Life insurance and medical records !!

sam1970

I am looking to buy a life insurance policy and I am considering asking for a copy of my GP medical records to ensure correct answer to every question the insurer asks. Is that reasonable? Can I ask the surgery for a copy of my records and will there be a charge for that?

dunstonh

I am looking to buy a life insurance policy and I am considering asking for a copy of my GP medical records to ensure correct answer to every question the insurer asks. Is that reasonable?

Life assurance questions are very simple and there are only a handful. Have you suffered a lot of conditions requiring medical input from GP, hospital etc in the last 5 years? Do you have ongoing conditions?

Can I ask the surgery for a copy of my records and will there be a charge for that?

You can and yes they can. £50 (covering computer and manual records). Although a view of electronic records online (no perm copy) costs nothing but will likely be incomplete.

FutureGirl

You might find that the insurer requests a copy of your medical records from your GP anyway - they did for my mum. (Though they do ask your permission first, of course).

My mum had a copy of her medical records printed for her from the GP surgery, and they charged her per page.

skintpaul

If some conditions are declared on your application, Ins Co may ask for full records via SAR route, to get info they need (all kept secure, btw), to make a thorough and quicker decision. Some non-relevant info should be redacted.

It saves going back for more info, if just go for an initial GP Report (think this was once called an MAR- Medical Attendance Record? - like a shortened summary of your visits, treatments).

You do have option to see first, though GP may charge for this.

dunstonh

You might find that the insurer requests a copy of your medical records from your GP anyway - they did for my mum. (Though they do ask your permission first, of course).

That is an area under some discussion at the moment in the financial press. Some feel its wrong. Others feel it is sensible. One big provider recently announced it was going to stop doing that but another said it would continue.

In most cases, where the insurer needs more info, it will write to the GP and ask questions specifically related to that condition and not a general request for all records.

sam1970

thank you guys. I dont have a problem with the insurer looking at my records as long as they point out the problems before policy start. My worry is that they could find something, keep quite about it and then if a claim on the policy arise, they pull it out to decline to pay !!

dunstonh

sam1970 wrote: »

My worry is that they could find something, keep quite about it and then if a claim on the policy arise, they pull it out to decline to pay !!

That is not possible. So, dont worry about it.

sam1970

let me tell you what I am worried about...two years ago I went to see the nurse at the surgery for the over 40 screening. all blood tests were normal but my blood pressure was high (I know as it was stressful day at work). They did not need to refer me to hospital but they asked me to keep an eye on it which I did (I bought blood pressure monitor) and it has been always fine. Now when Iam filling the insurance application, they are asking if I ever had a high blood pressure...what should I say? If I say no, which is true, and then they find a record of that one off high record they could invalidate the policy later!! Or Am I over cautious here?

Quentin

sam1970 wrote: »

...two years ago I went to see the nurse at the surgery ....my blood pressure was high.....Now when Iam filling the insurance application, they are asking if I ever had a high blood pressure...what should I say

The answer looks to be "Yes" (from what your post says)

sam1970

Yes what? Yes to answer the insurance question or Yes that I am over cautious?

rs65

Yes, you have had high blood pressure.