What Medical Tests are Required for Term Insurance?
Term insurance offers a sum assured to the beneficiary of the policyholder upon their death that can help them maintain their current lifestyle. While the policy offers substantial coverage, it also attracts lower premiums based on certain factors like age, medical history, and policy duration. Your and your family’s medical history is essential to buy term insurance plans that offer significant benefits at lower premiums. Thorough medical tests are done to know the current status of your health, which also decides if your premium rate will increase. Read on to know more about the importance of term insurance medical tests and the list of tests conducted on a customer.
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What Are The Medical Tests Done For Term Insurance
Why Are Medical Tests For Term Insurance Needed?
While purchasing a new term insurance policy, the individual must fulfil mandatory criteria. The basic steps to be followed include filling up an application form and providing documents declaring the identity of the policy buyer.
While purchasing a term insurance policy, applicants must take a medical test. Conducting medical tests during the policy purchase is essential for both the insurer and the insured as it determines the substance & value of the policy plan.
There is a term insurance medical test list that all insurers follow. So, these tests are crucial for making sure you get the right coverage at the right price.
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Importance of Medical Tests for Term Insurance
The importance of conducting medical tests for term life insurance plan are:
Decision making: Lower premiums are charged to healthy applicants. The premiums increase for applicants with underlying health problems or critical illness history. The overall decision of whether to provide policy is also taken based on the applicant’s medical examination.
Customized Coverage: The results of these medical tests allow insurers buying term or life insurance to customize your insurance coverage to fit your specific health profile. If you're in good health, you may qualify for lower premiums or higher coverage amounts. On the other hand, if you have pre-existing medical conditions, your policy can be adjusted to accommodate those needs.
Lowering claim rejection: Non-disclosure of medical history might lead to policy disputes and claim rejections. An accurate image of the policy buyer’s health conditions while buying is essential for the right policy management.
Effect on the sum assured: The sum assured is the amount of the insurance coverage received by the beneficiary/nominee of the policyholder. If an unfortunate event occurs, the sum assured is given to the policy nominee or beneficiary as a death benefit. If your initial medical test results are fine, you might receive a higher sum assured.
*Note: It is firstly important to know what is term insurance, and then understand in detail about the medical test for term insurance.
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What Are the Medical Tests Needed for Term Insurance?
The following are the main term insurance medical tests done as part of the policy activation:
BMI Test
Urine Test
Blood Test
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Blood Sugar
Kidney Function Test
Liver Function Test
Lipid Profile
Echocardiography
Chest X-Ray
HIV Test
Ultrasonography
Comprehensive Trail-Making Test
Treadmill Test
BMI Test This test involves calculating the height and weight of the applicant. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated in this basic test. It serves more as a benchmark for other tests rather than a measure of any condition.
Urine Test A series of tests may be conducted on your urine. This is called Urinalysis. Clinical tests are conducted to evaluate the medical condition of the applicant. Different testing methods are available. The general criteria are to find out any bodily troubles you possess.
Blood Test Regular blood testing is something advised for any human being. It is the most common method of testing to understand the medical condition of a person. For a term insurance policy applicant, a blood test might be conducted to determine different aspects of the body. All routine checkups will be completed. If you are showing any negative symptoms, then the insurer may ask for deeper tests.
Complete Blood Count (CBC) This is the type of blood test where your total number of blood cells will be counted. In this test, any medication side effects you possess can be determined. A complete blood count test is an ideal solution for screening any hidden ailments.
Blood Sugar The blood sugar test measures the quantity of sugar or glucose in your blood. The best use of this test is to diagnose diabetes. For insurance medical tests, the most considered option is fasting blood sugar. The test result of this particular factor determines your health condition in a wide range of medical domains.
Kidney Function Test The test, as the name implies, is ideally used to determine the functioning of the kidney. Blood or urine samples may be collected for the test. Knowing your kidney numbers is critical for policy providers. A weakened kidney function is a sign of potential health limitations in the future.
Liver Function Test The liver is also a vital organ like the kidney. Therefore, it is essential to determine the functional status of the applicant’s liver. The test includes a series of steps to measure the enzyme levels & blood protein content. Conditions like Hepatitis can be diagnosed by using this. A liver function test may act as a mirror of your habits too.
Lipid Profile Lipid profile tests are done to recognize the cholesterol or similar diseases that your blood carries. Knowledge of the abnormal cholesterol/fat content could serve as an important parameter to predict your future medical conditions.
Echocardiography Echocardiography can produce images of your heart. Your heart’s functioning and risk predictions can be monitored. Types of this test include ECG, stress echocardiography, and 3D echocardiography. The procedure might not be as simple as urine or blood sampling but the risks involved in the process are minimal.
Chest X-Ray Chest X-Ray uses a radiation beam to understand how your heart, lungs, and bone are working. This is a functional test in healthcare that the insurance companies highly recommend. If you have minor conditions affecting the blood vessels or airways, it can be found using the X-ray method.
HIV Test This is one of those tests that perhaps won’t be asked by every policy provider. The test, as you might already know, is to determine whether a person is HIV positive. Conducting this test before the policy provision may avoid future confusion between both parties.
Ultrasonography In the insurance context, the major purpose of ultrasonography might be to find out about the diagnosis of serious diseases like cancer. Main vital organ conditions can be diagnosed by this method.
Comprehensive Trail-Making Test This comes under the category of neuropsychological tests. Visual attention is highly covered in this scenario. Insurance providers might use this test as a take on your balanced view & psychoanalysis.
Treadmill Test This voluntary test helps you to learn about your cardio rates & stress monitoring. This is a general test for insurance firms to understand your blood flow, pressure rates, and breathing capacity. You may also be subjected to various tests depending on your insurance policy provider’s procedures & format. However, you should note that all the above tests are not mandatorily required to provide term insurance. Now that we have understood the term insurance medical test list, let’s understand how a person can assess his/her own health risks, which is also known as risk perception.
What Is Risk Perception?
Risk perception refers to how an individual perceives and understands the potential risks associated with their health and the insurance policy they are applying for. It involves the individual's assessment of their own health and the likelihood of certain health-related events occurring, such as illnesses or premature death.
For example, someone with a family history of heart disease may perceive a higher risk of developing heart-related issues, which can affect their choice of coverage and willingness to undergo medical tests. Similarly, an applicant who believes they are in good health may perceive lower risks and may expect more favorable policy terms.
What Is Video/Tele Medical Check-Up In Term Insurance?
Video/tele medical check-up in term insurance is a process that allows applicants, especially NRIs, to complete their medical evaluation remotely, usually through a video or telephonic medium. This method is convenient for Indian Expats, like foreign nationals, PIO and OCI card holders and NRIs who opt for term insurance plans from Indian insurers.
What are the factors affecting Term Insurance Medical Tests?
The main objective of a term insurance medical test in India is for the insurance provider to know everything about the health of a term plan applicant. Subsequently, the insurer can tailor personalized term insurance coverage, considering factors such as maximum coverage tenure, optimal premium rates, and other policy benefits.
The terms and conditions for life insurance plans, especially term insurance, are determined by the outcomes of the medical test mandated by the insurance company. Let's discuss specific policy attributes influenced by the results of a term plan medical test.
Premium amount payable
The insurance provider's primary aim is to assess the premium amount for your term plan based on your overall health. This model of life insurance relies on evaluating an applicant's risk perception. A thorough physical health examination is essential to determine an appropriate premium quote. Peak physical health results in a lower premium, while identifying pre-existing medical conditions increases the risk. Consequently, individuals with such conditions may face higher premiums for their desired coverage.
Sum Assured
The medical test in term insurance results influences the Sum Assured in a term insurance policy. This amount represents the insurance benefit your family receives in case of an unfortunate event during the policy term. Optimal health results in a higher Sum Assured, providing better financial coverage. Term insurance policies in India that don't require a medical test often offer a lower Sum Assured, potentially insufficient for family financial needs. Before the medical test, it's advisable to research available term insurance plans and use an term insurance calculator to estimate the premium for the desired Sum Assured.
Claim Rejection
Many people mistakenly believe that even if they have a pre-existing health condition, they can avail of the desired coverage by opting for a plan that does not require a term insurance medical test. At the time of claim settlement, if the insurance provider finds that the policyholder’s untimely demise results from any pre-existing condition not mentioned in their application, the insurer can reject your term insurance claim. Filling out your term insurance application requires you to disclose any existing health conditions that may develop into life-threatening ailments later and result in claim rejection.
Wrapping It Up!
The above-summarized tests are not an exhaustive list of medical tests. Insurance companies may opt to do their own custom set of medical tests. There is a chance the tests may be different for different applicants. There is also a huge chance that the insurance executives or agents might be willing to compromise the tests included.
You should always focus on the policy provider and the best term insurance plan first. The medical tests and their details are only secondary compared to those basic factors. However, it is always recommended to go for a policy with medical tests for credibility.
FAQ's
Q. Who will pay for the medical tests in term insurance?
Ans: The insurer covers the costs of the medical tests in the majority of the cases. However, it is also advised that you confirm this with the company once.
Q. Are term insurance medical tests mandatory?
Ans: Physical medical examinations may be necessary on a case-by-case basis, depending on the customer's profile. Factors considered include age, gender, existing health conditions, habits like smoking or alcohol consumption, and overall health. While undergoing a test can result in a lower premium, it also allows the insurance provider to assess your health status, influencing the determination of your plan's premium. Without the test, the company lacks insights into your health, potentially leading to a higher premium to account for potential risks.
Q. Should medical records or history be submitted to the insurer?
Ans: Yes, the insurer may request you to enter some health reports if you have disclosed a previous medical history when filling out the application form. In such cases, it is advised to submit the essential documents.
Q. Are there any hidden T&Cs that you should be aware of?
Ans: No, there are no such hidden T&Cs related to the term insurance medical test.
†Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For a complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website, www.irdai.gov.in