Insurance Underwriting and Smoking Marijuana

When you are applying for life insurance and smoking marijuana, applicants are normally required to answer a number of health and lifestyle related questions on the insurance application. Additionally, in many cases, the applicant must also undergo a medical examination that will include a blood and urine analysis, although there are many companies out there that offer life insurance with no medical exam. This is commonly the case if the applicant has an unfavorable health condition and they are applying for a large face amount policy.

Underwriting is the Key

Always keep in mind that you must be able to qualify for life insurance just like everybody else, marijuana set aside. The underwriters always start with considering your age and health. This would mean you will need to be healthy now, have a really clean health history, and a driving record that indicates you are a responsible driver. No driving under the influence!

Your Health

Your most current health information is going to include the basics: average blood pressure, typical cholesterol, a healthy weight for your height, and nothing significant medically wrong with you. You can possibly be on a few medications, diet regimens, or over the counter vitamins without receiving a ding on your insurance report. The insurance underwriter is searching for major health issues in this category, such as cancers other conditions that would be considered life-threatening.

Medical History

Your medical history is comparable to your present health, but it’s a little bit more complex. Your medical history record may have important information on it such as surgical procedure you may have undergone, out-patient procedures, or specialists you have seen in the past. If you are a female, issues like pregnancy might also be reviewed for a history of something like gestational diabetes.

Driving Record

Your driving record over the previous three to five years is also reviewed, although most people who apply don’t think about it. However, just because you’ve had a traffic ticket or two, you shouldn’t be concerned. The main things to look out for are DUI’s, reckless driving, or a high number of tickets.

Now, the marijuana. The insurance underwriter will require a blood profile and a urinalysis for the majority of traditional issue insurance policies. Needless to say, there is a disease and drug search going on, and marijuana (more specifically THC) is one of those drugs.

Tetrahydrocannabinol

Tetrahydrocannabinol, more regularly called THC, is one of the targeted factors underwriters are searching for when you apply for a traditional life insurance policy. This is simply because THC changes your regular body functions in multiple areas. It impacts the nervous system initially by altering the receptors in your brain and releasing unusual amounts of various compounds throughout your body.

The THC can have extended term effects medically, and these effects are what the insurance underwriter is most concerned with. There have been more studies done on the effects of marijuana than have ever done before, but the ultimate decisions on whether or not it’s harmful or not are still up for debate. Many argue the scientific studies are too inconclusive, and to an insurance underwriter, this means an unknown risk.

Marijuana As a Drug

In the federal statutes, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug. This classification is generating quite a lot of discussion between the different insurance carriers because, technically, you might be taking an illicit and illegal drug.

Although marijuana has not been determined as a deadly drug, if an individual is using marijuana recreationally and hasn’t been prescribed as medicinal marijuana, the question then becomes: What other drugs is this applicant using? It’s an association question. It’s not uncommon for a person to begin with marijuana and move on to some other drug.

Marijuana Use

Why is someone using marijuana and how often are they using it? These are two questions concerning marijuana and life insurance the underwriter is going to want to understand.

Why is an individual using marijuana? If it’s recreational use, you may be held to a specific number of limitations versus if you use it for medicinal purposes. While one insurance company may permit only two uses per month recreationally, it may permit more use if it’s prescribed by your doctor for an appropriate symptom.

But the conspicuous concern here if it is prescribed is the reason for the prescription. Is it for a problem like anxiety or depression, or is it a substantially more complex condition? If it’s the latter, then you will be looking at having a substantially more difficult time obtaining a good rating. Keep in mind; your normal health issues are a large part of the underwriting assessment.

Blood and Urine Analysis

It’s actually very feasible that your blood can test negative for marijuana, but your urine might test positive. The reason for this is mainly because THC can, in reality, remain longer in your body through a variety of pathways, and it could be visible through your urine the longest.

If you are a day to day user, it’s not inconceivable for strands of THC to be noticeable in your urine a few weeks, or even months in many cases. If you are an infrequent user, it is a lot less probable as the accumulation of THC in your system is not going to happen very quickly.

Marijuana and urine tests are not something that you can control. There are a good deal of assorted urine solutions, body cleanse strategies, and strange diets which applicants go on to try and affect the results of the blood and urine tests. Seriously, they don’t experience a very high success rate at all. If you smoke or ingest marijuana, the insurance company is potentially going to discover it, or at least remnants of it.

Your Independent Agent and the Insurance Company Matters

If you are looking to purchase traditional life insurance and you use marijuana recreationally or medicinally, make certain you have an experienced independent agent as your advocate. Since independent agents represent most of the highest rated insurance carriers and are intimately familiar with their underwriting guidelines, your ability to purchase a traditional life insurance policy at affordable rates will be greatly enhanced.

free and confidential quote through our website