What do I need in Medical examination when buying life Insurance ?

life insurance health questionnaire discussion with doctor

For buying any type of life insurance, a policyholder has to take a medical test. This is not valid for the burial insurance two types, simplified issue and guaranteed acceptance. Otherwise for all other types of life insurances, you’ve to undergo a routine medical test.

It’s no Biggie, no rocket science, just like a regular medical checkup. However, it is always better to be prepared for anything in advance. There are some complications that you might have to face. So go through this comprehensive guide. This will enable you to give the test in the most comfortable way and increase your chances of getting approval for your application.

After you submit your online application for any life insurance policy from any reputable agency, you get a call from ExamOne or APPS. They schedule an appointment with you and ask you a place for taking your medical exam. Tell them which place you’d prefer to take the medical exam at. Here are the steps that you’d have to take for getting your life insurance medical exams good results!

  1. Decide the place to carry out the life insurance medical exam!
  2. What happens during your medical exam?
  3. What does the life insurance physical exam include and why?
  4. How do you prepare well for your life insurance medical exam?
  5. When will I get my life insurance medical exam results?
  6. What if I fail the life insurance medical test?
  7. FAQ’s

Decide the place to carry out the life insurance medical exam

You have three obvious options:

  1. Take the medical exam in your house.
  2. Take the medical exam in your office.
  3. Take the medical exam in the paramedic center for examination.

Also Read: Does Medical Insurance Cover Periodontal Disease?

It is always preferable to take the exam at your home or paramedic center, to ensure your privacy and comfort. Decision lies with you!

What happens during your medical exam?

Interview

  • Firstly, the agent will take your brief interview, he will consult your filled out health questionnaire. Try to stay as honest, accurate, precise, and brief as possible.
  • Provide the contact details of your physicians.
  • Always remember that any life insurance company will verify all your health answers.
  • Failure to justify or lying on a health questionnaire will result in you committing life insurance fraud.

Physical exam

  • They’ll take your height and weight to calculate your BMI Body Mass Index. Try to get rid of body fat, beforehand.
  • They’ll collect samples of blood and urine to run many lab tests to check your health.
  • They’ll take your ECG Electrocardiogram, if you’re 50 years old or older and if you are trying to buy a $100,000 life insurance policy.

What does the life insurance physical exam include and why?

  1. BMI: Your height and weight will be taken to check for obesity.
  2. Blood pressure check: To see if you have any heart issues. Higher blood pressure can lead to contracting blood vessels/ veins, it can cause strokes and heart conditions.
  3. Blood and Urine Sample: they’ll collect the samples to run lab tests to see if you have blood pressure problems, heart conditions, HIV, kidney diseases or nicotine access in the body.
  4. ECG: if you are older than 50 years and apply for expensive life insurance with coverage more than $100,000, they will run an ECG electrocardiogram on you.

How do you prepare well for your life insurance medical exam?

In the weeks prior to your medical exam:

  • Drink plenty of water to dilute the protein and sugar content of your body.
  • Exercise to rid yourself of the excess body fat.
  • Reduce the use of nicotine, caffeine and soda carbonated drinks.
  • Reduce high cholesterol red meat from diet.
  • Use a protein based, whole grain, vegetables diet in your meals.
  • Do not use alcohol.

On the day before your exam:

  • Get plenty of sleep at night.
  • Do not take any medicines or drugs.
  • Avoid alcohol.
  • Avoid smokes.
  • Avoid red meat.

On the day of your medical exam:

  • Do not smoke.
  • Do not overexert, or exercise now, it can give off blood or protein in urine.
  • Do not drink soda.
  • Do not use alcohol.
  • Do not eat red meat.
  • Drink plenty of water to give off urine and blood easily.
  • Wear small sleeves for easily giving blood samples through an injection.
  • Have your photo ID ready like your driver’s license, photo ID, and passport.
  • Have your medical information ready like the diseases’ diagnosis, their treatments, their prescription drugs, etc. 

When will I get my life insurance medical exam results?

If you give your test with ExamOne, you will get the results online after 7-14 days. 

What if I fail the life insurance medical test?

Do not lose heart, you can go for no health questions or no medical exam life insurance types. It’s not the end of the world, get your detailed results and double-check them for:

  1. Human Error: if you identify any data entry error or human error, just consult your life insurance agent and inform them!
  2. False Positive Results: If you did aggressive exercise a day before the medical test, it might lead to protein or blood residues in your urine. You might be free of any disease but the lab test results say otherwise. Again contact the life insurance agent, and get an independent, unbiased result of the same urine test with your doctor. Forward them this document!

Be sure not to take a medical exam again and again, too often. Your medical exam record is being recorded by MIB and the more the failed attempts, the less the likelihood of getting life insurance from other agencies.

FAQ’s

Who pays for this life insurance medical exam, for me?

It is a part of the SOP Standard Operating Procedures of the Life Insurance Company. They pay for the medical exams of the applicants on their behalf.

Can I buy a Life Insurance Policy without any medical exam?

Sure! You can buy two different types of burial insurance policies: Simplified Issue or Guaranteed Acceptance. For a simplified issue, life insurance policy, the applicant does not have to take a medical test, they only have to fill out a health questionnaire. They can get an immediate coverage policy from day one. After the death of the policyholder, the dependents get the payout within 24-48 hours of claim approval.

As for guaranteed acceptance; it allows the applicants to forgo the medical exam and the health questionnaire or health queries. Even Alzheimer’s, Terminal heart patients, and renal failure patients can apply for this. The drawback is that it only comes with a two years waiting period.

There are other types of no-medical-exam life insurance policies too. Search thoroughly and consult an independent broker to find the right fit for yourself!

Can I use my Life Insurance Medical Exam results to apply for life insurance elsewhere?

Sure! You can use the results of the medical exams for other reputable insurance firms too, if they allow it. For example, Haven Life allows the applicant to use the medical exam results taken from other insurance companies for their application. However, the compulsory clause is that the medical test results should be taken in the last two years, with data records. Not otherwise!