| Now-a-days, alcohol abuse has become common | | | | CDT test, one can know the liver enzyme level. If |
| among all age groups. Many people are abusing | | | | a person is a heavy drinker, then the CDT test |
| alcohol despite being aware of its harmful effects. | | | | would show elevated liver enzyme levels. The |
| More than half of the Americans are abusing | | | | policy of that person would be denied or the |
| alcohol. According to Centers for Disease Control | | | | policy will be issued, but with higher policy rates. |
| and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of adults are | | | | DUI conviction results in higher life insurance rates |
| current regular drinkers (at least 12 drinks) and 14 | | | | DUI (Driving Under Influence) fatality is a serious |
| percent of adults were infrequent drinkers (1-11 | | | | issue in the United States. All of the 50 states in |
| drinks) in 2008. National Institute on Drug Abuse | | | | United States and the District of Columbia |
| (NIDA) stated that 51.6 percent of Americans | | | | prohibits driving with Blood Alcohol Concentration |
| abused alcohol in 2008. | | | | (BAC) of 0.08 percent or more. If violated, the |
| Alcohol abuse leads to increased health risks | | | | person will be under DUI conviction. Once a |
| including coronary heart diseases, heart attacks, | | | | person gets convicted under DUI, he/she should |
| obesity, chronic pancreatitis, fetal damage, | | | | wait at least a year to get life insurance policy |
| hardening of liver, chronic liver diseases, blackouts | | | | offer - that too with high insurance premiums. |
| and memory lapses, severe cognitive effects, | | | | Insurers will also check if the person has |
| lack of co-ordination, irregular heart beat, coma | | | | successfully completed the drug treatment |
| and even death. There will be decrease in life | | | | program, usually ordered by the court after DUI |
| expectancy in alcohol abusers by 10 to 15 years. | | | | conviction. |
| Since the alcohol abuse impacts the life | | | | It's an uphill battle even for recovering alcoholics |
| expectancy of the abuser, the insurance | | | | Even recovering alcoholics or those who left |
| companies distinguish between the abusers and | | | | alcohol long back, may still find it difficult to find a |
| non-abusers. Alcohol abusers have to pay huge | | | | low cost life insurance policy. The person may be |
| insurance premiums when compared to | | | | denied insurance or would have to pay high |
| non-abusers. | | | | insurance rates because of high health risks |
| Anything more than social drinking may result in | | | | associated with alcohol for many years. Generally, |
| higher life insurance premiums | | | | an insurance application will be either declined or |
| If a person is a heavy drinker, he has to pay high | | | | postponed within first two years of recovery |
| insurance premiums. Generally, more than | | | | from alcohol. |
| two-three drinks a day will knock a person out of | | | | As we discussed above, alcohol abuse can have a |
| regular life insurance rates. When a person applies | | | | major influence on your insurance premium rates. |
| for a insurance premium, he is inquired about | | | | Either the applicant's insurance policy will get |
| alcohol consumption. The person has to undergo | | | | rejected or has to pay high life insurance |
| few medical examinations in order to make sure | | | | premiums rates. Therefore, it is necessary to |
| that he/she is not an alcohol abuser. The person | | | | avoid much alcohol intake to enjoy the benefits of |
| has to undergo liver function test called | | | | insurance. |
| Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) test. By | | | | |