How to Prepare For a Life Insurance Physical Exam
Many life insurance policies require you to take a physical exam before they will allow you to take out a policy. This can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it is really nothing to worry about. There are a few things you can do in preparation for your physical exam that will improve your chances of being approved for life insurance and make your payments as low as possible.
A physical exam usually involves blood tests, urine tests, and sometimes also other tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). The examiner will also take your blood pressure and ask you some questions about your health and lifestyle. You must answer these questions honestly because if the insurance company finds out that you have not disclosed a pre-existing condition, your coverage could be void and your relatives will not receive a payout in the event of your death.
The purpose of the physical exam is to get an overview of your general health and to diagnose any pre-existing conditions that would cause you to be considered as a high risk by the insurance company. The results of the physical exam will also be used to set your insurance premiums: the better the state of health that the examiner finds you in, the lower the premiums that you can expect to pay. Although you can't make big changes to your health in the run up to a life insurance physical exam, there are small things that you can do to present your health in the best possible light.
Five days before the physical exam
There is not much that you can do in a few days to improve your health, but the way you act during this time can have a big impact on your test results. It is important to eat healthfully during this time, as food can stay in your body for several days after you eat and can alter your body's chemical and hormonal balances as it digests. In particular, you should avoid excessively fatty and salty foods, as these foods increase cholesterol levels in the blood in the short term. High cholesterol levels are associated with heart disease, which is considered a high-risk illness by life insurance companies.
Do not drink alcohol for at least three days before the test. Alcohol is broken down by enzymes that are produced in the liver in response to the presence of alcohol in the body. An increased level of these liver enzymes is associated with some health conditions, including liver disease. If the examiner suspects that you are at risk of one of these conditions because you have an increased level of liver enzymes in your blood, then your premiums may be higher than they would otherwise be, even if you are actually healthy.
If you smoke, it would be a good idea to cut down or stop for a few days before your physical exam. The health benefits of stopping smoking start to occur very quickly after your last cigarette: your blood pressure and pulse rate take less than an hour to drop back to normal, and the nicotine will be completely out of your system after three days. Breathing will also become easier within as little of three days, which makes it less likely that you will be identified as being at a high risk of lung disease and charged higher premiums.
Twenty-four hours before the physical exam
Avoid caffeine for at least 24 hours before your physical exam. Caffeine has a short-term impact on blood pressure, which is one of the major factors that is used in a medical exam to form an overview of your general health.
You should also avoid exercising for 24 hours before the exam. Although exercise is good for your health, in the short term it can dehydrate you and drain your body of minerals such as potassium. Exercising heavily could lead to abnormal urine test results, meaning that you will either be required to take another test, rejected for insurance cover, or forced to pay higher premiums.
You should not eat anything for at least 8 hours before the test, and it is better to fast for 12 hours if you can. Eating has a dramatic short-term impact on blood sugar levels, which means that it is difficult to get an exact picture of your health from a blood sample taken shortly after your last meal. Pre-test fasting might be unpleasant and inconvenient, but it is necessary in order to avoid test results that are invalid or that mistakenly identify you as having a blood sugar disorder such as diabetes.
Relax
Many people find physical exams stressful. There is the possibility of being diagnosed with a health condition that you didn't know you had, which is understandably worrying. Physical exams for life insurance cover are particularly stressful, as your chance of getting vital protection for your family depends on the outcome of the physical exam. Some people are also made uncomfortable by the examination process itself. However, it is important to not let yourself become stressed out at the thought of a physical exam. Stress can have a big impact on your test results, particularly the measurement of your blood pressure. In the time you have before the test, it is a good idea to prepare yourself by putting some relaxation strategies in place. If you have time, try to master self-calming techniques such as deep breathing or meditation, which you can use to bring down your stress levels in the examination room. Above all, bear in mind that most people are able to get life insurance. Provided that you don't have any serious health conditions, you should have nothing to worry about.