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Top Reasons People Avoid the Doctor

Licensed Life Insurance Agent/Staff Writer
March 18, 2020

Getting regular checkups and help with a health condition can help you live a longer, healthier life (and earn you lower life insurance premiums). Unfortunately, going to the doctor isn't nearly as fun as other wellness activities, like playing your favorite sport or eating a nutritious meal. 

We set out to learn what people specifically dislike about going to the doctor. What we found: people dread long wait times and high costs.

Methodology

We surveyed 500 people on Pollfish about how often they visit the doctor and what they dislike about the experience. Then we asked if the things they dislike have caused them to put off a visit.

Correlations & Key Findings

The number one reason people hate going to the doctor is sitting in the waiting room for too long, according to 32% of respondents.

cost is the reason they avoid the doctor

The cost of going to the doctor came in at a close second, capturing 31% of the responses.

afraid to catch an illness and is uncomfortable

Just under 17% of people said going to the doctor is uncomfortable, while 10% said they’re afraid to catch an illness.

3% don't trust their doctor

A few respondents (3%) admitted they don’t trust their doctor.

56% say they put off going to the doctor

Over half (56%) of respondents said they had put off going to the doctor because of one of these reasons.

Luckily, life insurance medical exams don’t require a doctor’s visit

Considering the negatives associated with going to the doctor, wouldn’t it be nice if medical professionals brought back house calls? Well, actually, that’s exactly what life insurance companies are arranging for life insurance medical exams.

If an insurer requires you to undergo a medical exam before issuing coverage, it will typically send a paramedical professional to your home—and foot the bill. It won’t even cost you gas. Some insurance companies go a step further by offering no exam life insurance, allowing you to forgo medical testing altogether.

Let's face it: seeing a doctor can be a pain. But the truth is, you shouldn’t put off a medical exam or going to the doctor, because taking good care of yourself is the best way to take good care of your loved ones, too. So go ahead and make that appointment. Your family will appreciate it.

Written by
Kathryn Casna
Kathryn Casna is a licensed insurance agent and life insurance specialist who has appeared on The Simple Dollar and Best Company. On a weekly basis, she dives into complex life insurance topics to wring out genuinely useful information. When she’s not wrangling big ideas into easy-to-understand articles, Kathryn nerds out on budget-tracking spreadsheets and tries to coax her leash-trained cat to take outdoor adventures.