Life insurance. When can I die?

David17

Hi there,

Sorry if this is a stupid question, and I realise I could probably find the answer in the T&C's somewhere, I'm hoping this will be quicker and easier.

I have recently, applied for life insurance, and the policy is yet to be agreed by the insurers. Based on my current medical records and my age (34), I don't think I will have any problems getting the policy.

However 3 days ago, I got sick, food poisoning type symptoms. This has happened about once a month for the last few months, so I'm now thinking it can't be food poisoning, and must be something else. This time was also the first time I vomited blood!

Anyway, my question is, where do I stand with my policy, if I go to the doctors and tell him this is a problem I've had for a while, and it then leads on to be something worse. My health insurance wouldn't be valid would it? What if I told the doctor it was the first time it had happened, and waited till after the policy was active? How close to signing a policy can you have medical problems, and it not be an issue?

I realise I'm probably not dieing just yet, but the feeling of the worst case scenario happening and not being insured is a very worrying thought.

I hope this made a bit of sense, and I appreciate any info.

Cheers.

ACG

The honest answer is if you havnt been to the doctors and your policy goes in force and you are good at lying and it never gets found out - the life insurers cant do anything after it goes in force...so long as they never found out about the lies.

HOWEVER, is it worth the risk they do find out then when your family are relying on the money the insurers turn round and say well actually you lied so were not paying you anything?

starrystarry

ACG is right, it's possible you could get away with it but it's not worth the risk. Remember that as well as lying (by omission) to your insurer, you'll have to lie to your GP. And to any hospital consultant they refer you to. So you'd be risking your health as well as risking having your policy voided for non-disclosure.

Annisele

David17 wrote: »

What if I told the doctor it was the first time it had happened, and waited till after the policy was active?

Worse case - if you falsely tell your doctor it's the first time it has happened, he'll misdiagnose you and you'll drop dead. On the up side, the insurance company will never know so there'll be a payout...

If by "waited till after the policy was active" you mean you'd come clean to your doctor after the policy was in force, it won't help you. Your notes would say "Mr 17 initially said that he'd had only one episode, but now says he'd has had an episode once a month for several months" - which is the sort of thing that might get picked up at claim, and your policy would likely then be voided for non disclosure.

Bottom line: don't lie to your doctor (no reason to make his job any harder than it is) and don't lie to your insurer (or they'll have good reason to void your policy from inception).

David17

Thanks everybody. I had a feeling the advice would be more sensible than I had hoped! That's good for me though, I don't normally do the sensible thing by default.

Out of interest. If you genuinely do get sick , a month after your policy is active, and you haven't told any fibs, then I assume you won't have any problems getting a pay out? I suppose the insurer would do extra checks mind.

I will probably wait and see if it happens again, and then tell the doctor the truth. Thanks again people.

paddedjohn

You'll never know if they refused to pay out so dont worry about it.

Nelson01

Life insurance is a legal contract between the policy owner and the insurer, where the insurer agrees to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the occurrence of the insured individual's or individuals' death or other event.