Quora Answer: Can Your Term Insurance Policy be Rejected If One of Your Parents Died, from Cancer, at an Early Age?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Can your term insurance policy get rejected if one of your parents had died, at an early age, from cancer?”

If that is the sole consideration, that is highly unlikely, and I have never personally seen it happen.  The insurer defines early onset as being diagnosed before age 65 years.  They consider the parents, siblings, and children only.  It would be a concern to the underwriters if multiple members in this group have the same specific condition.  That would imply an inherent genetic condition, or an environmental concern, which may consider them to relook people in the same area.

If there is a family history of that specific cancer, the policy may be offered with modified terms of coverage.  These modified terms may decline to cover specific medical conditions, reduce coverage, or factor the increase the risk affecting the premium rates.  However, if it is solely a parent, in the case above, the policy would likely be offered at standard rates, assuming the life insured has not other risk for the underwriters to consider.