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Medicals & Bloods
Why it's good for you...
It is not uncommon for the Underwriter to make a request for more information in the form of GP Reports, Blood tests, and even Specialist appointments or reports. Asking for a standard physical to be done is also a common request.
Some Insurance Companies provide a Nurse to come to your home or office to do basic physical exams - which might include blood pressure readings, confirmation of weight and height, possibly the taking of a blood sample, and asking some questions about your health.
In other cases where more extensive information may be needed, a GP Appointment may be requested (this is usually paid for by the insurance company - but not always).
It is not uncommon for an Underwriter to find in GP notes that a particular condition has been noted, but no followup has been done. For example an X-Ray, or Test, or Specialist appointment was recommended by the GP but the client never did anything about it. So in this case the Underwriter will often put the application for insurance "on hold" until the client has been for the recommended medical investigations.
Requested blood tests can be for things the client may never have been tested for, or not for years, and can sometimes result in surprising findings. There are many stories of clients reluctantly going for tests and examinations for insurance, only to find very serious conditions the client did not know about, such as early heart problems or early cancer.
So Medicals and Bloods are a good thing, because they allow the Underwriter to make a more accurate assessment, which can sometimes mean a Lower Premium, or an exclusion or loading NOT being put on the policy. But it can also mean you have testing or appointments that you may not have had, that results in important medical information being discovered.
It is possible with most GPs to request a complete record of your own medical history. Some GPs charge for this, others don't. Some clients provide a copy with their Insurance Application, which can often provide the Underwriter with all the information they need, leading to a more timely application assessment.