About Life Insurance Medical Exams
Not sure if you need to take a medical exam or what to expect? Here’s what you need to know.
Not sure if you need to take a medical exam or what to expect? Here’s what you need to know.
Understanding Life Insurance Medical Exams
Life insurance policies help make sure your family is financially protected if something happens to you. Since your health is one of the biggest factors in determining if – and when – you’ll actually need your life insurance payout, insurance companies often require a medical exam to determine your eligibility and rates for term life or whole life insurance.
While taking an exam is a simple and quick process, it’s important to prepare so you can make sure you qualify for the best rates. Here’s what to expect.
What Is Included in a Life Insurance Medical Exam?
When you first apply for a policy, the agent will ask you some questions about your overall health, such as:
- Your age
- Your height and weight
- Whether you use tobacco, drugs, or alcohol
- Any current or chronic medical issues
- Your family medical history
This initial screening is what helps the insurance company determine if a particular policy is right for you. Based on the results, your application can move forward and the company will schedule an appointment for you with a certified medical professional (a paramed). The exam won’t cost you anything, and you can choose to have the appointment at your home or another convenient location.
Medical exams take about 30 minutes and typically include:
- Height and weight measurements: Your height and weight will need to match the information in your application, so make sure you’re upfront during the initial screening. The paramedic will also check your body mass index (BMI).
- Blood pressure test: This test helps screen for high blood pressure or signs of any related health issues.
- Collecting blood and urine samples: Based on what you shared during the initial questionnaire, the paramed may screen for different individual conditions, from heart disease to drug use.
- Other tests as needed: Depending on your age and health, you may need to take additional tests. Your paramed will go over the specifics ahead of time.
Your paramed will also ask you a few additional questions about your health, any medication you’ve been taking, and which doctors you’ve seen recently. This will help confirm the information you first gave the agent when you applied and uncover any red flags. It’s extremely important to be truthful, since lying on your application can mean being denied coverage or, worse, having your family’s claim denied after you die.
Once you complete the test, the medical professional will submit the information to your life insurance company to complete the underwriting process. After that, you’ll hear back from the insurance company about your eligibility and quote, which can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Preparing for a Life Insurance Medical Exam
Here are some tips to help you ace your exam:
- Schedule a morning appointment: You’ll need to fast for six to 12 hours beforehand, so try to get the exam done early.
- Eat clean and sleep well: Plan on a good night’s sleep the night before and cut out high-cholesterol, fatty, or salty foods for at least 24 hours to get better blood pressure and cholesterol results.
- No smoking, no drinking: Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes for at least a day, and remember the signs may still show up on tests.
- Take it easy: Avoid strenuous exercise, which could cause your blood pressure to spike.
- Stay hydrated: This will help flush out your body and make blood and urine tests easier.
- Attention, ladies: Menstruation can affect your urine sample, so you may want to consider scheduling your exam for another time of the month.
- Be prepared: Make sure to have your photo ID, medical information such as medications and doctors’ contact info, and your personal and family medical history on hand. Also, make sure to wear loose, comfy clothing with easy access for the blood pressure cuff.
You’ve Got Questions. We’ve GotAnswers.
Life Insurance Quotes Through eFinancial
At eFinancial, our goal is to make the process of buying life insurance as easy, convenient, and affordable as possible. We offer convenient medical exam options at no cost to you, and our life insurance agents are committed to getting you covered as quickly as possible.
To learn more, start your free, no-obligation online quote, or call 866-388-3996800-957-9525 to talk with one of our agents.