Life Insurance Medical Exams And You

Life insurance companies want to calculate the possible risk they are taking as well as possible. Therefore most of insurance applicant will have to undergo one or more medical exams. Insurers will test your health conditions and the possibility of your premature death. There are four basic insurance medical tests:

• Blood test. Naturally, this one is the most important. Nurse will take several vials of your blood, which will be analyzed for number of factors - viruses (HIV, hepatitis), various substances (drugs, medication) and for general health quality (blood sugar levels, lipids, cholesterol, kidney&liver profile).
• Urine test. Second most important. In most cases, your agent is able to collect the urine samples, so the test is a bit easier (no need for appointment with nurse or visit of medical facility). The urine will be tested for substances, nicotine traces (very important, smokers are offered substantially lower rates) and also for presence of viruses.
• ECG test. Since heart diseases are still the most common cause of death, your heart condition is important for your insurer. The test takes around 20 minutes (combined with other tests, like blood pressure, or blood test, will take 45 minutes or more).
• Saliva test. This test is often used as a fast (again, insurance agent can collect the samples) substitute for blood test, especially for policies with lower face amount. Presence of drugs, medications, and viruses is detected.

The basic rule is: Never cheat on medical exams! It's quite easy to backtrack the fact if you are a smoker or not, even if you can resist smoking for a week (the usual time needed to get nicotine traces out of your body), and the insurers will do it! If you are proven giving false information, your claim will be propably denied.

But how to save thousand dollars and get a preferred rate (cheap rate for people in great health condition)? The answer is simple, and yet so diffiucult - 6-12 months before you udndergo the tests stop using any harmful substances, stop smoking, start excercising, and improve your diet. You will be rewarded with much better premiums.

Oh yes, and you will live longer.