There are countless life insurance companies and policy choices
available to people today all catering to different people with various
needs, conditions, and lifestyles. All of the various choices are
both a blessing and a curse. It's great to have a lot of options
available but it also makes it difficult to choose the right option for
your family.
On the other side of the equation are the insurance companies.
They want to make sure that issuing a policy to you is a good idea for
them. So, many insurance companies require potential
policyholders to undergo medical exams before issuing a policy.
The medical exam will normally be performed by a licensed health care
professional known as a paramedical. A paramedical is usually an
independent contractor hired by the insurance company. A
paramedical carries with them the tools and supplies they need to
perform the exam, therefore, most exams performed by a paramedical can
be conducted in your home or office and normally take just a short
time, from 15 to 30 minutes.
A life-insurance exam will usually consist of a review of your medical
history, measurements of your height and weight, blood pressure, and
blood and urine specimens. If you're older, have certain risk
factors, or are applying for a very high dollar value policy, you may
be required to go in for a treadmill test also known as a stress
test. A treadmill test is a test designed to determine your
overall cardiovascular health. You would begin walking on a
treadmill at a slow rate that is gradually increased while certain
vitals are measured such as heart rate, breathing, and blood
pressure. On the other hand if you are applying for a low dollar
value policy you may not even be required to have a paramedical exam.
When preparing for your medical exam you should try to stick to a
healthy diet for several days before the exam. It's also a good
idea to not drink any alcohol for 72 hours prior to the exam. The
day before the exam you should avoid caffeine as caffeine can elevate
blood pressure. You should also avoid using nasal
decongestants. It's also a good idea to avoid strenuous exercise
a day before your exam because strenuous exercise can elevate protein
levels in your urine. You should fast for 8 to 10 hours prior to
the exam drinking only water and you should get a good nights sleep the
night before.
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