What to Expect for a Life Insurance Medical Exam

Wondering what to expect during a life insurance medical exam? Learn more about the process with this helpful guide.

8 Minute read

Originally published: August 15, 2024

What to Expect for a Life Insurance Medical Exam Logo

Wondering what to expect during a life insurance medical exam? Learn more about the process with this helpful guide.

8 Minute read

Originally published: August 15, 2024

What to Expect for a Life Insurance Medical Exam Logo

When applying for standard life insurance you will likely be asked to undergo a medical examination. This is because it gives the insurance company more information about your current health and ensures the information they have is up-to-date and accurate. This guide will explain every step of this process so you know what to expect.

In this article:

Why is a Life Insurance Medical Exam Necessary

Life insurance providers use a process called underwriting to determine the risk an applicant poses. This process is used to determine the premium costs the applicant will pay and whether or not the applicant qualifies for the policy. The healthier you are the lower the premiums you will pay. If you are older in age (and therefore more likely to develop a medical condition) or you are diagnosed with a serious medical condition before applying for a life insurance policy, you will likely face higher premium costs.

The medical information a life insurance provider will ask you for includes:

Medical Information a Life Insurance Provider Will Ask For

A standard life insurance policy will take all of this information into consideration to determine your rates and whether or not you qualify for the policy. This information will be asked for in your application and then verified through an attending physician’s statement (APS) after your medical exam. An APS is a questionnaire that an insurance provider will require your physician to complete that offers a summary of any relevant medical information from your health records that the insurer deems important. Insurance providers may also verify your information through databases such as the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) to confirm any medical information they have or have not collected from the applicant.

How to Schedule a Life Insurance Medical Exam

Scheduling a life insurance medical exam is usually a simple task and can be done either over the phone or in person through a paramedical service. Phone interviews are standard for policies with less coverage and are an easy way to collect information from an applicant. In-person exams through a paramedical company are typically done in your home and are required for policies with higher coverage amounts, for older individuals, and for those with pre-existing conditions where fluid samples (urine, blood, etc.) and in-person exams are required.

Exams are typically administered by a nurse, doctor, or paramedical professional and take anywhere from 30-60 minutes to complete. Typically insurance providers will have a representative from the medical testing service reach out to you to arrange an appointment and will cover any costs associated with the medical exam.

Medical Tests to Expect During a Life Insurance Medical Exam

The medical testing required will vary between insurers and also depends on your current age and any health conditions you may be affected by. Here is a list of the most common tests done during a life insurance medical exam:

  • Blood Test: This test can detect a wide range of medical conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and liver or kidney disease.

  • Urine Test: This test checks for various health indicators, including substance use such as nicotine, and can also detect potential issues like kidney disease, diabetes, liver disease, and infections.

  • Treadmill Stress Test: This tests cardiovascular stress using EKG monitors (records the electrical activity of the heart) and a blood pressure monitor while exercising on a treadmill or stationary bicycle.

  • Chest X-ray: This test evaluates the health of your lungs, heart, and chest cavity and checks for issues such as lung disease (e.g., COPD, pneumonia, lung cancer), heart enlargement, fluid around the heart or lungs, and other abnormalities.

  • Cognitive Ability Test: Older applicants may need to undergo a test that consists of a series of tasks and questions designed to test for mental decline by testing memory, attention, concentration, language skills, executive functioning, visual-spatial skills, as well as reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

Medical Tests to Expect During a Life Insurance Medical Exam

Steps to Prepare for a Life Insurance Medical Exam

Preparing thoroughly for your scheduled life insurance medical exam is crucial, as it impacts the rate you’ll pay. By taking the exam seriously and getting ready in advance, you could potentially save money on your policy. Here are some recommended actions to take before your exam:

  1. Schedule the exam early in the day if possible and be sure to reschedule the exam if you’re sick.
  2. Bring your photo ID, application paperwork, health card, a list of prescriptions with dosage amounts, names of any physicians you’ve seen in the last 5 years, dates of any surgeries you’ve had, and a list of any medical conditions you or your immediate family members are diagnosed with.
  3. Limit the intake of salty, fatty, high-cholesterol, and high-sugar foods.
  4. Avoid over-the-counter medications that affect blood pressure, glucose, and heart rate such as antihistamines or decongestants.
  5. Avoid strenuous exercise that may impact blood pressure and heart rate.
  6. Go to bed early and be sure you are well rested.
  7. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine intake close to the scheduled exam.
  8. Stay hydrated and drink lots of water to help with blood and urine testing.
  9. Wear a lightweight shirt with short sleeves or sleeves you can roll up to help with blood work and blood pressure monitoring.
  10. If possible, fast for 12 hours before your exam.
How to Prepare for a Life Insurance Medical Exam

What to Expect During the Medical Exam

A life insurance medical exam is a 15-60 min appointment where a medical professional will ask you questions about your medical history. The information you can be expected to provide is as follows:

  • The names and dosages of any medications you are currently taking or have previously taken.

  • The name and contact information of any physicians you have seen in the past five years.

  • A list of any diagnosed medical conditions you have, along with the dates of diagnosis and the treatments currently being used.

  • Information about any health conditions your immediate family members (parents and siblings) are affected by.

  • What your current occupation is and if you have any dangerous hobbies.

  • Your travel history and future travel plans.

  • If you have a criminal record or any issues with your driving record.

  • The amount of alcohol and nicotine you typically consume and if you partake in any illicit drug use.

  • Your height and weight, age, gender, pulse, and blood pressure will be recorded during the exam.

  • You will likely need to provide a urine sample and have blood drawn to test for elevated cholesterol, blood sugar, nicotine use, and other health issues.
  • If you are over 50 and applying for a large amount of insurance you may need to undergo an electrocardiogram (EKG) where stickers with electrodes will be placed on your chest to record the electrical activity in your heart.
  • Certain insurers will require applicants seeking a large amount of coverage to get a chest X-ray or to do a treadmill test with an EKG monitor.

  • Applicants over 70 may have their cognitive ability tested by doing a series of tasks and answering questions designed to test mental functioning.

How to Get Life Insurance Coverage Without a Medical Exam

If you have health challenges or other factors that make obtaining affordable coverage difficult, there are still options available. Even Canadians who are hard to insure can secure life insurance through no-medical life insurance policies. These policies don’t require a medical exam to qualify, and some even offer instant approval. However, it’s important to note that this type of coverage is generally more expensive than standard life insurance. Therefore, it’s advisable to consider no-medical insurance only if you have significant health concerns or other issues that make it necessary.

Here is a quick overview of the different types of no medical life insurance and how they compare to a standard fully-underwritten life insurance policy in Canada:

Overview of No-medical Life Insurance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Life Insurance Medical Exams

A life insurance medical exam can be done over the phone for those who only need to complete the health questionnaire and should only take up to 30 minutes at most. For those that need to complete additional testing this can either be done in your home (for collecting blood work and urine samples) or in a medical office (for EKG monitoring and X-rays). In office and at home testing will take longer, but overall your appointment shouldn’t take more than an hour.

Results are usually processed within a few days to a couple of weeks. Your insurance agent will inform you of the results and how they affect your application.

If your medical exam reveals a health issue, the insurance company may adjust your coverage options. This could mean offering you a policy at a higher premium, requesting additional tests to gain more information, or, in rare cases, declining coverage altogether.

Some insurance companies may allow you to retake your medical exam if you believe the results don’t accurately reflect your health. However, this is typically at your own expense, and the timing of the retake may affect your results.

The only information that shouldn’t be mentioned when applying for a life insurance policy, is any information that is not requested or relevant to the application. While it’s fair to worry about increased costs or application denial caused by something out of your control, such as a medical condition, providing inaccurate information about your current health can lead to many issues beyond application denial. Life insurance providers collect personal and health information from applicants during the application process but they can also access databases such as the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) to confirm any medical information they have or have not collected from an applicant.

It is very important to ensure the accuracy of the information you submit to a life insurance provider. If your insurance provider determines that information was inaccurately reported or omitted, they have the right to terminate your policy and refuse to pay out a death benefit to your beneficiaries. In addition to this, if it is determined that you intentionally offered significantly incorrect information it can be considered fraud and affect your ability to obtain life insurance coverage in the future.

Find the Right Solution for Your Family

If you have additional questions about life insurance medical exams or would like advice specific to your situation, you should consider reaching out to one of our financial experts. At Protect Your Wealth, we compare policies and quotes from the best life insurance companies in Canada to help clients find the right policy for their unique needs, at no cost to them! We provide expert life insurance solutions and are committed to helping clients understand their options and find the best policy.

Contact Protect Your Wealth or call us at 1-877-654-6119 to talk to an advisor today! We’re proudly based out of Hamilton, and service clients anywhere in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba including areas such as London, Kamloops, Grande Prairie, and Winkler.

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