Life Insurance Medical Exams

What do they look for?

Too often, people seem reluctant to follow through with the medical exam process associated with a traditional life insurance policy.  It's always in your best interest to follow through with this part of the application process though.  Here are a couple of reasons why:

-- When you're willing to allow the life insurance company to pay for
    an exam from a qualified nurse, you could be eligible for the best
    possible rates.  Granted... if you're not in the best of health... the
    exam may not help you.  But it shouldn't hurt you either.  In other
    words, with an exam or without, your rates will be higher than
    those associated with health "perfection" anyway. 

--  If you decide not to purchase a plan that is medically underwritten
     and go for a "no-exam life insurance policy", you'll probably wind
     up with a bare bones plan that allows you poor options or worse--     no options-- when it comes to convertibility later in life.  In other
     words-- if you purchase a term plan that's non-medical in
     nature-- when your term is up... it's up.  That's all she wrote as
     they say.  You'll not be granted the option to automatically
     convert to a permanent life insurance policy.  Most reputable
     companies supply this option without requiring proof of insurability
     at the expiration of your term life insurance policy-- but only if
     you underwent the medical underwriting process at the time of
     application.

So the real purpose of this article isn't to sell you on the prospect of getting poked with a needle and donating urine for a life insurance plan.  It's to tell you what's involved and to give you an idea with regard to what the insurance company will look for when they receive the results from the medical examination company.  Don't let what follows intimidate you.  In fact, be impressed instead.  The insurance company is going to pay for your exam whether or not you decide to accept the policy.  So it's free, fast and mostly painless.  When it's all said and done, you get a copy of the report with your results.

So here's what you can expect to see in the report:

Coronary Profile.
Cholesterol:   Cholesterol is a Blood lipid (fat) which has a direct correlation with the chances of developing coronary heart disease.  Elevated cholesterol levels can be hereditary or from excess dietary intake of cholesterol rich foods. 

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL):  High density lipoproteins facilitate the transport of lipids (fats) to bodily tissues.  HDL removes excess cholesterol from arteries, inhibiting the formation of atherosclerotice lesions.  HDL can be increased by regular exercise, weight loss, smoking cessation, and reduction of fat intake.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL):  Low density lipoprotein is known as the "bad" cholesterol.  High levels of LDL carry cholesterol through the blood, "painting" it on arteries in combination of calcium and plaques.

Verylow Density Lipoprotein (VLDL):  Circulating fatty acids are converted by the liver to form triglycerides that are packaged with apoprotein and cholesterol which are transorted as very low density lipoproteins in the blood.  These tests are specifically calculated to determine the risk of coronary heart disease.

Triglycerides:  A blood lipid (fat) derived primarily from carbohydrate intake.  High levels may be associated with various disorders, including diabetes, alcohol abuse, and pancreatitis.  Readings are extremely sensitive to diet. 

Cholesterol/HDL Ratio:  Cholesterol reading divided by the HDL reading.  The best tool for gauging the risk of developing premature coronary disease.  The lower the ratio, the lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

LDL/HDL Ratio:  Low Density Lipoprotein divided by the High Density Lipoprotein.  The higher this ratio, the greater the risk for coronary atherosclerosis.

More on this topic... see next  page for Urine Profile information for life insurance exams >>>