Life insurance and medical records explained

Your medical records contain information about your health history. The file includes things like test results, allergies and previous illnesses. If you’re applying for life insurance, the insurer might ask to see this information.

Can life insurance companies access medical records?

With your permission, insurers can access your records and they may ask to view them when you apply. But they’ll ask you first and then contact your GP.

Life insurance medical records requests are often restricted to specific information. They might ask your GP for medical records in the past five years. Or they might ask for details on any inherited illnesses. Your doctor will only provide the information they ask for. But sometimes they’ll want to see the whole record.

Either way, your GP will produce a statement about your health, which gets sent to the insurer. You can also ask to view the report. It might be possible to make changes if there’s anything you disagree with. But your doctor may refuse to make any alterations.

When would an insurer request your medical history documents?

There are a few times when a life insurer would ask to see your entire medical records. These include:

• Initial application
Providers might ask for life insurance access to medical records if you tell them about recent illnesses when applying. For example, if you say you had cancer three years ago and recovered. The insurer might ask to see your medical records for more information.

• Contestability period
Many life insurers have a ‘contestability period’. This is a one or two-year period after the cover starts. If you pass away during that time, they might want to check for undeclared illnesses.

Will the records contain details of pre-existing health conditions?

If you’ve ever been to see the doctor about a health condition, this will be in your medical records. The insurer will be able to see this information. They can use it when calculating your quote.

Pre-existing medical conditions are illnesses you’re currently living with. They include things like cancer, heart disease or diabetes. It also includes illnesses you’ve recovered from.

Your medical history could affect your life insurance costs. Even if you’ve recovered from an illness, the insurer may believe there’s a risk of it returning. This means your policy might become more expensive. That can be frustrating. It’s usually possible to find cover even if you do have pre-existing medical conditions.

You might forget to mention health issues you had in the past while applying for life insurance. If you realise you’ve not included something, it’s worth contacting the insurer right away. Not doing so could mean your policy doesn’t pay out.

Do life insurance companies check medical records after death?

Life insurance companies do sometimes check medical records after someone passes away. But, they will need permission from the individual authorised to act on their behalf. That could be a lawyer or a close family member.

Insurers are more likely to check medical records if someone passed away during the ‘contestability period’. This is could be if someone died from an illness, such as cancer or a heart attack.