Medical questionnaires and life insurance
[social_share]Many types of life insurance ask applicants to fill out a medical questionnaire. The medical questionnaire can sometimes be utilised instead of a medical examination, or it can be a supplement to one.
Medical questionnaires are employed because they cost far less than an examination. Examinations are usually carried out by a doctor or a senior nurse, and so can be expensive for the life insurance provider, or more usually the applicant.
Life insurance medical questionnaires are very common when the insurance is provided for an employee, or for key man insurance taken out by an employer. These questionnaires are also used frequently by policies provided by trade unions or professional associations.
A medical questionnaire used to be a four or eight page document that was sent to the life insurance applicant, but it’s becoming more common to send a link by email to the applicant. The questionnaire is then filled out online.
The life insurance medical questionnaire is easier to forge or perjure, and so tends to only be used when either the insurance payout is very low, or when the premium on the life insurance is very high. If questions are answered falsely, this often nullifies the policy and the payout either will not be paid or will be severely reduced.
The questionnaire will include a large number of very detailed questions that aim to find out the applicant’s general health. There’s often a time limit on the questions, so for example the applicant may be asked if they have taken any time off ill over the last five years. The reason for this is that some of these questions cannot provide much useful information over a longer time, particularly if the condition is less severe.
Other questions of course won’t have a time limit. This includes questions such as whether there has been a diagnosis of a serious disease or disability. Other likely questions will concern past health habits, such as whether recreational drugs have ever been used or whether the person has had a smoking habit, even if the person is no longer a smoker.
Medical questionnaires and life insurance
Many types of life insurance ask applicants to fill out a medical questionnaire. The medical questionnaire can sometimes be utilised instead of a medical examination, or it can be a supplement to one.
Medical questionnaires are employed because they cost far less than an examination. Examinations are usually carried out by a doctor or a senior nurse, and so can be expensive for the life insurance provider, or more usually the applicant.
Life insurance medical questionnaires are very common when the insurance is provided for an employee, or for key man insurance taken out by an employer. These questionnaires are also used frequently by policies provided by trade unions or professional associations.
A medical questionnaire used to be a four or eight page document that was sent to the life insurance applicant, but it’s becoming more common to send a link by email to the applicant. The questionnaire is then filled out online.
The life insurance medical questionnaire is easier to forge or perjure, and so tends to only be used when either the insurance payout is very low, or when the premium on the life insurance is very high. If questions are answered falsely, this often nullifies the policy and the payout either will not be paid or will be severely reduced.
The questionnaire will include a large number of very detailed questions that aim to find out the applicant’s general health. There’s often a time limit on the questions, so for example the applicant may be asked if they have taken any time off ill over the last five years. The reason for this is that some of these questions cannot provide much useful information over a longer time, particularly if the condition is less severe.
Other questions of course won’t have a time limit. This includes questions such as whether there has been a diagnosis of a serious disease or disability. Other likely questions will concern past health habits, such as whether recreational drugs have ever been used or whether the person has had a smoking habit, even if the person is no longer a smoker.
