What Medical Test are Required to Buy Term Insurance?

2025-05-23

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Medical test plays a crucial role when buying a term insurance plan. Your medical history helps in evaluating the premium amount. Tests will assist in knowing the current health condition of the policyholder and life assured. Various factors impact the premium of a term insurance plan, and the medical test is one such factor.

Insurers can ascertain the sum assured to a policyholder and the premium based on the analysis of their medical condition, including any pre-existing diseases.

A medical test helps assess the risk perception of the applicant. A healthier individual will have a lower risk of being diagnosed with life-threatening diseases. Therefore, the premium of the term plan will be low for healthy people.

Let us understand the entire picture revolving around the medical test for buying a term insurance plan.

Key Takeaways

A medical test for term insurance helps insurers assess health risks, ensuring fair premium calculation based on your current health condition.
Healthy individuals with no pre-existing conditions get lower premiums, as they pose a lower risk of life-threatening diseases to insurers.
Disclosing medical conditions through tests prevents future claim disputes, ensuring financial security for your beneficiaries.
The term insurance medical test list includes BMI, blood sugar, lipid profile, kidney and liver function tests, and ECG, depending on the insurer.
Some insurers offer remote health assessments via tele or video calls, making it easier to complete the medical test process.

Why are Medical Tests Important while Buying a Term Plan?

There are several benefits of going through a medical test while buying a term life insurance plan, and listed below are a few of them:

Correct Sum Assured

A life insurer can easily decide on the Sum Assured that would fit the applicant by assessing their current health condition. With no pre-existing disease, the applicant is more likely to get a higher Sum Assured at an affordable premium rate. The Sum Assured may get lower if you have certain illnesses that will impact your survival in the future.

Lowers the Risk of Claim Rejection

If the policyholder passes away due to an existing illness and this condition wasn't declared by them while buying the term plan, insurers might reject the claim made by the beneficiaries. It is better to have your medical test done to be on the safer side. Surely, you wouldn't want your family to face hardships when you aren't around.

Right Premium Amount

A medical test gives an overall risk perception of the applicant. It allows the insurer to gauge the risk involved and decide the premium the applicant has to pay. If the applicant is very healthy, the premium amount of the term plan would be low.

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Which Medical Tests are Required to Buy a Term Insurance Plan?

The number and type of medical tests will depend on the applicant's age and the coverage required, among other factors. However, it also depends on the insurer. The requirement may vary from one insurer to the other.

Listed below are a few medical tests that are generally conducted to assess a term insurance policy application:

Type of Medical Test	Detail
Body Mass Index (BMI)	It is a basic test to determine whether the applicant is healthy or not. The height and weight of the applicant are taken into consideration.
Lipid Profile	This test is carried out to diagnose cholesterol or any similar disease.
Urine Test	In urinalysis, a series of tests will be conducted to evaluate different conditions of the applicant's body.
Blood Sugar	This test will determine the sugar or glucose level in your blood. Diabetes is diagnosed using this test. The applicant may have to go through a fasting blood sugar test for it.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)	The total number of blood cells is counted in a CBC test. If the applicant is on some medication, it can be detected in this test.
Ultrasonography	This test is conducted to determine cancer. The condition of the vital organs can be known in this test.
Kidney Function Test	It determines the functioning of the kidneys. A weak kidney is a sign that the applicant may contract serious issues in the future.
Liver Function Test	The test measure the enzyme level and protein content in the blood. Health conditions like Hepatitis can be determined using this test.
Echocardiography	The functioning of the heart is assessed using images of the heart. ECG, stress echocardiography, and 3D echocardiography are some of the tests, which may be done.
Chest X-Ray	It is done to understand how the applicant's heart, lungs, and bones are functioning. Minor health conditions affect the blood vessels, which can be found out using X-Ray.
HIV	It is conducted to know whether the applicant is HIV positive or not.

Learn what impacts your term insurance premium.

What are Tele and Video Medical Tests in a Term Insurance Plan?

Instead of a physical test, a doctor will call the applicant or video call the applicant. The applicant needs to disclose everything about their health issues about them and their families. The insurance company has all the rights to reject the application if later on it is found that any crucial information was not disclosed.

Term life insurance is a financial necessity. It is best to buy it when you are young as you can avail of it for a lower premium (Read: why should you buy a term plan early in life). As far as a medical test is concerned, it will help you understand your health better, and also ensure that there are no issues with your policy. And why wouldn't you want to be rewarded with a lower premium for being healthy?

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Step-by-Step Guide to the Medical Test Procedure

Undergoing a medical test for term insurance is a simple yet crucial process that helps determine your eligibility and premium. Here’s a quick step-by-step approach to help you ensure a smooth experience:

1. Schedule the Medical Test

Once you apply for a term plan, your insurer will provide a term insurance medical test list. It will outline the required tests based on your age, health, and the sum assured. The tests can be conducted at a designated diagnostic centre or, in some cases, from the comfort of your home via home sample collection.

2. Prepare for the Test

To get accurate results, follow these simple guidelines:

Fast for at least 8-10 hours before blood sugar and cholesterol tests.
Please ensure no alcohol or cigarettes are consumed within the 24-hour period before the test.
Get a good night's rest to keep stress levels low, as stress can affect test results.
Inform the medical examiner about any medications you are taking.

3. Undergo the Required Medical Tests

The insurer’s medical tests for term insurance typically include basic health checks, blood tests, urine tests, and heart health screenings. Some common tests include:

Body Mass Index (BMI)
Lipid Profile
Blood Sugar Test
Kidney and Liver Function Tests
Electrocardiogram (ECG)

4. Medical Report Review

Once the tests are completed, the reports are sent to the insurer for evaluation. If any abnormalities are detected, the insurer may request additional tests or a doctor’s assessment.

5. Policy Approval and Premium Calculation

Based on the test results, the insurer determines the risk level and finalises your premium. If your health parameters are within the expected range, you can avail yourself of a lower premium. In case of pre-existing conditions, the insurer may adjust the premium or include specific terms in the policy.

Completing the term insurance medical test list is essential to secure financial protection for your loved ones. By ensuring transparency in your health details, you not only safeguard your coverage but also prevent potential claim issues in the future.

Conclusion

Term life insurance is a financial necessity. It is best to buy it when people are young, as they can avail of it for a lower premium (Read: why should you buy a term plan early in life). As far as a medical test for term insurance is concerned, it will help anybody understand their health better and also ensure that there are no issues with their policy. And why wouldn't anybody want to be rewarded with a lower premium for being healthy?

Glossary

Aleatory Contract: An agreement between two parties where they do not have to perform any actions until a certain event occurs.
Underwriting: The process of evaluating risks to protect investors, banks, insurance agencies, and other financial institutions.
Indemnification: The act of paying or promising to pay someone an amount of money if they suffer damage or loss.
Body Mass Index (BMI): A measurement of body fat based on height and weight, used to evaluate overall health and obesity risks.
Pre-Existing Condition: A health condition diagnosed before purchasing an insurance policy, which may affect coverage and premiums.

FAQs

Yes, undergoing certain medical tests are required to buy a term insurance plan.

If you fail a medical test for a term insurance plan, you may be charged higher premiums by the insurance provider.

Term insurance does not cover death occurring due to fourth-stage cancer, particular kinds of diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, diseases caused by lifestyle, and more.

Term insurance usually covers an extensive list of critical illnesses that can be life-threatening. Each critical illness has a waiting period policyholders must cross before being eligible to claim them.

Disclaimer - This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited or any affiliated entity. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the blog for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. You should consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific circumstances before taking any action based on the content provided herein.