Life insurance and BP "a little high"

AlTi_2

I'm looking around for life insurance quotes and keep wondering about the high BP question. Can anyone advise please.

I've never been diagnosed by a doctor and never taken medication, but whenever I get it checked I am always told that it's a bit on the high side. When I last moved house, the new registration nurse said it was quite high and suggested to go back after the stress of the move to the new area/job etc had gone away. I never did go back to the surgery.

I've had it checked a few times since then, at my annual work medical check ups, done by other GPs, and again always told its bit high, but never diagnosed or given meds.

Do I need to disclose this to the insurers?

Nearlyold

What does the question about BP ask you? You simply need to answer it truthfully.

As a hint I suspect the question does NOT say "You only need to tell us about medical conditions if you think they are important"

AlTi_2

I would only answer truthfully. The whole point is to give peace of mind. If I wasn't truthful then it would always be a niggle at the mind.

The recent questionnaire for income protection said "Have you had high or low blood pressure?". Having looked around online, I would be in the prehypertension range - above normal, but not "high". But then a doctor had said it's a little high....

Nasqueron

I've been to the doctor after BP was a bit high during a gym fitness test, nurse did it, said it's probably stress, did it again and perfectly fine, see if they can do 2 tests

ben999

This can be a difficult area. When I get a check-up my BP is always at least ten points higher than it is "at rest". My GP says this is a known factor they call "white-coat syndrome". In other words getting your BP checked in a clinical setting is stressful in itself. I bought my own BP monitor and give the doctor my own readings. He is very happy with this.

Doctors sometimes do not seem keen to intervene with treatment until BP readings reach critical levels. However, you have indicated that your BP levels are reported to be some-what high and this will have been noted on your medical records, which may be of future interest to your insurers.


Myself, I would want to pursue the matter. I would go to my GP and request his advice. One friend of mine whose BP was high was given a BP monitor by the doctor to wear for a couple of days. When he took it back they were satisfied that his BP levels were OK and he heard no more of it. Another friend of mine who had access to a BP monitor was asked to take her own readings over a period of a couple of weeks and report back. She was put on BP tablets.

AlTi_2

Thanks, yes during my checkups they have said as much. My annual employment medical is stressful because if they find something I could end up out of work, so they appreciate that it might be a bit higher than usual. Also, the time when it was the highest was immediately after moving home/area/job and my wife giving birth 3 days before the move. A very stressful time.

I have a home BP monitor and it is usually much lower.

I think for complete peace of mind I am going to ask the surgery what is on file.

kremmen

I am not trying to push you one way or another but I have personal experience of an insurer not paying out on a policy after they trawled through doctor's notes and found an undeclared condition ( not related to cause of death ).

Please ensure that you provide them with full details and I think that checking the doctors files is a good idea.

Paul

dunstonh

If in doubt, always disclose and let the insurer decide if it is important or not.