What Do They Test For When Getting Life Insurance? 
Every company has their own markers that they look for when underwriting a policy because they each have their own underwriting guidelines they follow . When you take an exam for a life insurance policy , you usually have a blood test and urine test in addition to the health questions and vitals check . For older individuals , the carrier may ask you to complete an EKG as well -LRB- seniors may also be asked to complete a mature assessment - this looks at cognitive and mobile abilities -RRB- . Common things carriers look for in these tests are cholesterol levels , A1C levels -LRB- A1c is your blood sugar control - in short , a check to see if someone is diabetic or are already diabetic and have good control -RRB- , liver function studies , kidney protein levels , any nicotine , to name a few things . There are other values that carriers look at in the results , but they will vary by carrier . If you 're uncomfortable taking an exam , there are non-medical policies available , but you will pay a higher rate -LRB- in short - it 's compensation to the carrier for taking on more risk since they wont have a full review of your medical history to underwrite the case with -RRB- . I would recommend consulting with an experienced broker before applying for any coverage to review your options and see what will work best for your program . Please feel free to contact me for further assistance . Thanks very much . 