Life Insurance Blog

Life Insurance Medical Requirements

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Many people believe that they will need to undergo medical exams in order to take out life insurance, however this is often not the case.

The majority of Australians can apply for and take out life insurance without the need for blood tests or medical exams, and this doesn’t mean having to compromise on the quality of your life insurance policy.

Life insurance companies will generally only impose medical requirements in certain circumstances.  Common triggers include existing medical issues or previous health history, applications for large amounts of cover as well as certain age ranges.

What do life insurance medicals involve?

There are various types of medical requirements that life insurance companies can request, and not all of them involve a visit to the doctor.

In many cases the medical requirements can be limited to a simple blood test.  Most insurers now offer a service at no cost to you where a qualified nurse can visit you at your home or workplace to undertake the test at a time which suits you.

More serious cases may involve a medical exam by your doctor or one appointed by the insurance company.  The comprehensiveness of the exam can vary and will depend on the insurer’s reasons for requesting the exam.

When is a medical required?

In most cases the insurance companies will only impose medical requirements when they require more information about a specific condition or when they believe their risk may be increased.

Age

A common trigger is the age of the applicant.  As we get older our risk of health complications increases, and therefore the insurance companies like to undertake a medical to ensure there are no pre-existing issues that need to be addressed.

Sum Insured

The amount of cover you apply for can also trigger medical requirements.  This will not be an issue for the average Australian, however if you are insuring yourself for a large amount the insurance companies like to make sure there are no pre-existing concerns.

Existing Health Issues

If you have disclosed any health or medical issues on your application, in some cases the insurance company may request a medical exam in order to obtain more information about the issue.

This is not always a bad thing, as a favourable medical report may enable the insurer to issue a life insurance policy to you, even though the condition may have previously excluded you.

Avoiding a medical exam

There are a number of life insurance companies now offering insurance without medical exams, and in some cases without even asking any medical questions on their application forms.

Whilst this may seem attractive at first, it is very important to check the fine print.  Generally these types of policies will exclude claims for all pre-existing medical issues, meaning that you chances of having a claim denied can increase significantly.

The importance of medical requirements

Whilst having to get blood tests or undergoing medical exams is not the most enjoyable thing to do, it does help to ensure that you life insurance is properly priced.

It also gives you the comfort of knowing that your life insurance provider knows everything they need to about your health and medical situation, which can reduce the risk of any surprises or complications at claim time.

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Stephen Handley
Stephen Handley
My name is Stephen Handley. I have over 20 years experience in IT, Project Management and Financial Services. By combining this experience, I hope to make it easier for Australians to find good quality and affordable life insurance. Furthermore, I am not connected to any life insurance company. So, in the unfortunate event of a claim, you'll have someone in your corner, representing your interests.