Do all health insurance companies have the same underwriting guidelines for offering insurance?
No. Each insurance company has its own underwriting guidelines, which are usually not made public. However, insurance companies marketing and selling individual health insurance policies in California must file information with the Department of Insurance pertaining to their policies, procedures and underwriting guidelines for offering such insurance (Insurance Code Section 10113.95 which was added by Assembly Bill 356 in 2005). We have summarized the information that companies have filed in the questions and answers and chart below. • Health conditions that would automatically not be approved; • Health conditions that may not be approved; • Height and weight standards; • Health history, health care service utilization, and lifestyle or behavior that may cause the insurance company to deny insurance, limit the products they offer, or charge more for the coverage.
