Preparing for a Life Insurance Medical Exam

In the event you are trying to acquire life insurance coverage, be prepared in most cases to undergo a medical exam of some degree.

As opposed to group life insurance (no medical exam required), the majority of term life insurance companies want the individual to undergo a paramedical report. This translates to the fact that an exam must be finished prior to the issuance of an individually underwritten term life insurance policy.

A term life insurance medical exam is the same as the one an individual undergoes if they were purchasing permanent life insurance.

It will generally consist of the following: a urine specimen, blood test, blood pressure reading, and a number of health related questions.

Individuals getting the term life insurance exam can expect it to be performed by a paramedic, nurse or doctor. It usually takes place in the individual's residence or office and is performed at the expense of the term life insurer. Individuals should plan on spending a half an hour for a complete exam, along with an additional half hour in the event chest x-rays or an EKG is necessary.

As you prepare for the exam, avoid unnecessary abnormal exam results, which could place the individual in a different rate class and impact their term life insurance rate.

With the exam around the corner, there are several things you can do to better your chances for a smooth process.

They include: five days to a week before the exam - staying with a healthy diet the week before the exam. Minimize the use of salt and stay away from sugary and extra fatty foods.

Three days prior to the exam - Stay away from any alcohol products for 72 hours before the exam since alcohol is processed by the liver and can lead to liver enzymes becoming elevated.

One day before the exam - Stay away from all caffeine products as that can increase blood pressure. Also avoid nasal decongestants and pain meds like aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. It is also advised to stay away from strenuous exercise.

On the morning of your exam - Skip breakfast and do not use any kind of tobacco. You should also have a list of your doctors (addresses/phone numbers) on hand.

Keep the exam simple and you should be one step closer to acquiring life insurance.