Unless you are applying for instant issue life insurance, when applying for life insurance, you will probably have to undergo a medical exam to determine your premium. These exams are completed by paramedical health care professionals who are hired by the insurance company. In addition to the exams, you will also have to provide information about your medical and family history.

Here’s how it works

The insurance company hires a paramedical professional to complete a medical exam before issuing life insurance in order to identify any health conditions that may shorten your life. The cost of this process is covered by the insurance company.

The medical exam process:

• A paramedical professional will gather your medical history, height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and (potentially) blood and/or urine samples.
• Blood tests are used to detect the presence of antibodies or antigens to various viruses and diseases. Urine tests are used to detect the presence of medications and illegal drugs.
• Exams do not include sensitive tissues, such as breast or prostate exams.
• If the insurance company has any further questions after the exam, you may be asked to submit more information. Additional tests may be ordered based on your age and the policy amount desired.
• After the results are received by the insurance company, you will be given a risk rating: either “preferred”, “flat”, or “table” for your medical history and conditions. In general, table ratings increase premiums because they are permanent or somewhat permanent conditions.

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