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Most life insurance policies come with an extensive medical questionnaire so that your health and medical history can be factored into the price of your premium. And to prove that your answers are accurate, your insurer may require that you take either a full medical exam or some kind of medical test. If yours only requires a urine test, knowing what to expect can help make the process less intimidating.
The amount you pay for your premium is based on the risk you pose to the company, and with life insurance, the risk is that you’ll die before the policy has matured. Your medical conditions and relative health all factor into the amount you pay, or whether the company wants to insure you at all. A urinalysis test is a way to check for certain medical conditions and ensure you’re not abusing drugs.
No. Insurance companies all have different requirements for buying a policy. In addition to urinalysis, the following are some of the more prevalent medical tests required to determine your insurance rate:
Your insurer is looking for confirmation of what you’ve claimed in your medical questionnaire and to make sure you’re not engaging in any dangerous or unhealthy behaviors that might put your life at risk. Some of the more prominent checks include:
Your medical condition and medical history affects your life insurance premium. A basic urine test can check for substances that indicate underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease or infection. These findings probably won’t cause the insurer to refuse your policy, but a pre-existing condition may raise your premiums.
The test will check for any prescription medications to make sure you’re taking the appropriate doses and not taking drugs for health conditions you haven’t disclosed. But your urine will also be tested for illegal drug use, which — if detected — will likely cause your application to be denied. Depending on the company where you are applying, marijuana use may not disqualify you, and probably won’t spur an increase in your premiums as long as it’s legal in your state.
Smokers are considered to be such high-risk applicants that they have their own category for life insurance underwriting. If you claim to be a non-smoker, a urine test will reveal whether you lied on your application. But, if you are, review how smoking affects your life insurance.
The life insurance company pays for the test, but you’re in charge of scheduling it. Once your insurer makes the request, you can schedule the test for whenever your medical center has an opening that works for you. The test should only take 20 to 30 minutes to complete.
In addition to the hair, blood and urine tests, your medical exam will check your overall wellness using a physical exam, in which the technician will:
In truth, there’s not a lot to do to prepare for a urinalysis test, but reading through the dos and don’ts below can help you do your part to avoid any mistakes or delays down the road.
The following tips can help make the day go smoothly:
You may want to avoid the following in the days prior to your test:
If you don’t want to take a urine test, most insurance companies have options for policies you can purchase without one. But just because a medical exam isn’t required doesn’t mean the insurer won’t ask for a test if something comes up during the application process. Here are your non-exam options:
A urine test is a painless, fairly noninvasive way to prove the accuracy of your medical history and get a cheaper life insurance premium. But if you’re concerned about the results or don’t want to subject yourself to a medical exam, shop around for a policy that doesn’t require urinalysis.
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