Life insurers deem active-surveillance prostate cancer 'untreated' and deny term coverage, says patient

Howard Wolinsky, a medical journalist, recounts that after his term life policy expired, eight insurers rejected his application because they considered his prostate cancer, managed by active surveillance, as untreated.

His urologist at the University of Chicago recommended monitoring with PSA tests, biopsies and MRIs rather than surgery or radiation, believing the cancer would not be fatal.

The insurer's classification forced Wolinsky to accept a reduced universal life policy with a lower death benefit but the same premium, illustrating how underwriting standards can conflict with clinical management.

The experience highlights challenges patients on active surveillance face when seeking life insurance, as insurers may interpret ongoing monitoring as active disease.