Life Insurance Medical Exam: What to Expect

A medical exam is one of the steps that makes some people put off a life insurance application. In practice it is usually a short visit with a paramedical examiner, not a physical with your regular doctor, and it is scheduled around your calendar. The insurer uses the measurements and lab work, along with your application and other records it is permitted to order, to assign a health class and decide whether to issue the policy. Knowing what to expect makes the appointment easier to keep, and keeping the appointment is often the difference between a quote and an issued contract.

This is general information. Exam requirements vary by insurer, age, amount, and health history. Some applications are issued without an exam. See life insurance without a medical exam and how to compare life insurance quotes.

What the exam typically includes

A paramedical exam commonly includes identification, questions that confirm parts of the application, height and weight, blood pressure and pulse, and blood and urine samples. Depending on your age, the amount of coverage, and your history, the examiner may also record a resting electrocardiogram (EKG) or collect other measurements the insurer requested. The visit often lasts well under an hour and can take place in your home, at a workplace, or at an exam office.

The examiner does not usually tell you whether you will be approved or what health class you will receive. Lab results go to the insurer, not to you as a routine doctor’s report, although you can typically request your results from the insurer or the exam company after they are available. If something in the labs needs a closer look, the insurer may ask for an attending-physician statement or more information from you.

How to prepare, without overthinking it

Follow the scheduling instructions you are given. Those often include fasting for a stated number of hours if blood work requires it, avoiding strenuous exercise just before blood pressure is taken, and bringing a photo ID and a list of medications. Take your regular prescriptions as your doctor has directed unless the scheduler gives a specific instruction. Stay hydrated within any fasting rules, and try to sit quietly for a few minutes before blood pressure is recorded.

Do not start a crash diet, skip prescribed medicine, or give answers that do not match the application. Inconsistencies and incomplete health history are a bigger problem than an ordinary blood-pressure reading. The contestable period on a later claim can involve a review of the application, which is one more reason to be accurate. Premiums vary by age, health, and amount; the exam exists to place you in a class, not to surprise you with a different product.

If you have a morning appointment, ask whether fasting is required and how long. If you have a condition your doctor already manages, have your physician’s name and the medication list ready. You do not need to “pass” an exam the way you might think of a sports physical. You need a complete, accurate file.

No-exam and accelerated paths still involve underwriting

Many insurers now offer accelerated or simplified underwriting for some ages and amounts, using the application, databases they are allowed to use, and sometimes a phone interview, without sending an examiner. That can be convenient. It is not always cheaper, and it is not a way to avoid disclosing health history. If the automated path does not accept the case, the insurer may request an exam anyway, or it may decline or postpone. See life insurance without a medical exam.

A licensed insurance broker can tell you, before you apply, whether the amount and age you have in mind are likely to need an exam on the products being considered, and can help you keep existing coverage in force until a new policy is issued. For older applicants, exam requirements and available products can differ; see can you get life insurance at age 70 or 80 and life insurance for seniors.

After the exam, underwriting can take days or longer, depending on labs and any medical records. The issued premium may match the quoted class, or it may not. Read the offer before you accept it, and do not drop a needed policy until the new one is in force. See what happens if you miss a premium if you are mid-transition and a draft date is coming up.

If you are nervous about needles or have had trouble with blood draws, tell the scheduler when you book so the examiner can plan the visit. If you need a translator, or you would prefer a particular time of day because of medications or work, say so early. Small logistics like that are easier to fix before the appointment than after a missed draw delays underwriting.

Keep a copy of the application you signed, and write down the date and location of the exam. If underwriting later asks a follow-up question, you will be glad to have that record. A licensed insurance broker can also check on the status so you are not left wondering whether labs arrived.

The bottom line

A life insurance medical exam is usually a short paramedical visit that collects measurements and lab samples so the insurer can underwrite the application. Prepare by following the scheduler’s instructions and by answering the application honestly. Some policies can be issued without an exam, but that path still involves underwriting and is not automatically better. A licensed insurance broker can help you choose a path that fits the amount you need and walk you through what happens after the appointment.

Sources: NAIC, Life Insurance · Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance

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This article is general and educational, not an offer to sell insurance or financial, tax, or legal advice. Coverage, benefits, and availability vary by carrier, product, and state, and all coverage is subject to underwriting.