How underwriters judge RA
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, so insurers look beyond the joints. They want to know when it started, which joints are involved, how often you flare and how well your treatment holds it in check. Your rheumatology letters will describe your disease activity.
Treatment questions are detailed. Most people take a disease-modifying drug such as methotrexate, and some need a biologic. Using these is not a mark against you. The underwriter wants to see whether they keep the disease quiet and whether you have had side effects such as infections or liver changes.
- Date of diagnosis and joints affected
- DMARDs, biologics and steroid use
- Flares in the last two years
- Any lung, heart, eye or blood vessel involvement
- Joint damage, surgery or mobility aids
- Time off work
Beyond the joints
In some people, RA affects other parts of the body, for example causing lung scarring, inflammation around the heart or problems with the eyes. Insurers ask about this because it changes the long-term risk. If you have had any of these, include the details and treatment.
Long-term steroid use matters too, as it can affect bones, blood sugar and blood pressure. If you have needed steroids only for short spells during flares, say so. That is a different picture from daily use over many years. Give the number of courses in the last two years if you can.
Possible results
Mild RA in remission on stable treatment can lead to standard or lightly loaded life cover. Active disease, frequent flares, joint damage or regular steroids often mean a larger loading, and organ involvement can increase it further. An insurer may postpone while you start a new treatment or recover from a serious flare.
Critical illness cover may come with different terms, as RA can raise the risk of heart disease. Income protection is where RA has the most effect, and many insurers exclude it or musculoskeletal conditions, depending on your job and how RA affects your work.
Why the full picture matters
Your GP and hospital records show your diagnosis, medication and flares in detail. Matching your answers to them keeps the process quick and protects any future claim. If you have had a chest scan or heart test linked to RA, include it, even if it was clear.
If your rheumatologist has described your disease as in remission, or as having low disease activity, use those words. They carry weight with an underwriter. Regular blood monitoring for methotrexate or other medicines will also be on your record, and normal results from that monitoring help show the treatment suits you.
How Hi Tomorrow helps with RA
Insurers vary in how they treat autoimmune conditions. Some look closely at disease activity and give credit for remission, while others apply broader loadings. We know which insurers on our panel tend to be fairer about RA and approach them first.
For income protection, we compare exclusion wording and deferred periods so the cover still works for you, even with RA excluded. A policy that excludes RA still pays for an unrelated illness or accident, which is worth having when you depend on your earnings.