Dermatology as a Hidden Life Insurance Risk
Dermatology as a Hidden Life Insurance Risk
BY CAMERON JACOX LEAVE A COMMENT
Dermatologic conditions can pose a significant, yet often overlooked, risk for life insurance underwriting. These risks are not due to the skin conditions themselves but rather the potential systemic implications and comorbidities associated with them. It’s more important than ever for life insurers to support policyholders in finding a dermatologist nearby or online.
Systemic Diseases Indication: Many dermatologic conditions are manifestations of systemic diseases. For example, skin lesions can be an early sign of underlying conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and some types of cancer. Identifying and treating these conditions early can mitigate risks, but if they remain undiagnosed and untreated, they can lead to severe health complications and increased mortality risk.
Chronic Inflammatory Nature: Conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are chronic inflammatory diseases. Research suggests that chronic inflammation can lead to various serious health complications, including cardiovascular diseases, which are among the leading causes of death globally.
Mental Health Impact: Dermatologic conditions can significantly impact a person's mental health, leading to conditions such as depression and anxiety due to stigma, social isolation, or psychological distress related to their skin condition. These mental health conditions can, in turn, increase mortality risk.
Side Effects of Treatment: Some treatments for severe dermatologic conditions, such as systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs, can have significant side effects. These can include increased risk of infections, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer.
Lifestyle Factors: Skin conditions may also be symptomatic of lifestyle factors that pose a higher insurance risk, such as excessive sun exposure leading to skin cancer or poor diet contributing to conditions like acne.
In conclusion, while skin conditions themselves may not be life-threatening, they can be indicators of underlying health conditions, systemic inflammation, mental health issues, treatment side effects, and lifestyle risks, all of which can potentially increase mortality risk and thereby pose a hidden risk to life insurance underwriters. Along with full body scans, dermatologic screenings may be the next most impactful way to improve underwriting.