What Medical Questions Will I Be Asked for Life Insurance?

Applying for life insurance in the UK usually involves answering questions about your health, medical history and lifestyle. For some people, this is straightforward. For others, it can feel a little daunting, especially if they have a medical condition, have had investigations or are unsure how far back they need to remember.

If you get life insurance without answering questions like this, triple check the terms and conditions! Life insurance that doesn’t ask this, usually excludes claims for pre-existing conditions.

The good news is that with most life insurance policies you do not need to guess what an insurer wants to know. The questions are designed to help them understand your health and assess the risk of providing cover.

The insurers are also required to make sure that their questions are clear and not misleading, so that you are able to answer them as easily as possible.

At Cura Financial Services, we help people understand life insurance applications and how their medical history may affect their options. In this guide, we look at the types of medical questions you could be asked, including questions about conditions you have ever had, mental health, the last five years, recent symptoms and your family medical history.

1. Questions about conditions you have ever had

Some life insurance applications start by asking whether you have ever had particular medical conditions. These questions can cover significant illnesses and conditions that the insurers’ data shows that they may affect your life expectancy.

For example, an insurer will likely ask if you have ever had:

• Diabetes or a heart condition, such as angina, a heart attack or a heart valve problem.
• A stroke, mini-stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA).
• Cancer, including certain types of blood cancer and melanoma.
• A cyst, growth or tumour affecting the brain or spine.
• A neurological condition, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease.
• An overnight hospital admission or referral to a psychiatrist for mental illness, anorexia or bulimia.
• HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

If you answer yes to one of these questions, it does not automatically mean that your application for life insurance will be declined. The insurer may ask for further information about the diagnosis, when it happened, the treatment you received and how you are doing now.

There are many applications where people say yes to the above and still get life insurance. Depending upon your specific circumstances the options could be standard terms or a premium increase. With the ‘have you ever’ questions, these are disclosures where the insurer is probably going to want to see a report from you GP, or specialist letters, to confirm your health.

You should also read any notes beneath the questions carefully. An application may specify exceptions, such as particular conditions or symptoms that do not need to be disclosed in that section. It’s really important that each question is carefully considered as if you answer incorrectly this will be a non-disclosures.

Non-disclosures are treated differently, dependent upon what they are in relation to. If it is determined that you have non-disclosed on a ‘have you ever’ question, it is quite likely that your policy will be cancelled from inception, when the insurer becomes aware of this. This means that they will close the policy without the potential to make a claim, they will often refund any premiums that you have paid, but this is not guaranteed.

2. Questions about mental health

Mental health is an important part of life insurance underwriting. Insurers may ask about mental health in more than one section of an application, so it is worth reading each question carefully.

For example, you may be asked whether you have ever been admitted to hospital overnight or referred to a psychiatrist for a mental health condition. You could also be asked whether you have had anxiety, depression or another mental illness that required treatment or counselling within a particular period.

Depending on the insurer and the wording of its questions, relevant information may include:

• The condition you experienced.
• When you were diagnosed or sought help.
• Whether you received medication, counselling or another form of treatment.
• Whether you have experienced symptoms recently.
• Whether you have needed time away from work.
• Whether you are waiting for an assessment, referral or further treatment.

You do not necessarily need to provide the same information repeatedly if the application says that a condition only needs to be disclosed once. However, make sure your answers cover everything the individual questions ask.

Having experienced anxiety, depression or another mental health condition does not automatically prevent you from getting life insurance. The insurer will consider the details of your circumstances, and different providers may reach different underwriting decisions.

A lot of people can be worried that ongoing medication and talking therapies will affect their options for life insurance. Quite a lot of the time insurers actually see it as a positive if you are getting support and actively engaging with help for your mental health. That being said, there are some stronger medications and therapies that can mean that some insurers are better than others for you.

3. Questions about the last five years

Many applications include a section asking whether you have seen a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional about specific conditions during the last five years.

The important point is that these questions may ask about contact with a healthcare professional, rather than only whether you have received a formal diagnosis.

Depending on the insurer, the questions could cover:

• Blood pressure and circulation: raised blood pressure, high cholesterol, anaemia, blood clots or deep vein thrombosis.
• Kidneys and urinary health: kidney or bladder conditions, prostate problems, or blood or protein in the urine.
• Digestive health: conditions affecting the stomach, bowel, liver, gall bladder or pancreas.
• Breathing and lung conditions: asthma, emphysema, sleep apnoea and other respiratory conditions.
• Musculoskeletal conditions: fibromyalgia, gout, arthritis, back or neck problems, sciatica and joint conditions.
• Mental health: anxiety, depression or other mental illnesses requiring treatment or counselling.
• Growths and lumps: moles, lumps, polyps or tumours, depending on the wording of the question.
• Neurological symptoms: chest pain, palpitations, numbness, persistent tingling, tremors, memory loss, dizziness or balance problems.

Some insurers also ask additional questions about thyroid conditions, hearing problems, eye conditions or gynaecological health, depending on the type of policy being applied for.

If you are unsure whether something counts, it is generally better to clarify it than to leave out information that the insurer has asked for. You don’t need to volunteer information that the insurer doesn’t ask for, but you do need to make sure that you don’t miss including something that they want to know. That’s why advisers like us are so important, because we know what does and doesn’t need including!

4. Questions about the last 12 months and recent months

Insurers may ask more detailed questions about recent health issues because an illness, symptom or investigation that has not yet been resolved can affect their ability to assess an application.

You might be asked things like this about the last 12 months:

• Received treatment for a medical condition, illness or injury over a continuous period of four weeks or more, subject to the stated exceptions.
• Been referred for hospital investigations, such as a scan, biopsy or ECG, subject to the stated exceptions.
• Due to see a doctor or nurse in the next three weeks.
• Due to speak with a healthcare professional about symptoms you are experiencing and have not yet sought help for.

Routine repeat-prescription consultations, mammograms, prostate checks and pregnancy, are usually excluded from that particular question.

There is also often a separate question looks at symptoms experienced during the last three months. Examples include:

• Unexplained bleeding, weight loss, a lump or a growth.
• Unexplained changes in walking, movement or mobility.
• Numbness, tingling or changes in mental functioning or vision.
• A mole or freckle that has bled or changed appearance.
• A cough lasting three weeks or more.
• Another symptom that you may contact a healthcare professional about for the first time.

These examples show why it is important to read the time periods carefully. A question about the last three months is different from one about the last five years, and an insurer may ask about symptoms even if you have not yet received a diagnosis.

If you are waiting for an appointment, investigation or test result, do not assume it is irrelevant simply because you do not yet know what is causing the problem. Whether it needs to be disclosed will depend on the exact question being asked. Most of the time, new symptoms and outstanding appointments and investigations, will be relevant to one of the questions in a life insurance application.

5. Questions about family medical history

Life insurance applications can also ask about the health of close family members. This is because some conditions that run in families may be relevant to an insurer’s assessment.

Insurers tend to ask about specific health conditions experienced by your natural parents, brothers and sisters before the age of 60 or 65. I really don’t like the term ‘natural’ parent and instead usually phrase this as blood-related instead.

The conditions listed include:

• Heart attack, angina, stroke or type 2 diabetes.
• Breast, ovarian and bowel cancer, as well as cancer at other sites.
• Cardiomyopathy.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Myotonic dystrophy.
• Familial adenomatous polyposis, also known as polyposis coli.
• Polycystic kidney disease.
• Motor neurone disease.
• Huntington’s disease.
• Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

They may also ask about other conditions that run in the family where regular follow-up or screening is taking place.

Where the question requires it, you may need to provide the number of relatives affected and their ages when the condition first occurred. For some conditions, you may also need to identify which relatives were affected.

You might not know every detail about your family’s medical history as you are adopted, estranged from your family or they have already passed and you simply do not know the information. The forms often provide a “don’t know” option where appropriate. Answer as accurately as you can, based on what you know, rather than guessing.

Family history questions can differ between insurers, and some may only apply depending on your age or the type of cover you are applying for.

6. Can life insurers ask about genetic testing?

This is an important area, particularly for people who have a family history of an inherited condition.

Under the UK Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance, insurers that follow the Code cannot require you to take a genetic test to obtain insurance. They also cannot normally ask for or use the result of a predictive genetic test.

There is one specific exception: a predictive genetic test for Huntington’s disease may need to be disclosed when you are applying for life insurance cover totalling more than £500,000 per person. The sum assured is at a lower level if you applying for critical illness cover.

The Code is maintained through an agreement between the UK Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Read the Government’s guidance on genetic testing and insurance.

It is important to understand the distinction between a predictive genetic test and a medical diagnosis. If you have symptoms of a condition, have been diagnosed with it or are receiving treatment, the insurer may ask about that medical information in the usual way. In this situation you will need to disclose the information to the insurer as it is something that you have experienced in your own health.

If you have had a genetic test and are unsure whether it falls within the rules, it is worth getting advice before completing the application.

7. Do all life insurance companies ask the same medical questions?

No. Although insurers often ask about similar areas of health, the questions, time periods and conditions included can vary.

One insurer might ask about a condition you have ever had, while another might focus on whether you have received treatment or advice within the last five years. The wording of a question can make a difference to what needs to be disclosed.

This is one reason why it can be helpful to speak to a protection insurance adviser before applying. We make sure that application goes to the right insurer, to best suit your disclosures, so that the terms you are offered for life insurance specifically meet your needs.

8. What happens if I answer yes to a medical question?

Answering yes does not automatically mean your application will be declined.

The insurer may ask for more details, request a medical report from your GP or seek further information about your diagnosis, treatment and current health. It will then decide whether it can offer cover and, if so, on what terms.

Depending on the circumstances, an insurer may offer cover at its standard price, charge a higher premium, apply specific terms or exclusions, postpone its decision while further information is obtained, or decline the application.

Different insurers assess medical conditions differently, so a decision from one provider does not necessarily tell you what another insurer will decide.

9. How can I prepare for life insurance medical questions?

Before starting an application, it can help to gather:

• Details of your current medication and treatment.
• The names of medical conditions you have been diagnosed with.
• Approximate dates of diagnoses, investigations and hospital admissions.
• Details of any outstanding referrals, appointments or test results.
• Relevant information about your close family’s medical history.
• Your GP’s contact details.

You do not need to memorise every date or medical term. However, having the information available can help you answer questions accurately and reduce delays.

Most importantly, answer the questions honestly and fully. If you are unsure whether a condition or event needs to be disclosed, ask for clarification. Inaccurate or incomplete answers can affect a future claim and may lead to a policy being amended or cancelled.

Need help with life insurance medical questions?

Medical questions can seem complicated, particularly if you have a history of medical conditions, mental health treatment or outstanding investigations. You do not have to work through the process alone.

At Cura Financial Services, we can help you understand the application process, explain what insurers may need to know and explore suitable life insurance options based on your circumstances.

If you have questions about your medical history and life insurance, get in touch with us. We will be happy to help you understand your options.