What can you expect from a Medical Application?

Basic Information

So here goes basic information first, height and weight, so how tall are you and how much do you weigh. So we’re just going to put that on here. Now you all know my height and weight but I don’t care. Sharing is caring. It then asks for a UK dress or skirt size.
 

Then, have I ever smoked? No I haven’t.
To be a non-smoker you have to make sure you haven’t had any nicotine products, e-cigarettes or anything that contains nicotine for a 12-month period. If you have, we then would have to class you as a smoker. So if you were an ex-smoker we would then have to bob that in there, when that was and if it is within 12 months again we’d have to change but if it was after that, then we’re all right.
 

Next is how many alcohol units do we drink per week. So I’m going to put in approximately 20 units per week, which varies for every different person and some people don’t even drink. Now have you ever been medically advised to reduce your alcohol consumption, that’s a no for me.

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Please tick any of the following that applies to you:

• Have you been disqualified from driving in the last 5 years due to alcohol or drug use?

• Do you ride a motorbike, scooter or moped on the road?

• Have you taken any recreational drugs within the last 10 years?

Examples are ecstasy, cannabis, cocaine, heroin. We do need to know that on a medical application.
 

Do you take part in any hazardous pursuits, so that’s anything like flying, motor car racing, motorcycle sports, mountaineering, rock climbing, powerboat racing, caving or potholing, diving, sailing, horse riding (other than private hacking), professional sports, martial arts or any extreme sports?
 

I’ve been doing this now for over 12 years and today has been the first time I’ve had somebody answer that question and they did sailing. But if they’re a sailing instructor now I don’t know some of the questions might be other things that may cause exclusions or an increase in premiums, but I will advise all that before I’ve even got to the application stage so again please don’t worry.

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Occupation and Travel

So we’ll proceed to the first set of questions, does your current job involve manual work or driving?

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Have you taken part in any of these hazardous duties whilst working so:

• Working at heights over 40ft

• Armed forces

• Territorial Army or reservist duties

• Oil or gas platform work

• Working on a fishing vessel at sea

• Merchant Marine

• Commercial Diving

• Aviation

• Tunnelling or underground work

• Working with explosives

• Working with asbestos

 

Plus have you ever lived, worked or travelled outside of the UK (ignoring holidays) during the last 2 years?

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General Medical History

Now, these first sets of questions are just your general health.

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Have you ever had or do you currently have any of the following?

• Any cancer, tumour, lymphoma, leukaemia or any growth or cyst of either the brain or spine?

• Heart disease or disorder, circulatory disease or diabetes?

• A stroke, brain haemorrhage or surgery to your blood vessels in the brain or neck?

• Multiple sclerosis or been diagnosed with any neurological disorder?

• Any mental health issue that has required hospital treatment or referral to a specialist, or have you considered or attempted self-harm?

• A positive test for HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis B or C, or are you awaiting results of such a test?

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Recent Medical History in the last 5 years

So that’s the first set of questions and next, it’s within the last 5 years only. Apart from anything you’ve already told us about.
 

During the last 5 years have you or currently have any of the following:

• Raised blood pressure, raising cholesterol or chest pain?

• Any anxiety, depression, stress or mental illness?

• Any form of numbness, pins and needles, tremors, change in skin sensation, tingling, muscle weakness, loss or reduced power in limbs (including amputation), difficulty with coordination, persistent tiredness or fatigue?

• Any form of joint pain, arthritis or neck, back, spine or muscle pain or stiffness?

• Any condition affecting your ears or hearing, or your eyes or vision that is not wholly corrected by spectacles or lenses?

• A tumour, lump, cyst, polyp, growth or any mole/naevus that has bled, changed in appearance or become painful?

• Asthma, bronchitis, or any other disorder affecting your lungs or breathing?

• Any stomach, digestive system, bowel, liver or blood disorder?

• Any disorder of the kidney, bladder, prostate or thyroid?

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Recent Medical History in the last 3 years

Now the next set of questions are within the last three years only, so apart from anything you’ve already told us about have you:

• Been prescribed medication or treatment regular for a period of four consecutive weeks or more, or have you been under review from your doctors or a medical professional?

• Been referred to a specialist or had, or have been advised to have any investigations?

• In addition, apart from anything you have told us about: do you have any symptoms for which you haven’t yet sought out medical advice or are you awaiting referral, investigation, results or treatment for anything else?

Regardless of anything you have already told us about, have any of the following applies to you in last month?

• I’ve tested positive for Coronavirus?

• I’ve been advised to self-isolate?

• I’ve had a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature?

• I’ve had a loss or change to my sense of taste or smell?

 

If you answer 'Yes' to any of these questions it will throw up additional questions, so it is an easy interactive system that helps give you a decision rather than just going for a GP report.
It helps speed up the process so depending on the provider we should be able to get you a decision there and then. If not, then we’ve already sent you the option through the post or email that can give you an indication of what the possible terms are for you guys. But we will again guide you all throughout that.

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Your Family

So these questions are simple yes or no answers, all you need to do is answer them to the best of your knowledge. If you say 'Yes' to any of the questions, it will ask for some more extra information.

Let’s get started.

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Have any of your parent’s, brothers or sisters ever been diagnosed with, or died, from any of the following conditions before the age of 60?

• Heart attack or angina

• Stroke

• Diabetes

• Cancer

• Leukaemia or lymphoma

• Multiple sclerosis

• Huntington’s disease

• Cardiomyopathy

• Polycystic kidney disease

• Muscular dystrophy

• Motor neurone disease

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Parkinson’s disease

• Haemochromatosis

• Familial colon polyps

• Any other disorder which runs in your family which you’ve been advised to have screening for

 

It's important to give the right information on your medical application and it could potentially affect you from receiving a claim.
Read one of our success stories, where a client disclosed the wrong information as they thought a family member had been diagnosed with a condition that was then excluded from their own policy. When they received their diagnosis they spoke to their family member and found out that they had disclosed the wrong information. So we went back and forth with the providers to get our clients the lump sum they deserved.

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Decision

This is the last section and there are no more questions to answer, that is everything included in the application.
So this just shows you how easy it is to go through with a medical application. At this point, it will tell you whether it’s 'standard terms', this means that it has all been accepted and there’s no increase in premiums, there are no exclusions.

However, it may tell us that it is 'non-standard'.

Non-standard terms mean that there are possible exclusions or there is an increase in premiums which we call rated. This just means the premiums have increased because you are at higher risk due to one of your medical disclosures.