Called For A Medical Examination

By Author: Norris Rios
Total Articles: 572
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There is a slight oddity when it comes to signing up for an auto or homeowners policy. The insurer never asks to see the vehicle or your home. You are trusted. Well, that's not strictly true. If it later turns out you were less than honest when you described the vehicle or your home, the insurer can cancel the policy. That way, the insurer is not at risk of "fraud". Particularly when it comes to the liability side of the policy, the insurer can be facing big claims for third party liabilities. You happened to collide with a Bimmer containing a banker. That's big dollars! But when it comes to insuring your life, the moment you admit to being a little bit older or ask for six (or more) figures of coverage, the insurer is suddenly very interested to get your medical history and, potentially, meet with you. Except, of course, you get invited to a medical examination rather than having to go through the equivalent of a job interview. Some insurers employ their own paramedics, or subcontract the work out. So exactly what can you expect if you are asked along to one of these meetings or, if you are lucky, the insurer sends round a ...
... mobile service to your door?

Insurance is all about estimating the risk. In this case, it's guessing your life expectancy. So the paramedic will go through your family history and then assess you. Hopefully, all your close relatives lived long and healthy lives. If not, you could find the examination gets a lot more detailed. If, say, your father had a heart attack, you could find yourself sent for detailed testing to judge whether you are also at risk. The actuaries who are paid to protect the insurance companies' profits, lay down strict criteria for accepting people. They have detailed models of high-risk applicants. So, the examination starts with the basics of your height, weight and blood pressure. With the majority of adults currently overweight, this immediately puts many people on the borderline rejection side of the line. If you smoke and drink more than a "modest" amount, you will be rejected. It's the same result if you have the wrong kind of job or dangerous hobbies. Insurers prefer you to have a quiet desk job and sit at home reading for fun. If you actually clean the windows on high-rise office blocks and go caving every weekend, the odds favor rejection.

If you are older, you are likely to be put on a treadmill with wires sprouting out of your chest to monitor general stamina, heart and breathing. In short, you should be prepared for a full wellness check-up. You will always know whether the news is good when the offer of a policy is confirmed and the premium stays low. You proved healthy and the life insurance premiums can collect money from you over the decades to come. But if you are actually refused or the premium hikes to a new high, this suggests your life expectancy is short. If one life insurance company rejects you, others will follow unless you do something dramatic to change your lifestyle and improve your health.