No matter which life insurance company you use, you will have to fast for 8 – 12 hours before the tests. The test isn’t binary and can indicate whether you’re a regular smoker or if you’ve quit recently. Once you submit your application, you’ll be prompted to choose a convenient date and time for your exam. A life insurance blood test typically looks for any underlying medical conditions, tobacco use, cholesterol levels and drug use. Depending on the insurer, you may be able to get up to $250,000 in coverage. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners. Yes, but.. What is Tested for in a Life Insurance Medical Exam? Even the insurance company won’t distribute full blood test results. This exam is short and takes place at a time and place of your choosing. Read on to learn more about medical exams and life insurance. Once your application has been reviewed, your agent or the testing company will reach out to schedule an exam. Life Insurance Blood Test and Urine Sample All things considered, there are many reasons why life insurance companies will take these samples but they can be split into five different categories. Coverage can be obtained in days, or even minutes, instead of weeks. With the life life insurance blood test, they’ll be looking for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or glucose levels, as well as indications of nicotine, tobacco or drug use. However, if you are rated down for any reason, you can request information on why. Most life insurance companies require a brief physical performed by a health professional paid for by the insurance company. Blood tests detect the presence of HIV or AIDS, a condition that presents a problem for nearly every life insurance company. How to Avoid the Life Insurance Blood Test, No exam life insurance policies can be purchased. If you haven’t been to the doctor in a while and aren’t sure about your internal health, you can secure no exam coverage without going through the blood test for fully underwritten term life insurance. The Life Insurance Blood Test and Alcohol. We attempt, within reason, to ensure all quotes are up to date, though rates change periodically and are never guaranteed. Jason Fisher is the founder and CEO of BestLifeRates.org, LLC. For example, Hepatitis C is a disease that affects the liver but will not typically present symptoms for years or even decades. Exams That May Be Required for Life Insurance Skipping the blood test means you could not only avoid the paramedical exam procedure, but get covered in as little as 24 hours, instead of 24 days. provides independent information for the purpose of providing consumers insight into obtaining the best life insurance coverage from the best life insurance company they could obtain, subject to underwriting. Elevated figures for either of these tests could indicate you’re at a higher risk for a heart attack or other health issue which the insurer wants to avoid. Certain drugs which have changing regulations may not necessarily have an impact on your rates, but you should still tell your agent and examiner. A blood test is required by the majority of life insurance companies because it paints a more accurate picture of … They screen for “silent” disorders that are not causing symptoms but may cause increased mortality risk, such as kidney, liver or even heart disorders. Butt Out – Quit Smoking. It shouldn’t come as a shock that the life insurance blood test is scanning for illegal drug use, but it may actually be a little more complicated than you think. Just note, once you’re diagnosed with a disease, this option may not be available. Remember, anything you can do to get the best results possible will lower your premiums. Just note that you’ll be asked to fast for the 8 to 12 hours preceding a medical exam, so we recommend scheduling yours in the morning. “Why You Shouldn’t Fear a Life Insurance Exam Blood Test.” Accessed May 29, 2020. If blood tests reveal the applicant uses any illegal drugs, they will be declined for life insurance. Lipid panel. People with these diseases often have to pay higher premiums. Just note that purchasing coverage without undergoing the blood test does come with some drawbacks. Here are a few tips that can help you get the best results from your life insurance blood test, from start to finish: Now that you’ve scheduled your exam, there’s still preparation to do beforehand. Jason Fisher Last Updated: November 9, 2020, Certain links on this page will refer you to products we might recommend. The tests are quite simple and can take place at your home, your work or a local exam center. Hair follicle test. They test for everything: blood sugar, cholesterol, nicotine, drug use, hormone, etc. Your blood test is considered along with the results from the rest of your exam to determine your risk classification, which helps determine your insurance premium. If you use marijuana regularly, you should consult an independent insurance agent to determine which insurance companies to apply with. For more information on how we're paid, click our link below.Full Disclosure. Whether you swoon at the thought of drawing blood or don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of undergoing a medical exam, there are alternatives. When you apply for life insurance, you will probably be expected to submit to a blood test to assess your overall health, risk of diseases, and drug use. LifeInsurance.org. This will make your initial quote more accurate, allowing you to decide if the company’s premiums are too high and switch to another insurer before going through a multi-week underwriting process. They will also take a small blood and urine sample. Some insurers may also ask for a saliva sample or X-rays, but these are relatively rare. Specifically, you’ll want to eat more of food that raises your good cholesterol (such as avocado, nuts and salmon) while reducing your intake of fried or sugary food (which can raise your blood glucose or blood pressure). An independent agent should be able to help you arrange this. Preparation isn’t mandatory, but a little work ahead of time may improve your chances of approval. Medical exams are standard for most term and permanent life insurance policies, and provided for free by the insurer, as it gives them the opportunity to confirm your health details. A life insurance medical exam is often part of the process of applying for a life insurance policy. Life Insurance Blood Test For many people, the thought of participating in a blood test for life insurance sounds as fun as getting stuck in an elevator. As such, they have been adopted by the life insurance companies as an indispensable tool in helping them capture data for making decisions. They will also be checking that your responses match data from the Medical Information Bureau, prescription database and DMV records. Life insurance does test for HIV antibodies, blood counts that may indicate infection, and other labs for conditions that … Additionally, the blood test has the following uses: When you start your application, you’re given the benefit of the doubt and start at the best rate. You should never try to purge your system by using cleansing kits before your exam date. “Here’s What to Expect When You Apply for Life Insurance.” Accessed May 29, 2020. As a simple rule of thumb, there are 3 primary paths to getting coverage through a different insurer: Maxime is a Director at ValuePenguin focusing on the insurance industry. How to Prepare for the Life Insurance Blood Test. See why life insurance blood testing is needed & crucial in the underwriting decisoin. In addition, since the insurer can cancel your coverage if they later find out that you smoke, it’s better to be honest during the application. Life insurance companies use blood tests to screen for HIV, nicotine, and illegal drug use. The exam results are good for up to six months. Life insurance blood tests are done as part of the risk assessment for life insurance. Many life insurance companies require a blood test if you answer "Yes" on the application to questions related to drug use. Depending on the testing company, your results will either be provided to you after their analysis or you can specifically request a copy of the results. Diseases are a good indicator of mortality. When you submit an application for life insurance, the insurer will usually request a medical exam to determine whether you have any diseases, if you’re at risk for any diseases, and to determine your drug use. To avoid a false positive, talk to your examiner about anything you think might show up. Drinking more water helps to clear chemicals out of your system, open your veins and, on the day of your exam, prepares you to give a urine sample. No exam life insurance policies can be purchased, with some limitations, by most individuals who are reasonably healthy. In addition, you should tone down your exercise routine, as this can lead to elevated proteins in your urinalysis. Due to HIPAA laws, few people have access to your results. “Urinalysis Test for Life Insurance.” Accessed May 29, 2020. The healthier you are, the lower … The insurance provider might choose to opt for a test where either mouth swabs are used or blood is collected to know the exact amount of nicotine amount in the system. No, life insurance does not test for STD's, but the insurance application may ask whether you have an STD at the time you fill out the application. In order to get your results, you have a couple of options: Because of privacy concerns, your agent will not be able to get you your results. No mention of an insurance company or its prices is an offer for life insurance, and all users and applicants shall be subject to any and all underwriting requirements by the insurance company in which you apply. Can You Access the Results of Your Life Insurance Blood Test? Smokers receive some of the highest life insurance rates, so some people try to quit for a period of time prior to their medical exam and qualify for better premiums. The height and weight measurements during a life insurance medical exam are used to determine whether you’re overweight, according to standards set by the insurer. In general, here is what a blood test for life insurance is looking for, and what each component means: As you can see, the life insurance company is looking at the main organ functions, major illnesses, and levels of blood or urine which are well outside of common ranges. Previously she was the Director of Product Marketing at CoverWallet, a commercial insurance startup, and helped launch NerdWallet's personal insurance business. Preparation for a life insurance medical exam starts during the application process. Based on your answers, that rating moves either up or down. A blood test is required by the majority of life insurance companies because it paints a more accurate picture of your health than your medical records alone. Depending on your results, you may be able to qualify for one of an insurers’ best underwriting rate classes. The only exception is if you’re asked for an EKG, in which case you should expect the exam to take an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Nicotine and cotinine can stay in your system from a few days to several weeks after smoking, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to pass a life insurance test for tobacco if you are a smoker. Haven Life. Any attempt to fraudulently get approved for better rates can have harsh penalties. All of these are figured out by a qualifie… The company won’t send your entire test results, but they will share the piece of the blood profile which was a cause for concern. While the insurer already collected this information during the application process, they will be checking that your test results and answers are consistent. You should ask the insurer and make sure to request a copy of your test results from the company that performed the analysis. What to expect during the blood & urine test for life insurance. Get a good … Insurance companies can also run a prescription check. Life insurance medical exams are typically handled by third party businesses, such as ExamOne, that insurers hire to handle testing. and a multi-state licensed life insurance agent who has helped over a million Americans seek out affordable coverage, compare quotes, or get their family and businesses covered. Blood tests are commonplace in the medical world, and they are used to find out what is wrong with other people’s bodies. The food you eat, supplements you take, or other extraneous variables can give a false positive, from men and women who work out with supplements to the person who had a poppy seed bagel for breakfast. Copyright © 2020 BestLifeRates.org, LLC. No Medical Exam Life Insurance: Cheap Term & Whole Life Insurance Without a Physical, Best Life Insurance Companies: Top Term and Whole Life Insurers in 2020. Privacy Policy. Some life insurance policies —particularly ones with a high-value death benefit — may require you to take a medical exam or submit a blood test in order to be approved. It is the … Here’s what you can expect on the day of the exam: Without the EKG, the life insurance medical exam should take no longer than 20 minutes. In addition, insurers will try to confirm all the answers you provide, so any inconsistencies later on may lead to you being denied coverage. What do life insurance blood tests look for? Not only do blood tests intimidate us, but they also hurt like hell sometimes, and if you hate seeing blood, it gets even worse. Learn more below. When you sign up for a life insurance policy, you’re going to be asked to take a medical exam, which includes a blood test in addition to a range of other tests. Your risk class, paired with your age, gender and base policy information will determine what you pay. Let’s take a look at exactly the life insurance blood test and paramed exam is testing for: Blood pressure, build (height & weight), diabetes A1C (blood sugars), cholesterol, drugs; including prescription and illegal, excessive alcohol consumption, gout and kidney stones, … In the case that something looks wrong, request a second exam from the insurer. To get the best results on your medical exam, it's a good idea to avoid alcohol leading up to it. Some life insurance providers do routine blood tests to check for certain issues that may affect your overall health and cause your premiums to go up. BestLifeRates.org, LLC. Within each category, there are various different signs that they look for and we have provided each category below. If not, you’ll want to apply for simplified issue life insurance, as this doesn’t require a medical exam. Life Insurance Medical Exams and Blood Tests. 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