half of the insurers couldn’t offer cover until the follow-up smear, and this proves how important it is to use a broker who deals with all five insurers.
Remember, your bank can only use one insurer, usually Irish Life.
If I can get you covered, it should be normal.
Click here for an instant life insurance quote.
Are you stressed out because you’re waiting for a follow-up smear and worried about how it will affect your life insurance or mortgage protection application?
If you are, let me help.
Please complete this questionnaire or call me on 05793 20836, and I’ll take care of it for you.
As Ireland's leading life insurance broker, we specialise in comparing the rates and policies from the top five Irish life insurance providers and offering the very best value quotes to suit the individual needs of our clients. Our expertise lies in finding a suitable insurance plan for those with specific needs, be it a particular illness, occupation or claim history, we've got you covered in every sense!
Watch our video
