Insurers Reject Applicants With Minor Health Concerns

The L.A. Times reports that Americans with minor health concerns may be surprised to find that insurance companies consider them to be "uninsurable". I myself have been rejected by several insurers for individual coverage. One cited my history of allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever). Another noted that I had an appendectomy performed almost 10 years before the application date. I protested that since my appendix had been removed, I could now guarantee that I would not have any more problems with it, but it was to no avail. Similarly, the article notes that applicants for individual coverage have been rejected for having a history of asthma or depression or even jock itch.

This is not to say that the situation is completely hopeless. I was eventually able to find coverage, and many people interviewed for the article were also successful. But sometimes an insurer's decision can seem rather arbitrary. It pays to be persistent, and stay open to other coverage options. For example, one of the interviewees was able to find coverage in his state's high risk pool.