Parkinson’s Disease, also known as Parkinsonism, paralysis agitans, or hypokinetic rigid syndrome, has been linked to dementia and other chronic neurological disorders, and possible symptoms include body tremors, loss of facial expression, and muscle rigidity.
Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may consider applying for life insurance for the same reasons that others do.
People with Parkinson’s buy life insurance to protect their families against funeral expenses, mortgage repayments, and overall lifestyle maintenance.
Having a Parkinson’s diagnosis does not necessarily equate to a shorter lifespan, but for many, it does indicate how vulnerable and uncertain life can be.
You may still apply for a life insurance policy if you have Parkinson’s disease. Still, you will sometimes have to pay higher monthly premiums for the policy compared to individuals without Parkinson’s or another similar condition.
How much extra you pay per month depends on which insurance provider you decide on, the number of benefits you need, your chosen terms, and the severity of your symptoms.
Critical Illness Cover
Under current laws, individuals with Parkinson’s disease, unfortunately, are not eligible for critical illness insurance because of the increased risk of Parkinson’s patients developing other serious medical conditions linked to their original illness.
Income Protection
There are currently no insurance providers who can offer income protection for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
You can qualify for an accident, sickness, and unemployment policy, but you cannot be covered for anything related to your condition.
Click To Compare QuotesWe recommend you meet with and speak to a qualified insurance advisor before applying for coverage so they can distinguish what is covered from what is not.
Possible Effects on Lifestyle
Parkinson’s disease is the type of condition that is impossible to forget about or pretend does not exist.
Tremors are the most common symptom for individuals suffering from tremors; please keep them constantly aware of their condition.
Even if the tremors are invisible to the naked eye, individuals with Parkinson’s are aware of the internal tremors happening within them. With the proper medication, those individuals can live a fully active life.
However, the medication must be taken precisely during the day to ensure it works at maximum capacity.
Parkinson’s sufferers can, at times, look disoriented, be it slurring their words or stumbling, if their medication is not monitored and updated as the condition progresses.
Easy things like discerning pedestrian crossings, choosing between coffee or tea, or leaving home without an alarm or case of medication can be daily hardships individuals with Parkinson’s face.
They have to adapt to the daily routine of a four-hour cycle of drugs.
Some examples of issues faced by people with Parkinson’s disease include the following:
- Uncontrollable body tremors
- Seizing up of joints (rigidity)
- Slowness of movements (bradykinesia)
- Sleep apnea and extreme fatigue
- Loss of facial expressions and difficulty swallowing
- Depression
- Extreme, compulsive behaviour (gambling, shopping, eating, etc.)
- Nausea
- Fine movement problems (cutting up food, writing, fastening buttons, etc.)
- Loss of smell (anosmia)
- Self-Control Issues
Medications and Treatments Available for Parkinson’s Disease:
- Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetrel)
- Apomorphine hydrochloride (APO-go, APOKYN)
- Benzotripine Mesylate (Cogentin)
- Bromocriptine mesylate (Parlodel)
- Cabergoline (Cabaser)
- Carbidopa Monohydrate/Levodopa (Caramet, Duodopa)
- Carbidopa/Levodopa (Parcopa)
- Carbidopa/Levodopa (Sinemet)
- Carbidopa/Levodopa/Entacapone (Stalevo)
- Celance
- Co-beneldopa
- Co-careldopa
- Eldepryl
- Entacapone (Comtan, Comtess)
- Madopar
- Mirapexin/Pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate
- Orphenadrine hydrochloride (Biorphen, Disipal)
- Pergolide mesylate
- Pramipexole (Mirapex)
- Pramipexole Dihydrochloride extended-release (Mirapex)
- Procyclidine hydrochloride (Arpicolin, Kemadrin)
- Rasagiline mesilate (Azilect)
- ReQuip
- Rivastigmine Tartrate (Exelon)
- Ropinirole hydrochloride (Requip)
- Rotigotine (Neupro)
- Selegiline hydrochloride (Eldepryl, Carbex, Zelepar)
- Sinemet
- Tolcapone
- Trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride (Artane, Broflex)