Does Term Insurance Require a Medical Test?

Yes, most insurers will ask you to undergo a medical test. This usually depends on factors such as your age, income, medical history, and the term of coverage you seek, among others. In most cases, medical tests are free, so there's no harm in undergoing them when applying for a term insurance policy.

Buying term insurance is one of the best ways to secure your family's financial future. However, you must undergo one crucial step before getting started: a medical test. Whenever you apply for a term insurance policy, the insurer will likely ask you for a test, followed by your medical reports.

A medical test for term insurance is like a quick health check to help insurers understand your health. But are there any roadblocks? If so, how can they be overcome? This guide aims to answer these questions in detail.

Note: Medical tests aren't always legally mandatory, but in most standard term plans, insurers prefer or insist on them.

Why is a Medical Test Required?

Evaluation of Risk for the Insurer

Medical tests assess your current health status, including blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and liver and kidney function. This helps the insurer understand the risk they're taking on by offering you a large life cover policy.

Determines Eligibility, Premium, and Coverage

Your medical report plays a direct role in deciding whether your policy gets approved, how much coverage you’re eligible for, and whether you pay the base premium or a higher, “loaded” premium.

Helps Avoid Fraud

When tests confirm your health status, it becomes harder for anyone to submit false information. This protects both you and the insurer from future disputes, cancellations, or legal issues.

Long-term Financial Protection

A thorough medical check helps the insurer accurately price your risk. That means your policy is more sustainable in the long run, and your family is more likely to get the full benefit if something happens to you.

Helps in Setting the Right Sum Assured

Your health profile influences how much cover the insurer is willing to offer. Clean, clear reports make it easier for them to approve a higher sum assured that matches both your needs and your risk level.

Ensures Rightful Claim Settlement for Your Family

When your policy is based on proper medicals and full disclosure, the chances of claim disputes are significantly reduced. This substantially reduces the chances of claim disputes for your family.

List of Medical Tests Conducted in Term Insurance

The exact list usually varies by insurer, age, cover, or profile. Any test suggested by the underwriter based on reports or history. Most tests are done at home or in a nearby diagnostic center, paid by the insurer.

Meanwhile, here are some typical tests conducted in term insurance:

Basic Tests:

Physical Exam: Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, pulse

Blood Tests:

Fasting Blood Sugar / HbA1c (Diabetes)
Lipid Profile (cholesterol, triglycerides)
Liver Function Test (LFT)
Kidney Function Test (KFT)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Urine Test: Protein, sugar, infection markers
Additional Tests (Based on age/risk)

ECG/TMT to check heart function
Chest X-ray for lungs and heart silhouette
2D Echo/Stress test for older age / large cover
Ultrasound of the abdomen (if liver/kidney issues suspected)
HIV, Hepatitis B/C (a standard in higher coverage)
Treadmill test (TMT) for 40+ or high cover
Special tests (only if flagged)
Pulmonary function test (for asthma/COPD history)
Thyroid profile

Quick Note: The cost of medical tests is covered if done within India. However, if the tests are conducted outside India, the expenses need to be borne by the applicant (depending on the insurer).

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What are the Common Mistakes in Medical Reports That Can Affect Your Term Plan

When it comes to term insurance, even small mistakes in your medical reports can delay approval or create claim problems for your family later. Watch out for:

Incorrect personal details (name, DOB, gender) on forms or lab reports
Hiding or underreporting pre-existing conditions like BP, diabetes, thyroid issues
Skipping past illnesses, surgeries, or long-term medications in your health history
Inconsistencies between your proposal form and medicals (especially smoking/alcohol/BMI)
Lab-side errors like wrong data entry, mismatched reports, or faulty uploads. If something is miswritten, clarify it politely on the spot and get it corrected.
Failing to follow fasting or pre-test instructions leads to abnormal sugar/cholesterol readings. Avoid alcohol and hefty meals the previous day.
Randomly stopping regular medicines without a doctor’s advice before tests.
Not reviewing your report summary or correcting wrong remarks.

Legal and Ethical Considerations of Medical Testing

When conducting a medical test for term insurance, the insurance company must consider several legal and ethical factors to protect the prospective policyholder's interests.

Legal Aspects:

Adhering to healthcare regulations while conducting the tests.
Ensuring that the tests are appropriate and necessary.
Obtaining the applicant’s informed consent.

Ethical Considerations:

Maintaining utmost secrecy of the test results obtained.
Making the information available to only authorised personnel.
Avoiding discrimination against test results, i.e., rejecting applications unjustly based on the results.
Using the test results fairly for risk assessment.
Respecting the applicant’s right to know their test results and how those results are being used.

Remember: The lab/test center won’t provide the report directly to you. First, the insurer receives your medical report and then shares it with you via email or attaches it to your policy documents after your policy is issued.

Want to find the best term insurance cover for your needs? Use our free calculator.

How Medical Test Results Affect Policy Terms

After medical tests, underwriters can:

Accept on standard terms if the applicant is healthy. In this case, they proceed with the premiums quoted at the time of application.
Accept the application with loading charges if someone has high BMI, mild hypertension, or borderline sugar levels. In this case, the premiums will be automatically higher (usually 25-100%).
Impose conditions, such as excluding riders like a critical illness benefit, reducing the sum assured, or shortening the term.
Postpone or decline the application if an individual has high uncontrolled diabetes, severe heart disease, or has undergone a recent major surgery.

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Ditto’s Take on Term Insurance Medical Tests

If you're worried about any parameter appearing abnormally on the insurer's medicals, you can get a basic health checkup done on your own. It usually costs around ₹2,000–₹4,000 and gives you peace of mind that the insurer's report won't throw up surprises.

If something like high cholesterol or high sugar does show up, you can work on improving it over the next 3–6 months. Just keep in mind this also means delaying your term insurance coverage during that time.

If you still ask us the question, 'Does term insurance require a medical test?' our answer is yes. A little honesty, a bit of prep, and careful attention to your medical records can go a long way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What medical tests are done for term insurance?

Blood tests, ECGs, urine tests, CTMT, and other specialized tests are performed for term insurance.

What is a video or telemedical checkup for term insurance?

A video or telemedical checkup for term insurance is a remote health assessment conducted via phone or video call instead of or before an in-person visit, which helps insurance companies underwrite policies.

Is the medical test mandatory?

Not all term insurance plans insist on medical tests. The insurer may waive the need for a medical test if you're young and healthy and taking a small cover. But honestly, for big family protection, it's safer for the insurer to do full medicals. That way, they cannot say that they were unaware of your health when your family files a claim.

Is it necessary to submit medical history when applying for term insurance?

Yes. Submitting an accurate medical record is essential when applying for term insurance. Doing so helps determine eligibility, premium, and coverage. Any undisclosed information may lead to delays or even rejection later.

What happens if your term insurance medical test fails?

If your medical results raise red flags during underwriting, it leads to policy rejection and the need for further medical evaluation. In most cases, this may also impact your future applications across insurers.

Does term insurance require a medical test for every policyholder?

As discussed in this article, the decision to conduct medical tests is at the insurer's discretion. Sometimes, they may waive the medical test requirement for their existing customers, young and clean proposals (no medical history), or those who purchased the policy for a lower sum assured.

If something is mildly abnormal, will my policy be rejected?

Not always. Many things are manageable, such as a slightly high BMI, mildly elevated cholesterol, or controlled BP or diabetes with medication. These conditions may lead to a loading charge (25-100%) or conditions (limited sum assured or no riders), but not automatic rejection.

I already did a complete health check-up last month. Can I send that instead of doing new tests?

You can definitely share those reports upfront. However, the insurer may still insist on their own tests through their network lab. The best part is that you do not have to pay for these tests.

Why are they asking me for so many tests when my friend got a policy with no tests?

Underwriting is very personalized. Even if two people are the same age, if their coverage amounts or health profiles differ, the test requirements will change. So it's better not to compare directly with friends or colleagues.

Will medical tests delay my policy?

The insurer needs a few working days to receive your medical test reports and make a decision. The faster you schedule and complete the medicals, the quicker your policy will be issued. Overall, everything from planning a call to making a policy decision takes 4-5 days to over 3-4 weeks, depending on the documentation, medical requirements, and profile.

Last updated on: 27 Nov, 2025