8 Most Important Things To Remember When Taking A Life Insurance Medical Exam

A life insurance medical examination takes about 30 minutes. The process checks your height, weight, and blood pressure, along with urine and blood samples, accompanied by your medical history.

The healthier the measurements, the lower the premiums.

A lot of people do not take the exam seriously. They just show up for the appointment. That can create problems because of a host of things that can affect your test results. Here are a few important things to remember when taking a life insurance medical exam.

1. Avoid drinking several cups of coffee before the exam

Caffeine stimulants increase blood pressure and heart rate. Get a good night’s sleep so you do not need a big jolt of caffeine to start.

It is probably okay to have your usual cup of coffee in the morning, but having multiple cups is a bad idea. Avoid caffeine as much as possible – including energy drinks – at least an hour before the test.

2. Getting stressed

People will often get nervous when they see an authoritative person taking their blood pressure. That results in stress.

Try to relax yourself as much as possible.

3. Eating when should be fasting

Eating before a blood test can increase triglyceride and glucose readings. Follow the fasting instructions and let the technician know if and when you had anything to eat (just in case).

4. Doing a killer workout

Exercise is good for you in the long run, but intense training can shed protein in your urine, Sears says. Even if the high protein level is temporary, the insurance company may not know that. High levels of protein in the urine can also indicate kidney problems.

It is, therefore, recommended to avoid strenuous exercise for at least 12 hours before the exam.

5. Not drinking water

You might think that you should avoid water before a test in order to maintain your weight.

But, that will do you more harm than good. You should drink plenty of water the day before the exam and a full glass one hour beforehand.

If you are dehydrated, the concentration of your urine may be a little outside the normal range. Dehydration also makes it difficult for you to produce a urine sample.

6. Smoking

You can’t avoid nicotine levels if you are a regular smoker – the evidence will show up in lab tests.

We would still ask you to avoid smoking an hour before the test at the very least. Nicotine, being a stimulant, can easily elevate your blood pressure.

7. Getting drunk the day before

A usual small glass of wine with dinner is probably okay, but do not overdo it. Alcohol may interfere with the results of liver function tests.

We would recommend that you avoid all alcohol at least eight hours before the exam.

7. Binging on chips

Too much salt can lead to dehydration, increase your weight, and reject kidney function tests. Avoid unusually salty foods 24 hours before the exam.

Also, make a list of all the medications you are taking and bring it with you to the exam, along with identification, names of your doctors, phone numbers, and family medical history information. The medical officer will likely review all of this information, even if you have already given it to your life insurance advisor.

So that is basically it. We hope you found the tips handy. Good luck for your life insurance medical exam!