How does my medical history affect my policy?

If you have an existing medical condition or medical history, then an insurance company will consider you as a higher risk and because of this there will be some exclusions in your policy and your premium could be higher.

It is imperative that regardless of the condition, you are honest as failure to mention a disease or condition could invalidate your policy and result in a non-disclosure and your insurance company failing to pay out.

The most common areas that concern insurance companies are:

» General Health Issues
If you have some health issues, then your insurance company will write to your GP and ask for further details about the condition in order to better assess you as a risk and therefore calculate your premium more accurately.

» Family History of a Condition
Your family history will be taken into account when assessing your life insurance application, and whether you have a history of certain conditions in your immediate family. This could indicate a disposition to this condition, which would be you at risk and therefore increase your premium.

» Weight
If you are overweight or obese then there are conditions that you will be more prone to and therefore your insurance will have to reflect. An underwriter will take into account your weight to height ratio as well as your gender and the type of life insurance that you have requested.

» Bowel Conditions
If you suffer from conditions like Crohn's Disease, Colitis/Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) then you need to make your insurance company aware so that they can successfully price your policy.

» Depression, Stress or Anxiety
Depression can simply be described as a general feeling of sadness and can manifest itself in several different ways such as insomnia, emotional and irrational behaviour etc. It is likely that if you suffer from some form of depression that your GP will be contact to ascertain the degree to which you may pose a risk to yourself.

» Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes. Type I diabetes is treated with insulin and Type II diabetes is usually treated by change in diet or tablets. Age, weight and type of diabetes will help to inform your insurance underwriter as to the type of cover that you require. Type I Diabetes could increase your premium by 200-300% and Type II Diabetes could increase your premium by 50-100%.

» Cancer
Each individual Cancer patient will have their individual case and circumstances assessed. Cancer covers everything from small growths to aggressive, terminal Cancers.

» High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is an increase in the arterial pressure. This is measured in relation to a persons age and it can be an indication of an underlying problem.

» Male Homosexuality
Different underwriter have different views on the risks of male homosexuality, and we at Click n Go Insurance, can help you find a policy that suits your needs.

» Smoking regardless of how often you smoke
In short, the more that you smoke the more at risk you are from diseases like lung cancer and therefore the more you will pay for your premium.

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