Do Insurance Companies Look At Psychiatric Records?

I’ve seen a grief counselor for about four years.

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Kelly Moser
Social Media Strategist, Disability Insurance Services, California
I can answer on behalf of disability insurance companies… Yes, disability insurance carriers to ask to look at your psychiatric and counseling records if they see that you’ve answered “yes” to seeing a counselor on your application. For anyone who says no, but something pops up on their script check, they will ask for the records at that time as well. It’s common for a psychiatric release form to be included with a HIPPA in the initial application. Please note that having seen a counselor or psychiatrist does not mean that you’ll have a mental health exclusion, but depending on your history and the records, it’s a possibility.
Answered on November 13, 2013
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John "Jake" Nugent II
Solution Provider, Madison Strategic Partners Group, Greater New York City Located, Serving Clients Nationwide
In respect to life insurance, underwriters are most concerned with conditions that impair or prevent a potential insured from completing daily tasks, interactions and living. In the event that your answers to the medical questionnaire on insurance application, attending physician statement & records or results from a insurance exam indicate that you are being treated through therapy or medication, the underwriters will first seek clarification through your agent. Depending on the severity of the condition, the course of treatment and time elapsed since last episode or event related to your condition, the underwriter may not have much concern and thus not require additional information.

Simply put mild conditions such as mild depression, anxiety or stress treated by counseling and low dose medicine may not require deep underwriting depending on the age of the insured and history of condition. More significant conditions, for example schizophrenia, treated with significant medication and therapy, will require additional records from treating physicians to ensure that the insured fits within their risk parameters.

In your case, grief counseling can sound ambiguous; if it were for the loss of a loved one, the absence of whom is not preventing your daily living, it should not require additional review. If the on the other hand, it is being used to cope with another traumatic event, additional questions or requests may be posed by the underwriters. A letter from your treating psychiatrist highlighting your improvements from treatment will help mitigate the need for additional information.

In order to ensure that you get the best underwriting class, I suggest that you work with an independent agent that works with multiple carriers as different carriers each have their own points of view on various healthy issues. Additionally, question your insurance agent! Ask them what experience, if any, have they had with placing business on clients such as yourself. At the end of the day, the most experienced agents will get the best underwriting results for their clients with the least disruption and scrutiny of one's private issues.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss your facts in order to give you more accurate information.
Answered on November 13, 2013
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Peggy Mace
Most of the U.S.
Whether or not an insurance company will look at your psychiatric records after seeing a grief counselor for four years will partly depend on the type of policy you get, and the face amount. If you are applying for a small nonmed, final expense policy, it is doubtful that your psychiatric records will be reviewed. The exception might be if you had a hospitalization for depression, suicide attempt, or went on Disability for depression within recent years. Even then, there are some policies that will cover you without review of your medical records. Others will be more investigative.

If you are applying for a medically underwritten policy of a face amount over $250,000, and if you are also on medication for depression, I anticipate that many companies would order your psychiatric records. Some won't. If they do, they are bound by HIPAA laws to keep them confidential, and simple grief counseling that has not caused hospitalization, suicide attempt, or disability will usually not interfere with your ability to get life insurance.

Using an experienced impaired risk life insurance agent who is able to choose the best policy from among many companies will be your best option, especially if you desire that your records not be reviewed.
Answered on November 14, 2013
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