Glossary

Paramedical exam

A short health screening, done at home or an office by a trained examiner, that collects measurements, blood and urine for life insurance underwriting.

Also called: paramed exam, life insurance medical exam, insurance exam

A paramedical exam is the medical screening many insurers require for fully underwritten life insurance. It's performed by a paramedical professional, such as a phlebotomist, nurse or medical assistant who works for an exam company the insurer hires, rather than by a doctor. The insurer pays for it, and it can usually be done at your home, workplace or a local office.

A typical exam takes 20 to 45 minutes. The examiner confirms your identity, reviews health questions from the life insurance application, records height, weight, pulse and blood pressure, and collects blood and urine samples. Lab tests commonly check cholesterol, blood sugar, liver and kidney function, nicotine, certain drugs and HIV. For larger amounts or older applicants, insurers may add an EKG or a cognitive screening. Say, hypothetically, an applicant's blood pressure reads high from nerves: many examiners take extra readings, and fasting and skipping caffeine and hard exercise beforehand can help.

Results feed into your rate class. Many insurers now skip the exam for some applicants through accelerated underwriting, but an exam can sometimes earn a better rate than a no-exam policy. You can generally request a copy of your lab results. See the life insurance medical exam: what to expect and what a life insurance blood and urine test looks for.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Underwriting The process an insurer uses to evaluate an applicant's risk, from health and lifestyle to finances, and decide whether and at what price to offer coverage. Rate class The underwriting category, such as preferred plus, standard or substandard, that sets the price an insurer charges for a given age and coverage. Attending physician statement (APS) A copy or summary of an applicant's medical records, requested from their doctor by an insurer during underwriting to confirm health details. Life insurance application The form a prospective buyer completes with personal, financial and health details that the insurer uses to underwrite and price coverage. MIB (Medical Information Bureau) A member-owned data exchange where life and health insurers share coded underwriting information to catch errors or omissions in applications.

Related guides

Accelerated underwriting: approval without an exam Accelerated underwriting lets qualified applicants skip the medical exam using database checks and health answers. Who qualifies, trade-offs and limits. Buying life insurance online: how instant decisions work How online life insurance applications reach a decision in minutes, which database checks replace the exam, what triggers a full review, and how to buy safely. How long it takes to get life insurance Life insurance can take minutes with automated underwriting or several weeks with an exam and doctors' records. What sets the pace and how to shorten the wait. The life insurance application process and timeline The stages of a life insurance application, from quote to delivered policy, who does what at each one, and what you can do to keep the process moving. What a life insurance blood and urine test looks for What insurers test for in the blood and urine samples taken at a life insurance exam: cholesterol, glucose, liver and kidney markers, nicotine and drugs. Life insurance for smokers How insurers classify tobacco users, what counts as smoking, how nicotine testing works, and ways to lower the cost, including quitting and reclassification.