Preparing for a Life Insurance Exam

Before you can buy a life insurance package from an insurance company, you will need to undergo a life insurance exam. A life insurance exam is a medical exam that is very similar to a regular annual checkup. Insurance companies perform these exams in order to assess your past, present and future state of health and assess your risk of death at any given moment. This exam will allow the company to decide if they want to accept you as a client, what kind of policy they will give you and how much they will charge. A life insurance exam consists of a review of your medical history, a blood test, a blood pressure reading, a urine sample, height and weight measurements and possibly other things like EKGs and stress tests. You may think that there is nothing you can do to prepare for this exam, but that is not true. There are plenty of things you can do a few days before the test that can affect your results positively. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a life insurance exam.

1. No Alcohol

Refrain from drinking alcohol or using over the counter pain relievers such as Midol, Tylenol or Advil for several days before your exam. The reason for this is because in order for your body to rid itself of these items, the liver must process them. This leads to higher liver enzymes, which may look bad when your test results come back.

2. Avoid Drugs

Illegal drugs and marijuana (which may or may not be considered illegal in your state) will show up in a urine test, so lay off the habit. You may also have heard that eating poppy seeds causes you to test positive on a drug test. It’s not an urban legend after all, so pick a different kind of bagel the week before your exam.

3. Keep That Cholesterol Down

It is a good idea to refrain from eating or drinking anything other than water for at least eight hours before your exam so your cholesterol levels will look better. Clean up your diet for several days beforehand as well, refraining from foods containing high levels of salt, fat, oil and sugar. Rather, increase your fiber intake and drink lots of water to try to clear out your system.

4. Don’t Drink Caffeine

Do not drink or eat anything with caffeine in it a day or two before the exam. This includes tea, coffee, energy drinks, soda, caffeine tablets and some dark chocolates. Caffeine is known to elevate blood pressure, which may cause the life insurance company to suspect that you have hypertension.

5. Get Some Rest

Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before the exam and schedule the exam at a time when you are at ease. Calm your mind and try to relax – being stressed, tired and in a rush can elevate your blood pressure as well.