Spina Bifida & Life Insurance
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Spina Bifida & Life Insurance
When you have a lifelong condition it can be quite difficult to know where to start, when you start looking for life insurance.
There can be some uncertainty over what the insurers will want to know about your health, what the application will involved and if insurers accept applications from people living with spina bifida.
We are specialist advisers and after speaking with you, we will be able to let you know which insurer and life insurance policy is right for you and your loved ones.
To get things started we will ask you:
- What surgery have you had to treat the spina bifida?
- Do you have surgeries planned for the future?
- How does the spina bifida affect your day to day life?
When you apply for life insurance you will find that most insurers that can consider your application, will offer you the policy on special terms. This means that they are going to increase the premium for your life insurance due to the spina bifida. This never sounds great but please be assured that life insurance is very cheap, so these increases are usually nowhere near as bad as people think they will be.
Your options for life insurance will depend upon the type of spina bifida that you have, how much of your spine is affected and any complications that it causes to other parts of your body. It is likely that there will be more options for you for life insurance, if you have spina bifida occulta rather than other versions.
If you are due to have surgery or are experiencing symptoms that are significantly affecting your day to day life and ability to work, it might be that your life insurance needs to be placed with a specialist insurer.
Your application for life insurance with most insurers in the UK, will need to be supported by a report from your GP, confirming your diagnosis and your current overall health. It is quite common for insurers to ask for this so please do not be worried if they do, the insurer will pay for the report if they feel that they can consider your application.
Our expert advisers are to make sure that your life insurance policy is placed with the best insurer for you.
Spina Bifida & Critical Illness Cover
Critical illness cover pays out a cash lump sum of money, if you are diagnosed with a medical condition that is listed in the insurer’s claims set e.g. cancer, heart attack, stroke.
Options for critical illness cover will be reviewed on an individual basis and speaking to as many insurers as possible is essential, in finding the best policy for you. Unfortunately some insurers will automatically decline your application for critical illness cover, due to you living with spina bifida.
There are some insurance policies that are not critical illness cover, that instead insure you if you are diagnosed with some health conditions. These kinds of policies often don’t cover claims that are linked to pre-existing conditions, so it is incredibly important that you understand the terms and conditions in place.
Our award winning advisers are here to make sure that you get the right insurer to match you and your health.
Spina Bifida & Income Protection
Income protection pays you a replacement of your monthly income, if you are unable to work due to ill health.
Income protection will exclude any claim relating to the spina bifida. You will find that most income protection providers will decline your application for income protection. Insurers often do this when a person has a long term musculoskeletal condition.
There might be some options for income replacement policies for you, that have the potential to pay claims for up to 1-2 years, if you are ill and unable to work. It’s important to get advice as to whether these policies are of good value to you, based upon your symptoms, as the exclusions can be quite extensive.
Our advisers are here to make sure that you get the best insurance policy to protect your income.
Spina Bifida & Travel Insurance
Are you going on holiday? It’s always a good idea to make sure that you have good travel insurance in place. You can find out more about getting a quote on our travel insurance page.
What is Spina Bifida?
Spina bifida occurs whilst in the mother’s womb, usually within the first four weeks of the pregnancy. It can happen as a result of a lack of folic acid, either before conception or in the early stages of pregnancy; a family history of the disease; or certain medications during pregnancy. The neural tube which develops into the baby’s brain and spinal cord doesn’t grow or close properly, meaning that the spinal cord or vertebrae can have defects.
Also: myelomeningocele spina bifida, meningocele spina bifida, spina bifida occulta
Linked with: Diabetes, Down’s Syndrome, hydrocephalus, kidney stones, kidney scarring, Obesity, scoliosis, type 2 Arnold-Chiari malformation
Possible Effects on Lifestyle
Some of the symptoms people may experience living with spina bifida:
- Club foot
- Hip dislocation
- Incontinence
- Latex allergies
- Learning difficulties
- Paralysis
- Reduced skin sensation
- Specific exercise plans
- Urinary tract infections
- Use of mobility aids
Medications and Treatments
- Anal irrigation
- Antegrade continence enema (ACE)
- Bladder surgery
- Colostomy surgery
- Laxatives
- Lifelong antibiotics
- Occupational Therapy
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Physiotherapy
- Shunt surgery
- Spina surgery
- Treatments for incontinence
- Urinary catheterisation
Further Reading and Research
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Common Questions
Hi, thank you for getting in touch. I’m sorry that you have experienced this. We will do our best to get the insurances for you. We speak to most insurers in the UK when we are researching options, so we will be able to let you know what is best for you.
We usually like to combine life insurance and critical illness cover, but sometimes it can not work out as the best option. It might be that the insurer you have applied to so far could accept you for life insurance but not critical illness cover, or vice versa. Sometimes it works out much better to do each policy with different insurers. Let’s arrange a time to chat and we will let you know the right route for you.
Client Reviews
Cura Financial Services has been rated 4.9 out of 5 based on 827 reviews.
Review by Umerubab on 11th March 2025
“I’m really pleased by choosing Cura . All members of team are experienced and choose policy accordingly to needs. Thank you Cura.” - 5
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Dr Kathryn Knowles Phd
Author
This page was written by Dr Kathryn Knowles Phd, an award-winning insurance adviser. To read more about Kathryn please see her bio here
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