Medical Underwriting in Life Insurance

Are you planning to buy a life insurance policy in India but feeling overwhelmed by the insurance jargon? One of the critical steps in obtaining life insurance coverage is medical underwriting. It is a process that evaluates your health status and determines the level of risk associated with providing coverage. Insurance companies use the medical underwriting process to determine the premium amount and decide whether to provide coverage. In this article, we will guide you through everything you need to know about life insurance medical underwriting in India, so you can make an informed decision.

In life insurance, underwriting is evaluating the risk you pose to the insurance company. If you are more likely to pass away during the policy term, the insurer may have to pay out a large sum to your family. To assess your risk, the insurer considers factors like your age, health, lifestyle, and medical history.

Medical underwriting in life insurance is a process of assessing the health status of an individual seeking coverage. It involves evaluating the medical history, current health condition, and lifestyle choices to determine the level of risk they pose to the insurance company. Based on this assessment, the insurer decides whether to offer coverage, the premium amount, and any exclusions or conditions that apply to the policy.

Underwriters are people appointed by an insurance company to assess the risk associated with issuing an insurance policy to the applicant. They act as the risk managers of the company. Underwriters analyse your details that include finances, medical conditions and lifestyle. Based on their evaluation, they submit recommendations about the risk you pose. Here are some observations they make.

Here are the general steps involved in underwriting a Life Insurance Policy.

The underwriter will go through your application form and check the details with you orally and  cross verify them by going over relevant documents. If you’ve been accurate with your application form filling, this process doesn't take much time. In case any detail is amiss, it will be corrected after the underwriter fact-checks with you. 

You will be asked to undergo a series of medical exams. The suggested tests are based on the following factors.

Generally the following medical tests are suggested.

Usually the following documents are requested in this stage.

In some cases the underwriter can ask for a Motor Vehicle Report from the Department of Motor Vehicles to check your driving history. This is to check if you are a risky driver and pose a risk of an accident. 

This is the final step where all the records and test results are considered to evaluate your application. You’ll be surprised to know that some basic parameters have a major role to play in deciding your premium cost. Parameters considered while rating your Life Insurance undertaking and the role they have to play.

Note: If you declare as a non-smoker but are found to be a smoker at the time of your death, your family might not receive the assured sum. It is best to furnish accurate details to your agent.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet, and is subject to changes.