Speak with an experienced advisor! How to Obtain Affordable Life Insurance After a DUI
Risky behavior puts life insurance eligibility at risk
A person who drives a car after indulging in too much alcohol or getting high by using drugs demonstrates risky behavior that endangers not only him, but others as well. Being cited for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, even if it is a single incident, raises a question about a person’s lifestyle choices. A DUI citation creates negative repercussions when applying for life insurance even later in life.
Other related terms include Driving Under the Influence, DUI, Driving While Intoxicated, DWI, Motor Vehicle Report, and Alcohol Treatment. Learn more information on receiving a term life insurance quote from our life insurance specialists.
Does a DUI Reflect One Bad Decision or a Dangerous Lifestyle?
A DUI raises a red flag and questions of concern: Was the DUI the result of a singular bad decision by a person, a careless “binge,” or is it indicative of a lifestyle involving addiction to drugs or alcohol? For a substance abuser, or addict, who has developed an unhealthy relationship with drugs or alcohol, a DUI spotlights the problem. Whether a person chooses to address the problem and seek help or to deny it is a personal choice. It is a fact that substance abuse harms relationships, results in absenteeism from work, accidents at work and makes normal living difficult. In addition to legal troubles, substance abuse can lead to a deterioration of a person’s mental and physical health, damaging the heart, dangerously elevating blood pressure and causing liver disease, gallstones, pancreatitis and other cancers.
Individuals who are considered to be substance abusers, or who are suspect because of the DUI, pose an insurance risk. Research points to evidence that substance abuse has a high correlation to motor vehicle and industrial accidents, suicides and crimes. With a DUI on record, a person applying for insurance bears the burden of proving that the DUI was the result of a decision-making mistake as opposed to being a marker of ongoing serious drug or alcohol abuse. Illicit drug use is viewed less favorably than alcohol abuse when it comes to insurance.
Occasional marijuana use isn’t as significant a concern to the insurer as the question of where and how the person obtained the drug for addicts are perceived to move in dangerous circles and environments that increase the risk of accident. Substance abuse also raises questions about the underlying condition that caused the person to abuse in the first place.
The burden of providing documentation to support claims of substance abuse rehabilitation falls upon the individual. The following documentation may also be mandated or requested:
- Records of a stable work and family history
- Attendance at support program such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- Screenings for abusive chemical and alcohol consumption
- Hepatitis screening
- Driving record
- Lab studies
With a DUI on My Record, Can I Get Life Insurance?
A minimum wait of one to two years is mandatory before insurance offers can be made following DUI. If the incident was five or more years prior to application, favorable results can be anticipated. Evidence of substance abuse, in combination with a hazardous occupation or hobby may result in a very high insurance rating or denial, however, recovered alcoholics are considered insurable.
