Do you need a medical to get life insurance?

This depends on the insurer you choose. If you are applying for a large amount of cover, you may be asked to attend a medical with either a nurse or doctor. All applications are considered individually. If you are asked to have a medical, it's so that your insurer can learn more while assessing your application. It doesn't automatically mean your application won't be accepted.

With our Life Insurance plan, most people aren't asked to have a medical.

Your age and how much cover you’re applying for are key factors that will impact whether or not you'll be asked to complete a medical.

When you apply, you’ll usually be asked questions about your lifestyle and health. These include how much alcohol you drink, your weight and height, and if you smoke. You’ll also usually be asked about your family’s medical history, and if you have any pre-existing conditions. That means any symptoms, medication, advice, treatment or diagnostic tests for a disease, illness or injury you had before taking out the policy. 

You may also be asked about recent overseas travel, to find out if you’ve travelled to countries where there may be a health risk.

It's important to answer the medical questions, and all other application questions, correctly and truthfully. If you don’t, it may invalidate your policy. That means it may be cancelled, or the insurer might not be able to pay out when a claim is made, if something comes to light in the future, and you hadn't told them about it. You could also be declined at application stage, if new information is found when your application is referred to an underwriter for assessment. 

This will depend upon your chosen insurance provider. If you apply for our Life Insurance Plan and we can’t make an instant decision about if we can offer you cover, we’ll refer your application to our underwriters, so they can look at it in more detail. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need a medical; it might just mean we ask for one of the following:

Information from you

If we need some more information about a condition you have told us about on your application.

GP’s report

With your permission, we’ll ask your doctor for a medical report. This is to get more information about your health, your current treatment, any past conditions, and any medical conditions in your family. We’ll usually ask for reports to be sent electronically, to speed things up.

Mini screening

This is a simple screening done by a nurse at your home or workplace. They’ll usually take your blood pressure, height and weight measurements, to work out your Body Mass Index (BMI), and carry out a urine test. A test to confirm your smoker status may also be completed.

Medical examination

 It usually involves a few detailed questions by a doctor and a full examination, including heart, chest, blood pressure and a urine test. You may have had a similar health check in the past. If you haven't, please be reassured these are usually straight-forward and carried out by a professionally accredited doctor. You can ask any questions beforehand if you have any concerns.

We’ll cover the cost and arrange it for you. It can be at your home, workplace, or at a medical centre — wherever and whenever suits you best.

The process from application through approval or denial for a fully-underwritten policy typically takes several weeks. However, timelines can vary among financial organisations, and delays in reports from physicians and other parties can slow down the process further. With Aviva, if we need further medical information, we’ll get things moving as quickly as we can, and update you along the way.

While we decide on your application, you'll receive our Protection Promise. This means once you've applied, you're covered - free of charge - for the amount you requested up to £500,000. This lasts until we’ve made our decision, you withdraw your application, or up to 90 days after we’ve confirmed your protection promise cover has started.

For some whole of life policies, you won’t be asked to have a medical before you’re accepted, regardless of your health. Our Over 50s Life Insurance doesn't require you to have a medical. For this policy, the payout on a valid claim is guaranteed, provided you continue to pay your premiums, but from the anniversary date after your 90th birthday, or after 30 years of payments, you won't pay a penny more. To apply for our over 50 life insurance, you won't need to answer any health questions. You'll be accepted, if you're eligible to apply. Your premium is based on your age, smoking status and how much cover you'd like. It's worth remembering that as the payout is guaranteed, premiums for whole of life policies tend to be higher than for term policies.

The most important thing is to get the cover that's right for you and your family in the years to come. To help you weigh up the pros and cons, the below article provides an overview of the different types of life insurance we offer.