How does life insurance verify health?

Asked by: Larry Pfeffer  |  Last update: June 1, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (54 votes)

Typically, a life insurance medical exam includes: Basic health measurements: Height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse rate. Blood and urine samples: These tests check for various health indicators, including cholesterol levels, blood sugar, nicotine use, and potential diseases.

How do life insurance companies check your medical records?

Many life insurance companies will contact your doctor's office and obtain medical records after you have given permission for them to do so. The doctor's office will complete a medical questionnaire as well.

What will disqualify me from life insurance?

A few common examples of pre-existing conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and asthma. Previous injuries might be considered pre-existing conditions, depending on their severity and any lasting effects.

What happens if I lie about smoking on life insurance?

Lying about smoking on life insurance applications risks denial of coverage and reduces or nullifies the death benefit for your beneficiary. If you quit smoking or discontinue your tobacco use, you may qualify for non-smoker insurance rates after a waiting period of one to two years.

What do they test for in a life insurance medical exam?

The health history typically includes information about preexisting conditions, family health history, current prescriptions, and similar information. They may also gather your contact information. The physical exam: The examiner takes your height, weight, pulse, and blood pressure.

How Does Life Insurance Work?

33 related questions found

How to avoid medical exam for life insurance?

Four basic kinds of life insurance that may allow you to avoid a medical exam
  1. accelerated underwriting life insurance.
  2. simplified issue life insurance.
  3. guaranteed issue life insurance.
  4. and group life insurance.

What not to say when applying for life insurance?

Tobacco use: Lying about smoking on a life insurance application likely constitutes a misrepresentation, even if you only smoke occasionally. Drug and alcohol use: Someone who engages in drug or alcohol misuse may omit this information.

How do life insurance companies check if you smoke?

Most life insurance policies require a physical exam before your policy is written. You'll be given a nicotine test to confirm your tobacco usage details. Note that any health issues associated with smoking may also factor into your health exam and, ultimately, your life insurance rate.

How to get cotinine out of your system fast?

The following methods may help clear nicotine from the body:
  1. drinking plenty of water to flush waste products from the kidneys and liver.
  2. exercising to get the blood moving, boost circulation, and release waste products through sweat.
  3. eating a balanced diet rich in antioxidants to help the body repair itself.

Do insurance companies look at your smoking history?

The insurance companies can verify your tobacco use —or lack thereof — through a medical exam and a review of your medical history. During the exam, insurers often test for nicotine and its byproduct, cotinine, to determine whether you've used tobacco.

What will deny life insurance?

People are typically denied life insurance because they fall into a high-risk category. This is often due to health challenges like diabetes, obesity or a previous diagnosis of serious disease.

What makes a person uninsurable?

“Factors such as pre-existing medical conditions, age, occupation and lifestyle choices can contribute to a person being considered 'uninsurable' according to standard underwriting guidelines,” says Tarek El Ali, Founder of Smart Insurance Agents.

What voids a life insurance policy?

These tend to revolve around fraud and abuse. Life insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company. Misrepresenting yourself or providing inaccurate information on your insurance application can cause a breach and void the contract, ending with the claim denied.

How far back can a life insurance company request medical records?

If you agree to let them go through your medical history, they'll contact your doctor and will look at your records over the last five to ten years. If you don't give your permission, they can't investigate your background and could either refuse to insure you or offer you insurance with higher premiums.

How to pass a blood test for life insurance?

How to prepare for a life insurance medical exam
  1. Eat healthy. During the life insurance physical, the examiner will take a blood sample for testing and he or she will check your blood pressure and pulse. ...
  2. Drink water. ...
  3. Consider fasting. ...
  4. Skip the gym. ...
  5. Get a good night's sleep. ...
  6. Wear lightweight clothing.

What is the 80% rule 1 point?

The 80% rule means that an insurer will only fully cover the cost of damage to a house if the owner has purchased insurance coverage equal to at least 80% of the house's total replacement value.

Does drinking water flush cotinine?

Water helps flush nicotine and other chemicals out of your body. Therefore, drinking water in sufficient quantities is a must for every smoker. However, it will make you urinate more often. Frequent urination is helpful because nicotine, cotinine and most tobacco toxins are removed from the body through urine.

How long after stopping smoking are you classed as a non-smoker?

After 48 hours

Your carbon monoxide levels have dropped to that of a non-smoker. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.

Will cotinine be out of my system in 3 days?

But how much you inhale and how much nicotine is in the cigarette both affect how much. People also process nicotine differently depending on their genetics. Generally, nicotine will leave your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days.

What happens if you lie about being a smoker for life insurance?

While it might be tempting to state you don't smoke or refuse the sample test, doing so can do more harm than good. If an insurance company finds out that you lied on your application and are a smoker, they may deny you coverage altogether.

What happens if you lie on a health insurance application?

Your insurance company can still cancel your coverage if you put false or incomplete information on your insurance application on purpose. They can also cancel your coverage if you don't pay your premiums on time.

What disqualifies me for life insurance?

Pre-existing conditions – meaning any health issue or condition that existed before applying for coverage – are often considered high-risk by insurance companies and can lead to disqualification. Chronic conditions that require long-term medication or treatment can also impact eligibility.

Do life insurance companies check medical records?

Yes, life insurers will review your medical records if you are applying for a medically underwritten policy. They can do so only with the consent of the applicant, however. The consent agreement between the applicant and insurance company will specify the number of years of medical records that will be examined.

What should I not tell my insurance company?

The insurance adjuster doesn't need to hear your entire life story. Sharing personal anecdotes or irrelevant experiences might even hurt your claim. Stick to the facts and avoid extra details about your family, job history, prior injuries, or unrelated accidents.