NT-proBNP and Life Insurance- How to get the best rate
Posted in Underwriting last updated on January 10, 2022
If you’re reading this, you may have recently applied for life insurance and the rate increased or you were even declined due to your NT-proBNP or BNP levels. This issue does come up from time to time with clients and the good news there are options available. I’ll discuss them below and go over some of the underwriting guidelines from a top life insurance company for NT-proBNP, BNP levels as well as go over the next plan of action.
Table of contents
What is NT-proBNP and why do life insurance companies look at it?
Since it is technical, I think the easiest way to describe it would be from an excerpt from the clevelandclinic.org website: “B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone produced by your heart. N-terminal (NT)-pro hormone BNP (NT-proBNP) is a non-active prohormone that is released from the same molecule that produces BNP. Both BNP and NT-proBNP are released in response to changes in pressure inside the heart. These changes can be related to heart failure and other cardiac problems. Levels goes up when heart failure develops or gets worse, and levels goes down when heart failure is stable. In most cases, BNP and NT-proBNP levels are higher in patients with heart failure than people who have normal heart function.”
In layman’s terms, NT-proBNP is a biomarker produced primarily by the heart and released in response to increased wall tension. Several published studies have concluded that its a predictive indicator of overall mortality in patients with coronary disease. However, an elevated NT-proBNP, BNP doesn’t always mean there is heart failure. Medically, if you do have elevated NT-proBNP it is advisable to see a cardiologist for further testing.
NT-proBNP- life insurance underwriting
Each life insurance company will underwrite NT-proBNP/BNP differently. Below are some sample guidelines.
Sample underwriting guidelines for NT-proBNP
Female
Under Age 60
Less than 300 pg/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 500 pg/ml= Table rated
Age 60-69
Less than 400 pg/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 600 pg/ml= Table rated
Age 70 and over
Less than 500 p/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 700 pg/ml= Table rated
Male
Under Age 60
Less than 200 pg/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 400 pg/ml= Table rated
Age 60-69
Less than 300 pg/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 500 pg/ml= Table rated
Age 70 and over
Less than 400 pg/ml= Eligible for best rate class
Less than 600 pg/ml= Table rated
These are the sample guidelines from a major life insurance company for NT-proBNP. Additional factors such a history of cardiac issues, atrial fibrillation (Afib), diabetes, family history of heart disease and your ejection fraction percentage can also play a role in underwriting.
NT-proBNP life insurance- wrap up
NT-proBNP is an underwriting factor that can come up and affect your rate with many life insurance insures, if elevated. The good news there may be other life insurance companies that can offer coverage and at an affordable rate.
Commonly Asked Questions
There are two ways to receive a better rate with elevated NT-proBNP. First, is to check with the other top companies to see what rate they will offer with the current readings. Each company has their own underwriting guidelines and pricing so you may be able to receive a much better rate just by switching companies. The second option is to see a cardiologist for a stress test or a resting echocardiogram. This will help the underwriter assess the elevated NT-proBNP/BNP and underwrite accordingly or rule out heart disease.
Every life insurance company has different pricing for their table rates and underwriting guidelines, some much better than others. This is why it’s important to shop around if you have elevated NT-proBNP.
Each company has their own guidelines when it comes to testing and underwriting NT-proBNP. This is why it’s recommended to use a broker who can shop multiple companies.
