Mental / Nervous

Modern U.S. life / SI / mortgage-protection underwriting knowledge — actuarial decision framing for software.

Knowledge priority 7/10 Not legacy dump tree
Actuarial software-knowledge disclaimer: These pages synthesize typical U.S. life / simplified-issue / final-expense / mortgage-protection underwriting logic used industry-wide (2024–2026 field guides, carrier appetites, reinsurance mortality framing). They are not any single carrier’s filed rates, not advice to applicants, and not the legacy 2022 database dump. Use them to design interview schemas and carrier-ruleset APIs.

Actuarial view

Mortality risk concentrates in severe mood disorders, psychosis, recent hospitalization, and suicide attempt—not routine SSRI-treated mild anxiety/depression. 2020s UW is more nuanced than binary declines.

Primary risk drivers

Life (full / accelerated)

Map drivers → rate class / flat extra / postpone / decline. Labs & Rx history refine.

Mortgage / FE SI

Stable mild MH usually OK; recent crisis not for level SI.

Health insurance

Behavioral health is a top medical cost center—separate rules.

Recommended interview logic (software schema)

Anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD, or other MH treatment?
Mild anxiety/depression, stable SSRI, working
Often Preferred/Standard NT
Bipolar / schizophrenia stable long-term
Some FE Level; others Graded
Psych hospitalization within 2–5 years
Postpone/decline many SI
Suicide attempt
Date-driven; recent = decline Level

Typical decision patterns

ProfileTraditional / Express-styleFE / Mortgage SI path
Mild treated anxiety/depressionPREFERRED/STANDARDMortgage SI OK
Recent attempt / hospitalizationPOSTPONE/DECLINEGI later

Software implementation note

Avoid over-declining mild depression; capture attempt_years_ago, hospital_years_ago.