Aviva Life Assurance Medical Screening

rubired

Can anybody out there tell me what specific tests are undertaken by Aviva as part of a (mortgage) life assurance medical screening? I am due to be visited by a nurse who will take a urine sample, height, weight etc but i know little about what exactly they are looking and testing for.

I am 40 years of age, light smoker and in overall good health.

Any Aviva employees out there who can give me some inside track?

Very much appreciated. Rubinio,

dunstonh

i know little about what exactly they are looking and testing for.

Look at how you answered the questions on the proposal. Something you answered has led to them going down this route.

You could be unlucky and be a random check but 99 times out of 100 there is a reason why and its based on your information supplied to the insurer. You could ask your IFA (if you are using one) as they will know. If you are not using an IFA then ask the company you are buying the insurance through (one assumes you are not buying direct as that is typically more expensive)

rubired

Thanks for that.

So exactly are they testing and looking for? My guess being diabetes, HIV and any other serious health problems. My IFA tells me that i am being tested because i am a smoker and therefore classified as a higher risk category. Agree?

OshayAway

rubired wrote: »

Thanks for that.

So exactly are they testing and looking for? My guess being diabetes, HIV and any other serious health problems. My IFA tells me that i am being tested because i am a smoker and therefore classified as a higher risk category. Agree?

The most common reasons for medical request is high BMI and financial underwriting limits. If it is for one of these reasons, my guess would be your IFA did not do much research or is limited to a small number of insurers.

It will have nothing whatsoever to do with the fact you are a smoker unless you also have some sort of respiratory problem.

rubired

Why would they need to do a urine test if it was BMI based?

OshayAway

rubired wrote: »

Why would they need to do a urine test if it was BMI based?

A urinalysis is standard on the minimum level of medical to check for the presence of protein and glucose. If there is, a sample will be sent to a lab and the application postponed.

Do you think BMI is the reason? Do you know your BMI?

rubired

My BMI is approx. 25 - 26.

Not that i have any concerns about this but would the urine test be used to examine signs of recreational drugs? Or maybe that's a urban myth i've just read on google.

OshayAway

rubired wrote: »

My BMI is approx. 25 - 26.

Not that i have any concerns about this but would the urine test be used to examine signs of recreational drugs? Or maybe that's a urban myth i've just read on google.

Well BMI isn't the reason then. Can you state your age, sum assured and policy type? Is it life cover only without critical illness? Also, you you have other term assurance elsewhere?

rubired

I'm 40 years of age, sum assured is £500K. I believe it's a life policy with critical illness. I have in the past had life assurance against a property i purchased about 10 years ago.

I really appreciate your help. Thank you!

dunstonh

sum assured is £500K.

There you go. Thats the reason. There are tiers at which sum assureds trigger additional checks. £500k with CI would be such a reason. Its not a health issue. So, you should be fine.

OshayAway

rubired wrote: »

I'm 40 years of age, sum assured is £500K. I believe it's a life policy with critical illness. I have in the past had life assurance against a property i purchased about 10 years ago.

I really appreciate your help. Thank you!

That will be why then. If you did want to avoid a medical I would expect at least a couple of insurers would not require that based on your age. The older you are, the lower the limits. Some providers have very high limits for automatic underwriting evidence such as GP report or medical.

It's slightly surprising your adviser didn't look into this for you.