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Five Most Common Ways to Screw Up Your Life Insurance Application
April 03, 2020
We operate with the goal of bringing awareness to the various life insurance companies in the marketplace that focus on unique niches. Each niche filled offers the client an opportunity to get the best life insurance rates, based on that client’s particular health or lifestyle. However, another huge key to finding the right life insurance policy for you is knowing when to take an exam versus no exam life insurance. It might be that for the wisest course is to choose from among the top ten best no medical exam companies rather than risk taking an exam.
Applying for a life insurance policy may be a bit stressful. Although most people will qualify for some kind of coverage, there is still a chance that you can be denied life insurance. Sometimes, this is simply due to unnecessary mistakes during the life insurance application process. By knowing these we hope to increase your chance of getting a life insurance policy.
1. Exercising before the exam
When we say relax before your exam, we mean relax. No trips to the gym (or the bar). Exercise is typically good for your body and in the long run can help you increase your chances of getting approved for life insurance. However, the 24 hours leading up to an exam, exercise may actually hurt you. That’s because exercise increases your blood pressure and sometimes increases the presence of protein in your urine. Both of these things can be subject to question by a life insurance underwriter. By avoiding any exercise for the 24 hours leading up to an exam, you can increase your chances of getting approved at an affordable rate.
Tip: Avoid exercise and relax for at least 24 hours before the exam.
2. Taking a medical exam or applying with the wrong company
Often times, people apply to whatever life insurance company they hear of first. This is a bad idea! You wouldn’t buy a car or a home without shopping around, so why would you buy from a life insurance company without doing so? We admit, it’s difficult to know which life insurance company is right for you, but choosing the wrong one can leave you denied a life insurance policy or paying a much higher premium than you should be paying.
The key is finding the right company for you. So how do you know which life insurance company and policy is best for who? We recommend that you speak to a life insurance agent who can help guide you towards the right company.
Sometimes even just deciding to take the exam versus not take the exam can be a mistake. If you haven't had a check-up in a while, the exam could return some results that you are unaware of and thus increase your rate.
3. Consuming alcohol and supplements before the exam
Alcohol consumed within 24 hours of your life insurance medical exam can negatively impact your rate or eligibility. Alcohol often has high sugar content, plus having alcohol present in your urine on the day of your medical test is not the best idea.
Similarly, supplements such as creatine and protein powders can show up in your urine sample. When the insurance company sees this in your urine, you may get a higher rate or you may be asked to do some additional follow up, such as having a urine sample taken by your doctor. Either way, it’s a waste of time and money that can be easily avoided simply by laying off for two or three days before your exam.
Tip: Don’t consume alcohol or workout supplements for at least 24-48 hours before your life insurance medical exam.
4. Not being prepared for the exam
The morning of your exam you should do a few simple things to give you the best results on your life insurance medical checkup. These things will work in your favor, and even if slightly, they may impact your test results:
- Drink water to flush your system and make you ready for a urine sample.
- Don’t drink coffee. The caffeine can negatively impact your system.
- Avoid breakfast. Better to go on an empty stomach than worry about sugar spikes.
- Don’t rush into your blood pressure check. Once the examiner arrives at your home or you get to the clinic, wait until you feel relaxed to take your blood pressure.
- Take the elevator. Don’t climb five flights of stairs to the examiner’s office. This will raise your pulse and possibly increase your blood pressure.
- Don’t slouch. Your BMI is determined by comparing your body weight to height. If you slouch while being measured for your height, then you will lose height. Stretch your back and hold your head high in order to measure as tall as possible and save money.
Tip: know what life insurance companies test for and follow some basic steps to ensure you get the best life insurance rate.
5. Misinformation
Giving misinformation whether accidentally or on purpose can cause your application to get declined.
Even if it does get approved, it could be considered null and void by the time it comes to paying out to your beneficiaries.
When you die, your life insurance company will conduct an investigation. For example, if you have said that you don’t smoke, and paid for a non-smokers policy, and then die of lung cancer, then a life insurance policy may not payout if it can be linked to nicotine use. You’ll have essentially paid for a life insurance policy and got nothing in return! Why take that risk?
Tip: Tell the truth to the best of your abilities during your life insurance interview to help you secure life insurance and to ensure that it’s valid at the time of you pass away.
