If you have a medical issue or history of illness that you’re concerned will affect your application, please call me on or scroll down and complete the quick outline form. I will speak to my panel of insurers confidentially, so you’ll know your chances of cover before you apply.
If you’re fit as a butcher’s dog, you’ll get cover based on an application form.
However, if you have had some issues, the insurer will write to your GP for a medical report called a PMAR.
Only in exceptional circumstances (a large amount of cover + in your 40s/50s/60s) will you need to go for a medical exam.
Remember, if the insurer refuses to cover you or accepts you for cover at an increased price, you’ll have to disclose this in all subsequent applications, so try to choose the most suitable insurer the first time around.
Every provider takes a different view of the same health issue, so one insurer may offer you the normal price, whereas another may increase your price.
Most of the insurers would increase his premium by 75%. We managed to find an insurer that offered the standard price saving our client €10,652 over the life of his policy.
All of the insurance providers, bar one, would increase her premium by +50%, costing our client an extra €6590 over the life of her mortgage.
The moral of the story – don’t accept loading without shopping around.
Your life insurance application form consists of a series of health questions to which you answer either yes or no.
Answer yes, give more detail, and that should be enough to appease the insurer’s nosiness.
If they need specific information about your medical condition, they will ask you to complete a questionnaire. Your insight and knowledge about your medical condition is a good indicator of how you are currently dealing with it and how you will control your condition in the future. In other words, bowl them over with how much you know about your condition and the steps you are taking to control it.
If the insurer is still not satisfied, they will write to your GP seeking further information.
Suppose the insurer is not satisfied with the information given on your application form and questionnaire. In that case, they will send a PMAR (Private Medical Attendant’s Report) to your GP for completion.
The life insurance medical report will outline the history of your medical condition. Your GP completes it based on your medical records. Insurance companies commonly request PMARs if you’re over 55 or where there’s a history of serious illness, e.g. cancer or heart attack.
A PMAR can significantly slow down your life insurance application.
On average, it takes 4-6 weeks, yes WEEKS (!) for the GP to complete and return a PMAR, so you’re going to have to nudge gently, politely remind, cattle prod or maybe even rock up to the office strapped with TNT to get your report sorted.
The insurer will cover the cost of the medical report.
Whoop!
In certain circumstances (e.g. your age combined with the amount of cover you applied for or due to answers you have given on your application), you will need to do an independent medical.
The insurance company will choose the doctor.
The examination usually takes around half an hour and consists of two parts:
The surgery will send the examination results directly to the Chief Medical Officer of the insurance company.
Once your insurance provider reviews your results, they will be in touch with us, and we will contact you.
The insurer will cover the cost of the medical exam.
Whoop, whoop!
When you apply for life insurance, the insurer can make one of four decisions:
Acceptance on special terms means the insurer has rated you as a higher risk of death or illness than a healthy person based on your life insurance medical history. (e.g. as a result of height and weight issues or other pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes)
To compensate for this risk, the insurer will increase the cost of your policy.
The insurer cannot offer you cover now – maybe because of your past health, a recent medical issue or because you will undergo future tests or investigations.
Your GP will get a letter from the life insurance company’s Chief Medical Officer outlining the reasons for the postponement and indicating when cover may be possible in the future. You can discuss the findings with your GP and appeal the decision if your GP has a good reason why the insurance company should reconsider their decision.
Some GPs and consultants are really helpful and will write a STRONGLY worded letter that could sway the insurer. It’s unusual for an insurer to reverse its decision but it can happen
After the postponement period has ended, you can reapply.
Although one insurer postpones, we can apply to a different insurer on your behalf if you so wish. Another insurer may come to a different decision based on the same medical evidence.
The insurer has refused you life cover because of your health or a recent medical issue such as poorly controlled diabetes, heart problems, cancer and so on.
The Chief Medical Officer of the insurance company will have written to your GP giving the reasons for declining cover. It would help if you discussed these findings with your GP.
If your GP is surprised and doesn’t agree with the decision, you can appeal.
We can apply to a different insurer on your behalf if you so wish. Another insurer may come to a different decision based on the medical evidence to hand.
Finding the best insurer if you have a pre-existing condition can be a nightmare of Freddy Kruger proportions.
We have heard some horror stories.
If you’d prefer your journey to be full of candyfloss and unicorns, please complete this questonnaire, and I’ll be right back.
*candyfloss and unicorns not guaranteed.
Nick McGowan
lion.ie | making life insurance easier
057 93 20836
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As Ireland's leading life insurance broker, we specialise in comparing the rates and policies from the top five Irish life insurance providers and offering the very best value quotes to suit the individual needs of our clients. Our expertise lies in finding a suitable insurance plan for those with specific needs, be it a particular illness, occupation or claim history, we've got you covered in every sense!
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