What insurers ask about MS
MS affects people in very different ways, and the questions reflect that. Underwriters want the type of MS, the date of diagnosis and your age when symptoms began. They ask how many relapses you have had, when the last one was and how fully you recovered from each.
Expect questions about how MS affects you day to day. Can you walk unaided, or do you use a stick or wheelchair? Do you have problems with your bladder, sight, balance or memory? Are you working, and has MS meant time off? Your neurologist's letters usually describe all of this.
- Type of MS and date of diagnosis
- Number and dates of relapses
- Walking, balance and any mobility aids
- Disease-modifying treatment and steroid courses
- Bladder, sight or cognitive symptoms
- Work and time off because of MS
Relapsing remitting and progressive MS
Relapsing remitting MS, where symptoms flare and then settle, is the most common form at diagnosis. If relapses are infrequent, you recover well and your mobility is good, underwriters can usually offer life cover, often with a loading. Treatment with a disease-modifying drug and regular neurology reviews both help show the condition is well managed.
Progressive forms, where disability builds over time, generally lead to higher loadings or a decline. A diagnosis made only recently can also mean a postponement, because the insurer wants to see how the condition settles over the first few years.
Critical illness and income protection
Most critical illness policies list MS as one of the conditions they pay out for. Once you have a diagnosis, that part of the cover will almost always be excluded or declined. Some insurers may still offer cover for other illnesses, which can be worth discussing.
Income protection is often the hardest cover to arrange with MS, since relapses can mean time off work. Where an insurer does make an offer, it may exclude MS entirely. If you have early symptoms but no diagnosis yet, such as optic neuritis, numbness or tingling under investigation, tell the insurer. They may wait for the outcome before deciding.
Why every symptom belongs on the form
MS is often diagnosed after a long run of unexplained symptoms. If the application asks about numbness, vision problems or tests such as an MRI scan, include them, even if nothing was confirmed. Insurers check records closely when someone claims, and a missing investigation can undermine a valid claim.
Equally, a policy you took out before any symptoms began stays valid on its original terms. If it includes critical illness cover, check whether your diagnosis could be a claim. Many policies set out exactly what the insurer needs to see for an MS claim, usually a confirmed diagnosis from a neurologist, so read that section or ask us to look.
How Hi Tomorrow helps people with MS
Few insurers treat MS the same way. We know which ones on our panel are more willing to look at the detail of your relapses, treatment and mobility rather than applying a blanket rule, and we approach them first.
We talk through what life cover can and cannot do for you with MS, and whether other options make sense if standard cover is not available. That might mean life cover on its own, cover for a shorter term, or a smaller amount that still clears the mortgage. You can take your time, and we will explain every step.