Cost-benefit of dementia insurance for cognitively-unimpaired APOE ε4 homozygotes: A simulation study.

BACKGROUND

Dementia insurance, a private insurance product covering the first diagnosis of dementia of the insured, may be beneficial for asymptomatic individuals who recognize their own high genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the cost-benefit of dementia insurance in cognitively unimpaired individuals, stratified by APOE ε4 genotype.

METHODS

A simulation study using 18 years of longitudinal data from National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center study to simulate the income and expenses of dementia insurance from the insured's perspective. Cognitively unimpaired participants at baseline (approximately n = 9000) were included, and the loss ratio (= total benefits gained / total premium paid) was calculated by APOE ε4 subgroup, applying the premium rates of actual insurance products in Japan.

RESULTS

For individuals aged 60 or older with ≥ 10-year follow-up, the estimated loss ratio was highest in APOE ε4 homozygotes. However, even for this group, the 95% confidence interval for the loss ratio was either below or included 1.0, indicating no clear financial gain. Their loss ratio was approximately 3 to 4 times higher than for ε4-negative individuals, and 2 times higher than for ε4-heterozygotes.

CONCLUSIONS

Dementia insurance may be relatively more cost-beneficial for asymptomatic ε4-homozygotes in their 60 s or older compared to other genotypes over policy periods of 10 years or longer. However, it does not represent a clear financial gain for the insured, highlighting the need for careful consideration. Our study provides an important basis for further investigating the advantages and limitations of dementia insurance for individuals with high-risk gene.