Lower back pain (sometimes referred to as generalised back pain) can include pain, stiffness, and/or soreness of the lower back. It can be difficult for a life insurer to consider applications for disability insurance – like Income Protection Insurance or Total and Permanent Disability insurance – when there has been generalised lower back pain experienced by the applicant in the past. Generalised back pain is pain without a clear cause – there is no specific problem or disease that can be identified as the cause of pain. While it’s not always possible to identify the cause, generalised back pain as a well-recognised medical condition.
Back pain is a common health condition in Australia according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. They note that about 3.7 million Australians (16% of the population) have back problems, with over 2 in 5 people (44%) having difficulty in tasks and activities associated with mobility, communication or self-care.
If you have experienced past symptoms of back pain, a lumbosacral exclusion may be applied to a disability policy that you apply for. An exclusion is a condition on your insurance policy that precludes you from making a claim for certain events or circumstances.
If your back pain was a result of a minor strain or sprain to muscles or ligaments in the back and you’ve experienced a few years without back pain or treatment for it, you may be able apply to be “underwritten” again in the future and have the lumbosacral exclusion reconsidered.
If your back pain was a result of degenerative changes to your spine, including intervertebral disc damage, it’s likely the special conditions of your policy will remain in place by the insurer. This is because degenerative changes of the spine are usually considered to deteriorate with age.
This is general information and not based on your own needs, circumstances or objectives. Each insurer will have different practices in this regard. Contact us to find out more and to discuss your own needs and circumstances further.
If you would like to find out more, feel free to contact us for a complimentary review.
Life insurance and Financial Advice services are provided by Experien Insurance Services Pty Ltd (EIS) ABN 99 128 678 937 and Experien Financial Services Pty Ltd (EFS) ABN 32 631 346 757. EIS and EFS are a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 320626 and No. 1274354) of Affinia Financial Advisers Limited ABN 13 085 335 397 AFSL No. 237857. See our website for our Financial Services Guide. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement issued by an Insurer before considering insurance
