Life assurance forms

tightgit_2

When filling in Life assurance forms I find it really difficult to know what to put when they ask about our families. For example on my Mum's death certificate it says that she died of a heart attack, but we were told after her death by someone who works at the hospital that she had throat cancer. My family was never told this by a doctor, but she did have a couple of throat operations, so in hind sight this must have been true. On my form it says did parents die or suffer from illness before the age of 60. So she probably had cancer before 60 but died after 60 of heart attack.
Simularly my husband's Dad died at the age of 36 we think of a heart attack, but we don't know for sure. I have a brother that has diabetes, but I have several other brothers and sisters that I am not in contact with, so I don't know if they have any illness.
My dilemma is that I obviuosly don't want to declare more than I have to, but at the same time I do not want either of us to have problems when it comes to payment.
Any advice please ?

tightgit_2

As no one has responded to my post, perhaps what I should be asking is how would an insurance company find out things that we are not sure about ourselves ?? How far would do they go to investigate that what was put on the form is correct at the time of the application?

dunstonh

you put what the death certificate says. You do not worry yourself about the relatives you dont know about.

savvy

I agree, you have to go by what is stated on the death certificate really, if you put something different on their form and suppose they asked to see copies of the certificates, you'd could be in a lot of trouble explaining that!!

Sort of the same thing...............when I was pregnant with my youngest, his father was adopted so we couldn't fill out the medical history for that side, AND I didn't know my own father then, so again couldn't provide any health information for that side! :rolleyes:

dunstonh

Do you know what? I havent filled a paper application for life assurance for years now.

All the top insurers have electronic applications and most of these guide you through the questions process and some even underwrite you on the spot.

Any reason you have chosen a provider that does it the old way? The only well priced provider without online submission is Bright Grey (Royal London) but their underwriting timescale is awful.

payless

I still use the paper based application forms for all insurers - then input online.

tightgit_2

dunstonh wrote:

Any reason you have chosen a provider that does it the old way? The only well priced provider without online submission is Bright Grey (Royal London) but their underwriting timescale is awful.

I just felt that it would give me more time to consider my answers.

We do not know what's on one of the death certificates and I persume it would take a while to get a copy.

My Mother may have had throat cancer, but we were never told that officially, but it would be on her records. In those days they didn't tell the patient that much. On her death certificate it shows that she died of a heart attack.