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Why a Down Market Is the Best Time to Talk About Long-Term Care

September 23, 2026September 8, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

It sounds backwards: when markets are down is exactly when long-term care planning matters most, not least. Here’s why, and how to bring it up with clients before a market downturn forces the conversation.

Key takeaways

A written LTC plan protects both against the cost of care and against the portfolio being drawn down to pay for it.
The need for LTC planning doesn’t move with the market, even though client attention to it usually does.
Reallocating a small portion of an existing portfolio can put a plan in place before a downturn forces the issue.

A long-term care event forces clients to liquidate assets at a loss at exactly the moment markets are already down — a hybrid LTC plan protects against both risks at once.

The counterintuitive case

A well thought-out, written plan for long-term care does two things at once: it protects clients against the cost of a future LTC event, and it protects the savings and investments they already have. When markets are down, that second benefit matters more than usual. This protection extends to financial planners and RIAs too, since it helps them keep assets under management rather than watching them systematically depleted by checks written to cover an LTC event.

What doesn’t change when the market does

Economic conditions will always shift, for better or worse — but the need to be prepared for a long-term care event doesn’t move with the market. When savings, emergency funds, and investment portfolios are already down, that’s precisely the wrong moment to be forced into liquidating assets at a loss to pay for unexpected long-term care.

Why a hybrid LTC plan fits this moment

By reallocating a small amount of an existing portfolio, clients can put a plan in place before a long-term care event forces the issue. A hybrid long-term care plan offers accessibility, flexibility, and dependability, and a plan built with lifetime protection adds something markets can’t offer on their own right now: certainty.

If you have clients whose portfolios have taken a hit and who could use a way to protect what’s left of their savings from a future LTC event, that’s a conversation we can help you start. Reach out and we’ll walk through how to position it.

Frequently asked questions

Why is a down market actually a good time to buy long-term care coverage?

Because an LTC event that happens while a portfolio is already down forces clients to liquidate assets at a loss to cover the cost. Putting LTC protection in place ahead of time protects the remaining portfolio from that scenario, regardless of when the LTC event occurs.

What makes a hybrid LTC plan different from traditional LTC insurance?

A hybrid plan typically combines long-term care benefits with life insurance or annuity components, offering accessibility and flexibility if care is never needed, along with the dependability of lifetime protection if it is.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency) connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners — with the impaired-risk and complex-case expertise to place business other IMOs and BGAs turn away.

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Why Small Business Owners Are an Underserved Disability Insurance Market

September 23, 2026August 23, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Professional working confidently at her desk, representing disability income protection

Small business owners make up roughly 44% of U.S. economic production, yet a LIMRA study found only 18% of them carry individual disability insurance — and half of those are using it only to protect partners or stockholders, not themselves. That leaves the vast majority of business owners with no personal income protection at all. Here’s how to open that conversation.

Key takeaways

Business owners are approachable, statistically motivated to return to work, and largely unprotected — a strong DI fit.
Most advisors simply aren’t having this conversation with business-owner clients, leaving the market wide open.
The sale is about helping owners see their own vulnerability, not about pitching product features.

Small business owners make up roughly 44% of U.S. economic production, yet only 18% carry individual disability insurance — and half of those are only protecting partners, not themselves.

Why this market is worth your time

Business owners make a particularly good fit for individual disability income insurance. They’re approachable, typically unprotected by workers’ compensation, and viewed favorably by DI carriers because owners are statistically more likely to return to work to keep their business running. There’s also a high probability that no one else is having this conversation with your business-owner clients — most advisors simply aren’t raising it.

The key to the conversation

The sale isn’t about product features — it’s about helping owners see their own vulnerability. Some business owners won’t want to engage with that, and it’s not worth spending a lot of time on the ones who don’t. But many will, once they understand what’s actually at risk, and as their advisor, you owe it to them to at least bring the need to the table.

Facts worth sharing with clients

Most people underestimate their real risk of disability. A few facts help make the case concrete: injuries, despite being the most commonly assumed cause, account for less than 10% of disability claims. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system — arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, and lupus among them — are consistently the leading cause of new disability claims. Cancer is the second leading cause.

Bringing this to your clients

If you have business-owner clients relying solely on a group LTD plan, or with no personal disability coverage at all, that’s a conversation worth starting today. We have marketing support and case-design help available if you want to bring this market into your practice.

Frequently asked questions

Why do so few business owners carry individual disability insurance?

Most advisors simply aren’t raising the topic with them. A LIMRA study found only 18% of business owners carry individual disability coverage, and half of those are using it to protect business partners rather than their own income.

What actually causes most long-term disability claims?

Contrary to common assumption, injuries cause less than 10% of disability claims. Musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, and lupus are the leading cause of new claims, with cancer close behind as the second leading cause.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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The FERS Disability Gap: What Federal Employees Don’t Know They’re Missing

September 23, 2026August 3, 2022 by Tim Fuller

“I had no idea. I could barely make my mortgage payment with that.” That was a federal employee’s reaction after seeing what her own disability benefit would actually pay her — a number she’d never bothered to check because she assumed her federal benefits had her covered.

Key takeaways

Federal employees consistently overestimate what their FERS Disability Plan would actually pay them.
More than 2.85 million federal employees are covered under FERS, and over 84% carry no supplemental coverage.
A FERS benefit can be reduced by up to 60% further if the employee also qualifies for Social Security.

A federal employee earning $7,850 a month would net just $2,355 after tax under her FERS Disability Plan — barely enough to cover her mortgage.

The situation

Ask a federal employee whether their income is protected if they get sick or hurt, and the answer is almost always the same: “I have disability income protection through my work. I’m a federal employee, and we have great benefits.” Most conversations end right there. But most federal employees don’t actually know what their long-term disability plan would pay them if they got sick or hurt — and the federal government’s FERS Disability Plan, while real and provided at no cost, pays far less than most employees assume.

Running the numbers

We sat down with one federal employee and ran the actual math. Her current taxable monthly income was $7,850. If she became unable to work for more than a year, her FERS Disability Plan would pay her $3,140 in taxable income until age 62. After a modest combined tax rate of 25%, her net monthly income would drop to $2,355 — a fraction of what she was earning, and barely enough to cover her mortgage. And if she qualified for Social Security, her FERS benefit could be reduced by up to an additional 60% of whatever Social Security paid her.

Why this gap is so widespread

There are currently more than 2.85 million civilian federal employees covered under the FERS Disability Plan, and more than 84% of them carry no supplemental coverage at all — largely because, like this employee, they assume their federal benefits are already enough.

The solution

We work with carriers that specialize in supplemental disability coverage designed specifically for federal employees, built to close exactly this kind of gap between what FERS pays and what a federal employee’s actual income requires.

If you have clients who are federal employees and have never run this math for themselves, that’s a conversation worth having before an illness or injury forces it. We can help you show them the real numbers and design supplemental coverage that fits.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the FERS Disability Plan actually pay?

It varies by salary, but as a benchmark, one federal employee earning $7,850 a month in taxable income would receive $3,140 in taxable monthly income under FERS if disabled for more than a year — roughly $2,355 net after taxes, and potentially less if Social Security benefits reduce the FERS payment further.

Why don’t more federal employees carry supplemental disability coverage?

Most assume their federal benefits are sufficient without ever checking the actual numbers. More than 84% of the 2.85 million-plus federal employees covered under FERS carry no supplemental disability coverage at all.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Case Placement: Standard Rating for a 72-Year-Old With Coronary Artery Disease

September 23, 2026July 15, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Underwriter reviewing medical and financial data with a client during risk assessment

Two-vessel coronary artery disease and an abnormal EKG finding would send most $3 million applications straight to a heavy table rating, if not a decline. This one came back Standard. Here’s how.

Key takeaways

Cardiac impaired-risk cases vary enormously by condition, severity, compliance, and follow-up history.
Strong compliance with cardiac follow-up and testing can outweigh the diagnosis codes alone.
Matching the case to a carrier willing to evaluate the full picture produced the best possible outcome.

Two-vessel coronary artery disease and an abnormal EKG finding came back Standard — not a decline — once a carrier weighed the full clinical picture and cardiac follow-up compliance.

The situation

The client was a 72-year-old male, a lifelong non-smoker, applying for $3 million of permanent life coverage. His medical history included two-vessel coronary artery disease and an abnormal EKG finding of Right Bundle Branch Block (a form of heart block). On the positive side, he showed good compliance with recommended cardiac follow-up and testing.

Why this case was hard to place

Cardiac impaired-risk cases are some of the most challenging to underwrite, precisely because there’s no single “heart condition” — coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and conduction abnormalities like this client’s Right Bundle Branch Block each carry their own underwriting criteria, and carriers weigh them very differently depending on severity, compliance, and follow-up history.

The solution

We know what underwriters are actually looking for in cardiac cases like this one, and which carriers are positioned to give credit for strong follow-up compliance rather than underwriting purely off the diagnosis codes. We matched this case to a carrier willing to weigh the full clinical picture, not just the surface-level findings.

The result

The carrier came back with a Standard rating — the best possible outcome for a case with this profile, and a result that would have been unlikely with a less experienced underwriting approach or the wrong carrier.

If you have a client with a cardiac history that’s making it hard to get a fair offer, that’s exactly the kind of case our underwriting team is built to place. Send it our way — we’ll get to the heart of the matter and find the carrier that gives your client the offer they deserve.

Frequently asked questions

Why do cardiac cases vary so much in how they’re underwritten?

Because “heart condition” covers a wide range of diagnoses — coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, conduction abnormalities, and more — each with different risk profiles. Carriers also vary widely in how much credit they give for strong follow-up compliance and stable test results.

Can a client with coronary artery disease still get a Standard rating?

Yes, in the right circumstances. This case involved two-vessel coronary artery disease and an abnormal EKG finding, but strong compliance with cardiac follow-up and testing, combined with placing the case with the right carrier, resulted in a Standard offer on $3 million of coverage.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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DI Retirement Security: Protecting Clients’ Ability to Keep Saving for Retirement

September 23, 2026June 29, 2022 by Tim Fuller

It can take a lifetime to save enough for retirement — and just a few minutes of a disabling illness or injury to bring that saving to a halt. Here’s a coverage most advisors overlook that’s built specifically to keep retirement contributions going when income stops.

Key takeaways

A disability doesn’t just interrupt a paycheck — it typically stops 401(k) and IRA contributions entirely.
DIRS layers on top of an existing DI plan rather than duplicating income replacement already in place.
Clients who think they’re “fully protected” on DI often have this specific blind spot.

DI Retirement Security pays up to 15% of a client’s income toward retirement savings during a disability — even after they’ve maxed out their existing individual DI plan.

The gap this coverage fills

Most disability income planning focuses on replacing a client’s paycheck, which matters, but it leaves a second problem unsolved: even a well-designed DI plan doesn’t keep retirement contributions flowing. If a client becomes too sick or hurt to work, their salary may eventually be partially replaced, but their 401(k) or IRA contributions typically stop entirely, right when they can least afford a gap in retirement savings.

What DI Retirement Security actually does

DI Retirement Security is a program built specifically to address that gap. It helps clients keep saving for retirement even through a long-term or total disability, paying up to 15% of a client’s income toward retirement savings, even if that client has already reached the maximum benefit available under their existing individual DI plan.

Why this matters for clients already maxed out on DI

Clients who’ve maximized their individual disability coverage often assume they’re fully protected. DI Retirement Security addresses a blind spot even for those clients: it can layer on top of an existing DI plan specifically to protect retirement savings, rather than duplicating income replacement they’ve already secured.

If you have clients who are maxed out on individual DI, or who’ve never had their retirement savings specifically protected against a disability, that’s a conversation worth having. Contact us for current illustrations, case design, and product questions for your client’s specific age, occupation class, and benefit amount.

Frequently asked questions

What is DI Retirement Security?

It’s a disability income program designed specifically to replace lost retirement savings contributions, rather than lost salary, paying up to 15% of a client’s income toward retirement even if they’ve reached the maximum benefit on their existing individual DI coverage.

Can a client get this even if they’re already maxed out on individual disability coverage?

Yes. DI Retirement Security is designed to layer on top of existing DI coverage specifically to protect retirement contributions, which is a separate need from income replacement and isn’t limited by a client’s existing DI benefit maximum.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Why Inflation Is a Good Reason to Revisit a Client’s Life Insurance Coverage

September 23, 2026June 28, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Advisor with a new sales idea at his desk, notebook sketch of a lightbulb and dollar signs, growth chart and coins nearby

“When I was young, the tooth fairy left enough money that I could buy a new doll. Today the doll would cost me ten teeth. You need more coverage.” That’s how one advisor explained inflation’s effect on life insurance to her client — and it’s a conversation worth having with a lot more clients than currently hear it.

Key takeaways

Estate tax, buyout, and income-replacement needs all grow with inflation even when the policy amount doesn’t.
An “inflation check-up” conversation is a low-pressure way to reopen a coverage review outside a formal review cycle.
The conversation often surfaces gaps that have nothing to do with inflation directly, like unaddressed estate or business needs.

A death benefit sized correctly years ago may no longer be sized correctly today — inflation erodes a static coverage amount just like it erodes purchasing power.

Why inflation changes the death benefit math

Inflation erodes the effectiveness of a static death benefit over time. A policy sized to cover an estate tax liability, a business buyout, or an income-replacement need years ago may no longer be sized correctly today, simply because the dollars it needs to replace have grown while the coverage amount stayed the same. When inflation runs hotter, the case for a larger future death benefit gets stronger, and the risk of a policy quietly becoming underfunded gets bigger too.

Why this is worth raising even outside of a formal review

Regular policy reviews don’t happen as often as they should. An “inflation check-up” conversation — prompted by nothing more than a client noticing prices have gone up — is often the moment that surfaces coverage gaps that have nothing to do with inflation directly. It can reveal estate or business planning needs that have grown since the policy was written, or that were never fully addressed in the first place.

How to use this with clients

Inflation gives you a natural, low-pressure reason to reopen the coverage conversation with clients who might otherwise assume their existing policy is still doing its job. It doesn’t require alarming language about markets or the economy — just the simple, relatable observation that everything costs more than it used to, including whatever the death benefit is meant to replace.

If you have clients whose coverage hasn’t been reviewed in a few years, or whose estate or business planning needs may have outgrown their existing policy, that’s a conversation we can help you have. Reach out to talk through any tax, business, or estate planning questions on your casework.

Frequently asked questions

How does inflation actually affect an existing life insurance policy?

A life insurance death benefit is typically a fixed dollar amount. As inflation raises the cost of whatever that benefit is meant to cover — estate taxes, a business buyout, income replacement — a policy that was adequately sized years ago can become underfunded relative to the client’s current needs, even though nothing about the policy itself has changed.

How often should life insurance coverage be reviewed?

Regular reviews are often skipped, which is part of why gaps develop. An inflation-driven conversation is a natural, low-pressure way to prompt a review and check whether a client’s coverage, and their broader estate or business planning, still matches their current needs.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Case Placement: Standard Rating on a $500K Term Policy With Parkinson’s Disease

September 23, 2026June 24, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Active older man hiking a mountain trail, representing impaired risk life insurance clients living fully

A Parkinson’s diagnosis usually means an automatic table rating, if a carrier will offer at all. This case came back Standard. Here’s the underwriting credit stack that made the difference.

Key takeaways

Parkinson’s affects about one million people in the U.S.; a well-controlled case looks very different to the right carrier than the diagnosis code alone.
This client’s low-dose medication with no symptom progression was the key clinical detail that mattered.
A single diagnosis doesn’t have to define the final offer when the rest of the risk profile is favorable.

A Parkinson’s diagnosis at Table 2 moved all the way to Standard once underwriting credits — controlled blood pressure, good cholesterol ratio, no tobacco use — were stacked on top of a well-controlled case.

The situation

Parkinson’s disease affects about one million people in the United States and ten million worldwide. Its cause remains largely unknown, and while there’s no cure, treatment options — including medications and surgery — can manage symptoms effectively for many patients. That clinical reality matters for underwriting, because a well-controlled case looks very different to the right carrier than a diagnosis code alone would suggest.

Our client was a 65-year-old female, a non-tobacco user, applying for $500,000 of term coverage. She had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years earlier and was managing it on a low dose of Sinemet daily, with no progression of symptoms. The initial underwriting assessment came back at Table 2.

Why this case improved

One of our A+ carriers takes a responsibly aggressive approach to underwriting Parkinson’s disease, willing to offer favorably on well-controlled cases that show other favorable risk factors. This client had several: controlled blood pressure, a good cholesterol ratio, routine physicals and preventative screenings, good family history, and no tobacco use in the past 10 years.

The result

After applying those credits, the underwriting offer moved all the way from a Table 2 to Standard — the best possible outcome for this client’s profile, and proof that a Parkinson’s diagnosis alone doesn’t have to define the offer when the rest of the clinical picture is strong.

Contact our underwriting team today to see how we can help you place your next impaired-risk case.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone with Parkinson’s disease still qualify for Standard life insurance rates?

In some cases, yes. A well-controlled diagnosis with no symptom progression, combined with other favorable risk factors like controlled blood pressure, good cholesterol, and no tobacco use, can move an offer from an initial table rating to Standard with the right carrier.

Why does the carrier matter so much for a Parkinson’s case?

Carriers vary widely in how aggressively they underwrite Parkinson’s disease. Some default to a table rating based on the diagnosis alone, while others, like the carrier in this case, take a more responsibly aggressive approach and give credit for a well-controlled clinical picture.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Protecting Clients’ Summer Adventures With Short-Term Income Protection

September 23, 2026June 22, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Mountain climbing, rafting, boating — the same hobbies that make summer great are also the ones most likely to land a client in the hospital with a “boo-boo” that keeps them out of work. Here’s an affordable way to make sure a summer accident doesn’t turn into a summer of missed mortgage payments.

Key takeaways

Short-term income protection is built for weeks-to-months absences, not just long-term disabilities.
Plans range from roughly 6 months up to 2 years of benefit, sized to the client’s income.
This coverage can’t be bought after an accident already happened — timing the conversation before summer matters.

A self-employed carpenter earning $60,000 a year can qualify for a meaningful tax-free monthly benefit for a modest premium — coverage that has to be in place before the accident happens.

The risk clients don’t think about

Clients heading into summer are focused on enjoying the season, not on the injury risk that comes with their favorite outdoor hobbies. Accidents happen, though, and short-term income protection is built exactly for this kind of situation — an unexpected injury that keeps someone out of work for weeks or months, not necessarily years.

How the coverage works

If a client gets hurt, this kind of coverage provides tax-free income every month while they recover, with plan options ranging from shorter-term benefits lasting around 6 months up to plans covering up to 2 years. Monthly benefit amounts are based on the client’s income, up to a maximum benefit, and are typically enough to keep the mortgage paid, the lights on, and the family fed while the client recovers.

As an illustrative example, a self-employed 35-year-old carpenter earning $60,000 a year might qualify for a meaningful tax-free monthly benefit for a modest monthly premium — inexpensive enough that cost is rarely the reason a client goes without it.

Why the timing matters

If a client gets sick or injured and ends up in the hospital without an income protection plan already in place, it’s too late to buy the coverage after the fact. The best time to have this conversation is before summer activity picks up, not after an accident happens.

Contact us today to find out exactly how affordable income protection can be, and how to fit it to any client’s specific needs and budget.

Frequently asked questions

What does short-term income protection actually cover?

It replaces a portion of a client’s income, tax-free, if they’re injured or become ill and can’t work. Plans range from shorter benefit periods of around 6 months up to 2 years, with monthly benefits based on the client’s income.

Is this coverage affordable for clients on a tight budget?

Often, yes. Premiums are typically modest relative to the monthly benefit provided, making it accessible for a wide range of income levels, including self-employed clients who don’t have any employer-provided disability coverage to fall back on.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Underwriting Seizures and Epilepsy: Two Case Studies From Preferred to Substandard

September 23, 2026June 10, 2022 by Tim Fuller

Epilepsy and seizure history can range from a childhood diagnosis that resolved decades ago to an ongoing condition managed with daily medication — and the underwriting outcome depends heavily on which story a case actually tells. Here are two real cases that landed on opposite ends of the offer spectrum.

Key takeaways

Underwriting outcomes for epilepsy depend on seizure history, control, and time since the last episode — not the label itself.
Decades of seizure-free history since medication stopped can produce a strong offer.
The same diagnosis can land anywhere on the underwriting spectrum depending on how the case is actually documented.

A childhood epilepsy diagnosis resolved by age 20 came back Preferred; an ongoing case with five seizures a year on two medications landed at the opposite end of the spectrum.

What underwriters are actually evaluating

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by recurring seizures, typically diagnosed after two or more seizures. Seizures result from disturbances in the brain’s electrical activity, with causes ranging from genetics to traumatic brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors — and when no specific cause can be identified, the epilepsy is termed idiopathic. Seizures themselves fall into two major groups, focal and generalized, distinguished by how and where they begin in the brain. What matters most for underwriting isn’t the label, though — it’s the seizure history, control, and time since the last episode.

Case one: childhood epilepsy, resolved by age 20

A 52-year-old male had a history of childhood idiopathic epilepsy with mild absence-type seizures that started at age eight. The condition was controlled with medication, which was stopped at age 20, and there had been no seizures since. This case came back with a Preferred offer — a strong outcome reflecting decades of seizure-free history since medication was discontinued.

Case two: ongoing seizures managed with medication

A 42-year-old male began having complex seizures at age 26. His MRI was negative, and for the past five years he had been maintained on two medications, averaging five seizures per year. He does not drink alcohol. This case came back with a Low Substandard offer, reflecting the ongoing, active nature of his seizure history compared to the first case’s decades of remission.

The takeaway

These two cases show how wide the range of outcomes can be for seizure and epilepsy histories — from Preferred to Substandard — depending on how long ago seizures occurred, how well they’re controlled, and how the full clinical picture is presented to the right carrier.

Call our life underwriting team to discuss the specific details of your client’s seizure or epilepsy history. Let’s work together to get the offer you need.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone with a history of epilepsy get a Preferred life insurance rate?

Yes, particularly when the seizures were tied to a childhood diagnosis that resolved years or decades earlier with no recurrence after medication was stopped, as in one of the cases above.

How does an active seizure history affect the underwriting offer?

Ongoing seizures, even when well-managed with medication, typically result in a substandard rating rather than Preferred or Standard, with the specific offer depending on seizure frequency, medication stability, and other clinical factors.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Case Placement: Standard Rates on $3 Million After Prostate Cancer

September 23, 2026June 3, 2022 by Tim Fuller

A cancer diagnosis on an application doesn’t automatically mean a decline or a heavy rating. Here’s how one client qualified for Standard rates on $3 million of coverage six years after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Key takeaways

A cancer diagnosis on an application doesn’t automatically mean a decline or a heavy table rating.
Time since treatment, Gleason score, and a clean follow-up PSA all factor into the underwriting outcome.
About one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but most cases are slow-growing and highly treatable.

Six years after a prostate cancer diagnosis, an immeasurable PSA and a favorable Gleason score supported Standard rates on $3 million of coverage.

Understanding the risk profile

Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland grow out of control. Some cases grow and spread quickly, but most grow slowly, and there are often no early symptoms. Other than skin cancer, it’s the most common cancer in American men — about one in nine men will be diagnosed with it during his lifetime, but only one in 41 will die of the disease, and the average age at diagnosis is around 66. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation, or in some cases, watchful waiting.

The case

Our client, Fred, was 56 years old and seeking $3 million of permanent coverage. Almost six years earlier, his internist had flagged a moderately elevated PSA, and a biopsy confirmed prostate cancer. After weighing his treatment options, Fred chose surgery. The cancer was present in two areas within one side of the prostate, and his Gleason score was 6.

Why this case qualified for Standard

At a follow-up exam two months before applying, Fred had no major symptoms, and his PSA was so low it was immeasurable. Having been treated years earlier for an early-stage, moderately aggressive cancer, with no signs of recurrence since, Fred’s clinical picture supported a Standard offer rather than a table rating.

The takeaway

Time since treatment, a favorable Gleason score, and a clean follow-up PSA can add up to a much better offer than clients — and sometimes advisors — expect for a prostate cancer history. Call our life underwriting team to discuss the specific details of your client’s cancer history and coverage needs.

Frequently asked questions

Can a client with a history of prostate cancer qualify for Standard life insurance rates?

Yes, in the right circumstances. Factors like time since treatment, the original Gleason score, and a clean follow-up PSA with no signs of recurrence can support a Standard offer even years after a cancer diagnosis.

What is a Gleason score, and why does it matter for underwriting?

The Gleason score measures how aggressive prostate cancer cells appear under a microscope, on a scale that informs both treatment decisions and underwriting risk assessment. A lower score, like the 6 in this case, generally reflects a less aggressive cancer.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-23

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

The counterintuitive case

What doesn’t change when the market does

Why a hybrid LTC plan fits this moment

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Why this market is worth your time

The key to the conversation

Facts worth sharing with clients

Bringing this to your clients

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

The situation

Running the numbers

Why this gap is so widespread

The solution

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

The situation

Why this case was hard to place

The solution

The result

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

The gap this coverage fills

What DI Retirement Security actually does

Why this matters for clients already maxed out on DI

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Why inflation changes the death benefit math

Why this is worth raising even outside of a formal review

How to use this with clients

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

The situation

Why this case improved

The result

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

The risk clients don’t think about

How the coverage works

Why the timing matters

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

What underwriters are actually evaluating

Case one: childhood epilepsy, resolved by age 20

Case two: ongoing seizures managed with medication

The takeaway

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Understanding the risk profile

The case

Why this case qualified for Standard

The takeaway

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Tim Fuller