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This is the time I can say I'm glad CC allows us to post anonymously, because otherwise I couldn't tell this story.
Eight to ten years ago, I was working for a friend, very, very part-time, who sells financial products, including life and health insurance. I knew this friend from church, so it occurred from time to time that his clients would be other people we knew from church. I remember one middle-aged woman in particular, who I'd heard had a history of pretty serious depression. She applied for life insurance, and since I was the one to complete some parts of the application, I noticed under the section that related to depression, she denied ever having it. She got her life insurance, no problem, no higher rates, etc.
Fast forward a couple of years later (this woman was no longer a member at our church and I was no longer working for my friend), while I'm completing a clinical position in a hospital, this woman was admitted for adverse reactions to chemo from breast cancer. When I was reviewing her chart, I saw that she did admit to her depression history, and it included time prior to the date she applied for the life insurance. I was so incredibly p*ssed!... because -
a couple of years before I worked for my friend, I had applied for life insurance through State Farm, and was denied based on my honesty of some mental health issues I'd had earlier in my life. When I answered these questions a certain way, they made me sign a release of information form for a doctor I'd seen, who had charted just enough to affirm my past. It didn't help when our agent said, "I've never known our company to deny someone based on your history." Soon after that (before I was working for him), I approached my friend, who was able to insure me (term only, not whole life), at an increased rate. At least I got the insurance, but when I think back to the woman who lied, and had no problem getting the whole life policy at standard rate, it infuriates me. I was honest, and got screwed for it.
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