Rehab history refers to an applicant's prior participation in inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs for substance abuse, alcoholism, or other addictive behaviors. From a life insurance underwriting perspective, rehab history is significant because it may correlate with elevated mortality, relapse risk, accidents, and health complications. Underwriters evaluate when the rehab occurred, whether it was voluntary, the substances involved, completion status, documented sobriety periods, and ongoing support such as counseling or participation in recovery groups. Long-term, well-documented sobriety after rehab is viewed much more favorably than recent or repeated treatment attempts with limited follow-through.

In underwriting workflows, discovery of rehab history through application disclosures, medical records, or prescription checks leads to additional questionnaires and verification. Carriers often impose minimum timeframes of documented sobriety-such as two to five years-before offering standard or mildly rated coverage, and may decline applicants with multiple recent relapses. Advisors gathering information sensitively encourage clients to be candid and to provide documentation from treating physicians or counselors. When sobriety is long-standing and supported by stable employment and relationships, underwriters may be comfortable with more favorable offers. Discussing rehab history carefully helps preserve trust while still addressing legitimate underwriting concerns around substance-related risk.