Taking a Life Insurance Medical Exam – What to Expect

Editor’s observe: this text was up to date in Might 2020 to supply extra readability for patrons who have to take a medical examination through the COVID-19 pandemic.

When searching for life insurance coverage protection, as with anything, most of us are looking for nice worth. Securing a coverage that’s an important worth typically means it gives some perfect-to-you mixture of high quality, sturdy protection and good pricing relative to related merchandise. If you happen to handle to pay much less for a similar quantity of protection your neighbor has, even higher.

If there have been an ideal solution to describe medically underwritten time period life insurance coverage, it could be “an important worth.” For most individuals who want protection — which is often people who’ve younger households who depend on them financially — medically underwritten time period life insurance coverage gives protection at an reasonably priced value through the years your loved ones wants it most.

There have been know-how developments within the life insurance coverage business to, in some circumstances, present medically underwritten life insurance coverage with no medical examination — and at no added value for the comfort. For eligible candidates, we provide the sort of protection and expertise at Haven Life, however the actuality is that many individuals have to take a medical examination to ensure that us to supply them with one of the best pricing (i.e., best worth) potential.

If it’s worthwhile to take a medical examination to get life insurance coverage, this implies you’re on the trail to getting protection that’s an important worth and a few much-needed peace of thoughts that your family members are financially protected.

Be taught what to anticipate out of your life insurance coverage medical examination, why it’s wanted and what your choices are for finishing the examination.

Why life insurance coverage firms require a medical examination

The explanation medically underwritten life insurance coverage is extra reasonably priced than different varieties of protection is as a result of the life insurance coverage firm has a greater understanding of your well being so it could possibly present a extra correct value primarily based on the chance {that a} life insurance coverage coverage will have to be paid out.

The paramedical life insurance coverage examination gives one of the best perception into your total well being and life expectancy. And with life insurance coverage, typically the less assumptions a life insurance coverage firm is making about you, the decrease your premium charges will likely be. By taking a medical examination, it can save you hundreds of {dollars} over the course of your protection.

Do you know: You should use current medical examination outcomes

It’s widespread for patrons to cost examine protection choices amongst a number of totally different insurance coverage firms and go along with one of the best fee. And typically, you may even take a medical examination however finally resolve to not purchase protection via that insurer.

Excellent news: When you’ve got taken a life insurance coverage medical examination prior to now two years, it’s probably we will use these outcomes to supply your remaining provide and fee. And vice versa, by the way in which — for those who resolve to show down your Haven Time period provide, you should utilize the examination outcomes with one other life insurance coverage firm. So mainly if you understand you want life insurance coverage, there’s no hurt in getting the medical examination out of the way in which.

If you happen to’d like for us to entry outcomes from a current life insurance coverage medical examination, please attain out to buyer success for help.

Your medical examination choices

Resulting from COVID-19, candidates for the Haven Time period life insurance coverage coverage now have 120 days to finish the medical examination. Starting in March, we prolonged the allotted time for a medical examination to assist guarantee the security and well being of consumers and examiners in addition to to organize for limitations in examination availability because of metropolis and state mandates.

The third-party examination administrator we use, ExamOne, has rigorous security procedures in place to guard sufferers and staff from coming in touch with infectious ailments. And now, with stay-at-home orders lifted in lots of cities, medical examination operations are up and working at a near-normal stage.

If you happen to’re able to schedule your medical examination, you will have a pair choices:

P.S. If you happen to’re undecided learn how to schedule your medical examination, our buyer success staff is comfortable to help.

#1: Have the examiner come to you

If you happen to’re snug and your metropolis and state mandates help it, most clients want to have a health worker come to their residence for the examination. It’s fast. It’s handy. And ExamOne paramed examiners apply the utmost care and professionalism when administering a cell examination.

Most cities and states presently help at-home medical examination checks. At the moment, cell exams should not out there in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.

When ExamOne calls to schedule your paramedical examination, you can be notified whether or not the cell providing is feasible.

#2: Go to an examination heart

Your life insurance coverage medical examination might be taken at a neighborhood Quest Diagnostics Heart or designated laboratory. With greater than 700 areas, Quest Diagnostics Facilities typically affords a variety of appointment occasions and days — even weekends. When ExamOne calls to schedule your paramed examination, they may work to search out you an out there appointment at a close-by examination heart.

Most examination facilities are working usually right now, so that you shouldn’t have points scheduling an appointment at a time and place that’s handy on your schedule. If you happen to expertise any points, please contact buyer success.

What to anticipate through the paramed examination

Whenever you schedule the medical examination on your insurance coverage coverage, you can be requested about your well being historical past, drugs you’re taking and particulars about current medical remedy you’ll have acquired.

Moreover, due to COVID-19, ExamOne will now ask about current journey, any signs you’ll have skilled prior to now two weeks, or if in case you have come into contact with somebody who has COVID-19. If you happen to reply sure, they may ask to schedule the examination at a later date. For the well being and security of examiners and different clients, please be sincere.

The well being examination might sound intimidating however it’s really a reasonably easy course of. The examination itself takes about 20 to half-hour and the paramedical examiner who’s conducting the examination can meet you at your private home, your work or the examination workplace. The insurance coverage firm pays for the examination so it doesn’t value you something aside from just a little of your time.

Professional tip: If you happen to’re feeling nervous in regards to the examination, schedule it to happen wherever you’re most snug.

To start out issues off, the paramedical examiner may ask you some questions on your loved ones’s medical historical past. You’ll even be requested about any drugs or dietary supplements you’re presently taking, whether or not you smoke, drink or use medicine, what kind of job you will have and the sorts of hobbies you interact in.

As soon as that’s out of the way in which, the paramed will:

• Take your blood stress
• Verify your pulse
• Measure your top and weight
• Accumulate a blood and urine pattern

Relying on the insurer’s necessities, you might also be requested to finish an electrocardiogram or EKG. And in case you’re questioning, paramedical examiners are licensed medical professionals skilled in drawing blood and taking specimens.

Making ready for a life insurance coverage medical examination

You’ll be able to’t examine for this examination; it’s not like taking school finals or your driving check. However you may take steps to make sure that your outcomes precisely characterize your well being.

A minimum of one week earlier than the well being examination:

• Eat meals that stabilize your blood stress and levels of cholesterol like leafy greens, oatmeal, avocados, and nuts.
• Keep away from processed meals which are excessive in sodium and sugar. They’ll elevate your blood stress and sugar ranges.
• Drink at the least 8 glasses of water per day to flush toxins out of your system. Take into account decreasing your consumption of espresso, caffeinated tea or power drinks since an excessive amount of caffeine may skew your blood check outcomes.
• If you happen to drink socially, keep away from alcohol starting a couple of days previous to the examination.

24 hours earlier than your medical examination:

• Get loads of sleep the night time earlier than the well being examination.
• Restrict your consumption of salty or high-cholesterol meals
• Skip your common train routine, since that might have an effect on your levels of cholesterol or the degrees of protein in your urine.
• Keep away from disturbing conditions as a lot as potential, which may trigger elevated blood stress.
• Take into account fasting at the least 12 hours earlier than the examination is scheduled. Speak to your main care physician or one other medical skilled about whether or not fasting is acceptable.

If you happen to’re fasting the day earlier than, that features skipping your morning espresso. Even black espresso can increase blood stress outcomes. Not solely that however it could possibly dehydrate you, making it tougher for the paramed to attract an excellent blood pattern or urine specimen.

On examination day:

• Proceed to keep away from caffeine. Hydrate with water as a substitute. Deliver a snack to eat afterward for those who’ve been fasting for the examination.
• Put on light-weight snug clothes. It should make checking your blood stress and accumulating a blood pattern simpler, and it might prevent some kilos on the dimensions.
• Deliver a photograph ID, and be prepared to supply names and dosages of any drugs you’re taking.
• Proactively inform the examiner about any historical past you’ll have of faintness when offering a blood pattern or donating blood.
• Reschedule the examination for those who’re not feeling effectively.

Different medical examination do’s and don’ts:

• Do think about rescheduling if the examination falls originally of your menstrual cycle since that might contaminate your urine pattern.
• Do skip substances and meals which may end in false positives for drug use, resembling poppy seeds, Vitamin B12 dietary supplements, chilly drugs and decongestants, sleeping tablets or tonic water.
• Do inform the paramedical examiner for those who’re afraid of needles or for those who’d want to do the blood stress check final so you will have time to calm your nerves.
• Do schedule your bodily examination as early within the day as potential so that you’re well-rested and capable of deal with the paramed’s questions.
• Don’t pass over any of your medical historical past, even when one thing appears irrelevant. The insurance coverage firm wants all of your data to precisely gauge your well being.
• Don’t use any leisure or illicit medicine for at the least 30 days earlier than the examination. This needs to be a no brainer however it’s price a reminder.
• Don’t schedule a medical examination in case you are feeling sick or assume you’ll have some sort of sickness.

When you full the bodily examination, you can be supplied with a barcode quantity to view your outcomes on-line. With that quantity, you may register on-line to be notified when the outcomes can be found.

Lastly, don’t panic if the life insurance coverage fee you’re assigned isn’t the one you anticipated. You’ll be able to at all times apply for a brand new coverage later or ask your insurer to rethink your fee class in case your well being has improved. In fact, this can probably entail going via one other well being examination, however it may very well be price it if it permits you to pay a decrease life insurance coverage premium.

You’ve already taken an vital step towards financially defending the folks you like with life insurance coverage. Your life insurance coverage utility is submitted, and also you’re formally within the homestretch.

The medical examination is a needed step for a lot of candidates who need to get one of the best worth with their life insurance coverage protection — the protection they want at a aggressive value. You’ve bought this, and bear in mind we’re right here to assist (or lend a reassuring ear) for those who want it.