Surveys of insurance companies show that only a small proportion of companies claim that they would charge higher insurance premiums to donors after donation. Despite this, in a survey of transplant centers in the US, 39% of centers reported that potential donors decline donation due to apprehension over future insurance problems.
Among the 186 donors in the study who changed or initiated life insurance after their donation, 46 (25%) had similar difficulties. Twenty-three of these people were denied life insurance altogether, 27 were charged a higher premium, and 17 were told their donor status meant they had a pre-existing condition.
In addition, the researchers found that men and donors above the age of 40 were more likely to report having difficulty changing or initiating life insurance.
Other insurance-related difficulties facing donors that were observed by the researchers included delays and added paperwork.