What To Expect In a Life insurance Medical Check
All you need to know about health check before purchasing life insurance.
What Is a Life Insurance Health Check?
A health check is a medical exam that is required as part of your life insurance application process. It verifies the information you provided when you first apply for the insurance. In addition, it may also help uncover new information that could affect your life insurance premium.
In most cases, a health check consists of a comprehensive medical assessment to gather more information about your medical history and lifestyle. Laboratory tests and disease screenings may be performed as well.
The insurer usually pays for the medical exam. However, if you request a second medical exam in order to receive a lower premium rate, some insurance companies won’t pay for it.
Key Points
- A comprehensive physical examination allows the healthcare professional to obtain baseline information about the patient for future use and to establish communication with the client before problems arise.
- The medical exam is used by life insurance companies to determine your health classification which will influence the rate of your policy.
- Your insurance company will review the results of the medical examination to determine if you are insurable and how much premium your is.
Why Do Life Insurance Companies Require Medical Examinations?
Life insurance companies conduct medical exams for three reasons:
- To confirm the information you provided in your life insurance application to the company.
- To obtain your complete medical history – The questions on the life insurance medical exam dive deep into your medical history and family members. If the company determines that you are more likely or prone to sickness or illness that could result in death, they will charge you a higher premium. On the other hand, if the company believes you are fit and health and have no record of hereditary health condition, you may receive a reduced premium.
- To see if you have any underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, blood work inconsistencies, or HIV, that you are unaware of or have not declared. Drug and nicotine testing will also be conducted. The results of the sample tests will be compared to the information from the medical tests.
What questions and procedures are asked during a life insurance medical exam?
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions during a medical examination:
- Your medical history, including any hospitalisations, medications, procedures, or conditions, will be asked as a series of questions to ensure that you have not forgotten anything and to give you the opportunity to reveal your entire medical history.
- Your family’s medical history.
- Name, address, and phone number of your primary care physician, as well as any other doctors you’ve seen in the last few years for special consultations or medical situations.
- Smoking, drinking, recreational drug use, exercise and other related activities to your lifestyle habits.
- Amount of premium that you’re interested to purchase.
- If you suffer from any mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, and if you have been hospitalised for any condition you claim to have.
- Weight and height measurements, blood pressure and pulse rates, cholesterol, glucose, protein, and HIV blood tests, as well as a urine test, will be performed.
It’s critical to take your life insurance medical exam seriously because the results can influence your premiums.
What Should You Do to Prepare For a Life Insurance Medical Examination?
There is no such thing as “failing” a life insurance medical exam. However, there are ways to give yourself the best shot. Here’s how:
- Drink a lot of water, drinking water can help dilute sugar and protein concentrations and flush toxins from your system.
- Limit your salt intake, too much salt can cause your urine to become overly concentrated, resulting in dehydration.
- Maintain a healthy diet, eating foods high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products can help lower blood pressure. Avoiding processed foods with added sodium is a good idea.
- Alcohol should be consumed in moderation, drinking more than a moderate amount can raise your blood pressure and reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
The day before the exam, you should take a few extra precautions such as:
- Red meat should be avoided. Red meat is high in cholesterol.
- Antihistamines and nasal decongestants are examples of over-the-counter medications to avoid. These medications have the potential to raise blood pressure.
- Have a restful night’s sleep. People who sleep for less than six hours per night may have higher blood pressure.
- Beverages, such as coffee, soda, and tea, should be avoided.
A life insurance medical exam can assist you in securing the best life insurance rates.
What If Your Life Insurance Application Gets Rejected Due to Medical Examination?
If the life insurance company denies your application, you can ask for a written explanation and inquire about specifics and double-check the results. Keep an eye out for the following:
- Incorrect data entry, it is possible that there was a human error such as incorrect or incomplete information.
- False-positive results – A false-positive result occurs when your test indicates that you have a disease or condition when you don’t. This can happen if the test was done incorrectly or if there are other factors affecting the accuracy of the results, such as food and beverages, medications, stress, or differences in lab procedures.
If you discover a mistake, notify your life insurance agent and inquire about how to proceed with a correction. Consult your doctor if the issue resulted in an unexpectedly positive outcome. If you are turned down because of a medical condition, such as high cholesterol, and your doctor confirms the test results, you can work to improve your health. Retaking the life insurance medical exam right away is not recommended because you will almost certainly be denied again.
What Happens After a Medical Examination For Life Insurance?
Following the medical examination, your insurance company will review the results to determine if you are insurable and what premium you will pay. It may take several months to fully process the information and samples, but normally, it should not take any longer than 10 working days.