Do I have to have a medical?

A medical is necessary only if the insurance company requires you to undertake one. They will only usually request a medical if you have some health issues, there is a history of hereditary illness within your family, or you want to insure a particularly high sum.

Most people do not need a medical because in most cases the insurance company is prepared to make a final decision based on the information supplied on your Application Form.

If the insurance company decides that they need more details about your health, they will pursue one of three alternative courses of action:

They can ask your GP for further information. They always get your permission first. This is the most frequent course of action.
They can send a medical representative to visit you at home, ask you questions and give you a general health assessment.
They can ask you to attend a medical either with your own GP or a Doctor assigned by the insurance company. This won't cost you anything.

The disadvantage to these medical checks is that they inevitably slow down your application. You will need to undergo the medical checks if requested - if you refuse that will be the end of the application process.

Don’t be tempted to lie about your medical health in your application form, if you don’t disclose something that you know about, or you don’t tell the whole truth, a future claim could be made invalid.