1
Some companies are still very conservative. They will automatically decline an application if you use cannabis— regardless of your reason, situation OR prescription. Because a decline for life insurance will follow you, it is essential that you speak with an independent broker —openly and honestly, before you apply. We'll make sure you don't apply to THE WRONG COMPANY for your unique circumstances.​​
2
Under NO circumstances should you ever lie about using marijuana (or about anything else, for that matter) when applying for life insurance. You are almost certain to be declined —BY EVERY INSURER— if you lie. Even 'marijuana friendly' life insurance companies will decline your application, if they 'catch you in a lie' —and THEY WILL catch you!— so always be completely upfront about your marijuana use.
​3
Don’t get rated as a “smoker”, if you don’t smoke it!!! Rates for smokers are significantly higher, so the means of ingestion definitely matters. That said, regardless of how you consume your marijuana, we urge you —if and when at all possible— to "PEE CLEAN". This advice may sound somewhat contrary to our strong "NEVER LIE" warnings (above), but it isn't. Full disclosure is imperative, but that does not mean your sample has to... 'glow green', so to speak. Testing negative for THC at the time of application can go a long way to improving your insurability. It is ALWAYS BEST to strive for the cleanest possible screening, no matter what your circumstances.
4
​If you have been prescribed marijuana (i.e. you have a Medical Marijuana Card), your prescription will need to be verified. It is essential to keep in mind that the actual condition the marijuana has been prescribed to treat FAR OUTWEIGHS the impact of your usage —when it comes to life insurance— as a factor in determining the cost of your policy and the likelihood of your approval. Unfortunately certain serious medical conditions can be virtually uninsurable.
5
Let's face it, whether it is FAIR OR NOT, there is still a stigma attached. As a marijuana user, it is quite likely that your lifestyle will get a 'closer look' (additional scrutiny) during the application process, so it is EXTRA important to keep any/all other risk factors (alcohol consumption, obesity, high-risk travel or hobbies, extreme sports, and —of course— tobacco use) in check.
​

There was a recent story about a nurse in Boston who paid an unexpected price for her good intentions. She acquired a naloxone rescue kit at a pharmacy and was declined when she tried to buy life insurance. Naloxone was on her list of prescribed medications because of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.  Life insurance companies check these programs as part of the underwriting process.  Reportedly, the nurse —even though she does not take the drug herself and only carries it as a means to save lives— was declined by two different life insurance companies.  ​

Make sure you inform your agent or broker that you carry a Naloxone rescue kit, BEFORE you submit an application for life insurance.  Put it in writing and explain why you the carry a Naloxone rescue kit and state that it is NOT for your personal use.  A written explanation ahead of time will give the underwriter a chance to say “yes” or “no”, without having to do a formal application.  Being pre-emptive is not a guarantee you will be approved for life insurance, but you will avoid getting formally declined (having that decline reported to the Medical Information Bureau).

If you are formally declined by ‘Life Insurance Company A’, they will report that decline --and the reason for that decline— to the MIB (a coded database that all insurance companies use to report their underwriting results).  If you then try to apply to ‘Insurance Company B’, ‘Company B’ will see the decline on the MIB and they will most likely also decline you (especially if you neglected to mention that you were declined by ‘Company A’).

*** whether you are a medical professional, a first responder, a good samaritan, a friend or family member of an opioid addiction sufferer ***

Opioid Crisis: Status of Public Health Emergency Authorities 
https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/694842.pdf
  
Surgeon General’s Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose
https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities/opioid-overdose-prevention/naloxone-advisory.html
 
Narcan Is Now Available Over the Counter in 46 States
https://vitals.lifehacker.com/narcan-is-now-available-over-the-counter-in-45-states-1819896107
 
Nurse Denied Life Insurance Because She Carries Naloxone
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/13/674586548/nurse-denied-life-insurance-because-she-carries-naloxone
 
Opioid Overdose Reversal with Naloxone (Narcan, Evzio)
​https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/opioid-overdose-reversal-naloxone-narcan-evzio

Available without a written prescription in most states, naloxone, also known as NARCAN®, is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses.
https://www.cvs.com/content/prescription-drug-abuse/save-a-life

• Competitive level 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 year term life insurance policies from $100,000 to $8,000,000 for people ages 20-60 years old.
• Ladder offers significantly more life insurance coverage than you can buy without a medical exam compared to other companies.  Haven Life, by comparison, only offers up to $1 million in coverage without an exam.  Some applicants will receive an immediate decision.  Some applicants may need to take a medical exam before receiving an approval.
• Ability to increase or decrease coverage online as your financial needs change .  Ladder up means the policy holder can increase their policy’s face value or extend the length of the term.   The added coverage is priced separately, so the policy holder will receive a different cost for the higher amount of coverage and/or longer term.  Ladder down means the policy holder can reduce their policy’s face value if they need less life insurance.  Premiums will decrease proportionately to the reduction in the policy’s face value.

Ladder To Unveil Latest Innovations At InsureTech Connect
CEO Jamie Hale Speaking at the World's Largest Gathering of Insurance Leaders and Innovators

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ladder-to-unveil-latest-innovations-at-insuretech-connect-300709454.html

Ladder And SoFi Partner To Power A New Approach To Life Insurance
The Financial Industry's New Guard Joining Forces To Drive True Innovation

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ladder-and-sofi-partner-to-power-a-new-approach-to-life-insurance-300681915.html

Ladder is Partnering to Power a New Approach to Life Insurance
Ladder and SoFi are teaming up to fundamentally change how people access and manage life insurance over time

https://medium.com/ladderlife/ladder-is-partnering-to-power-a-new-approach-to-life-insurance-85195cca6a59

DARE TO COMPARE? LET'S TAKE A LOOK!

The amount of life insurance you are looking to buy. For example, a 50,000, 100,000, or 250,000 life insurance policy.

The most important decision you will make is when does the policy expire.
​

• Do you have  a short term need or goal?  If so, term life insurance is the way to go.  You can lock your rates so your policy does not expire for  10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years depending upon how old you are when you purchase it.
  
  
• Do you have a long term or permanent need or goal?  If so, a lifetime policy like guaranteed universal life or whole life  is the way to go.  These policies have an expiration date at age 95, 100, or 121.   Your short and long term goals will help you determine which is the best for you.

*** BE CAREFUL selecting your expiration date.  You do not want to have your policy expire in your late 70’s, 80’s or 90’s and still have a want or need for life insurance.  It is VERY EXPENSIVE to buy at that age even if you are healthy enough to qualify.***

Which HEALTH CLASS the life insurance company approves you at has significant impact on exact cost. Every life insurance company has about 12 health classes.
​

• Health class 1 is the best health class and least expensive, BUT you have to be extremely healthy to get it.
  
  
• Health class 12 is the worst health class and the most expensive because of poor health.

***An agent or a broker can tell you what the cost of each health class is before you apply.  No agent or broker can tell you which health class you will be approved at until the application and underwriting process is completed for the life insurance company (carrier)***
​

​INSURANCE GUARANTEES 

• Guaranteed Renewal

Only you can discontinue this insurance once you are covered.  As long as the Group Master Policy stays in effect and the premiums are paid when due, you can never be singled out for cancellation no matter what happens to your health.  You can renew this coverage up to age 80, for as long as you choose, even if your health deteriorates.

• Guaranteed Level Benefit

The benefit amount you choose will never go down, regardless of any change in your health.

• Guaranteed Payment With A Covered Claim

Your beneficiaries will get the benefit amount you selected for a covered loss with no waiting periods or partial payments.  Once in effect, you are covered.

• Guaranteed Spouse Eligibility

Your spouse, age 18-74, is guaranteed to be eligible to apply even if you don’t apply and even if they are not a AAA member.  The definition of spouse includes Registered Domestic Partner, Civil Union Partner, or party to a domestic partnership between two adults, as recognized by state law.
 
​"LIVING BENEFIT" 
Your AAA Exclusive Members Only Group Term Life Insurance allows you to collect benefits while you’re alive thru the “Accelerated Death Benefit”.  This means if you’re ever diagnosed with a terminal illness, and death is anticipated within 12 months or less, you can get up to half of your benefits early to help with expenses.
 
​CONVERSION PRIVILEGE 
At any time before you turn 65, you can convert your Exclusive Members Only Group Term Life Insurance coverage to a permanent life insurance policy from AAA.    Conversion is guaranteed regardless of your health at the time.

• You must be a AAA member ages 18-74 to purchase.  The policy can be renewed until it expires at age 80.
• There are 4 Benefit Amounts to choose from.  $50,000, $100,000, $200,000, & $300,000.
• There are different monthly premiums for nicotine vs. non-nicotine users.
• The premiums are banded into age brackets.   Ages 18 to 34 the premium stays the same.  At age 34 the premiums start to increase and will increase every 5 years until the policy expires at age 80.   Although you cannot be singled out for a rate increase, the premiums are NOT guaranteed.   Your premiums may change only if they are changed for all other insureds with the same age, gender, nicotine use, coverage amount, and year of issue.
• Premiums payments can be made from a checking account or credit card.  A $3 charge will be added to your premium if you wish to receive a monthly bill.

Step 1.  Member Information & Spouse Information – if applying.

• Name
• Home Address
• Phone #
• Email Address
• Beneficiary Name
• Beneficiary Relationship
• Amount of Coverage Desired
• In the last 12 months, have you used nicotine in any form?  Yes or NO
• Gender
• Date of Birth (Must be 18-74 to apply)
• Height & Weight

​Step 2.  Provide Payment Method

• Deduct payment from checking account each month.  Will need to provide account & routing number as well as a copy of a voided check.

OR

• Charge payment to a credit/debit card each month.  Visa, MasterCard Discover and AmEx accepted. Need to provide card number, expiration date, and the name as it appears on the account or card.

​Step 3. Statement of Health
Each of the following questions are answered by checking the box yes or no.

1. In the past 12 months, have you been admitted to a hospital or had diagnostic testing performed or recommended by a doctor for an diagnosed condition?
2. In the past three years, have you been treated OR diagnosed by a doctor as having heart trouble, cancer, stroke, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, AIDS, lupus, diabetes treated with insulin, ALS, or dementia?
3. In the past three years, have you been confined to a nursing home, or special treatment facility OR convicted of a felony or driving under the influence?

​Step 4. Other Insurance
Yes or No.  Is there insurance applied for intended to replace, discontinue, or change any existing insurance or annuity?
​
Step 5. Read, Sign, and Date

• All answers in the application are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true.  I understand the answers will be used to determine if coverage will be issued, and the application will be part of the Certificate of Insurance.
• In accordance with its incontestability provision, if I misstate any of the information on this application, the Certificate my be voidable for 24 months from the effective date by AAA Life Insurance Company.
• I authorize the Company to use the payment method I indicated on this application.  This authorization will remain in effect until I notify the Company in writing to cancel it.
• Coverage will take effect on the Effective Date shown on the Certificate, provided the first premium has been paid and there has been no change in my health since the date of the application.  If my health changes prior to the Effective Date of the Certificate, I must promptly inform the Company in writing.
• I authorize any licensed physician, medical  practitioner, hospital, clinic, pharmacy, pharmacy benefit manager or other medical relate facility, consumer reporting agency, insurance company, or other organization that has any records or knowledge of my medical or prescription history, credit attributes, public records, driving record, or social security number, to give any such information to the Company, its re-insurers or any entity retained by the Company to collect and transmit such information.
• The company will not use or disclose medical information for any purpose other than stated above except as may be required or permitted by law.  Such medical information may be subject to re-disclosure and may no longer be protected by federal privacy regulation.
• The authorization shall be valid for 24 months from the date signed.  I understand I or my representative have a right to a copy of this authorization.
• I may revoke this authorization at any time by writing to the Company, and if I do, the Company may decline my application.