Health Insurance Applications

Completing health insurance applications is an essential step in the process of finding reliable health insurance. An insurance application is more than just another form. To the insurance company, the application is a means of determining how much it will cost to provide you with the medical coverage you need. When you're filling out a health insurance application, it's important to complete each section as accurately as possible, or you may have a claim denied in the future.

Completing an Application

As health insurance companies increase their presence online, many of these companies are giving applicants the opportunity to apply electronically. Whether you apply online or using a traditional paper application, the details requested will be similar. A health insurance application will ask for personal information like your name, date of birth, gender, street address, email address and telephone number. You will also be asked to provide your Social Security Number.

Another section of a health insurance application is devoted to information that reflects your level of risk to the insurance provider. In this section, you will be asked for information about your health history, your height and weight, your tobacco use, your occupation and your pastimes. If you have a history of a serious medical condition, have a high body mass index, smoke or have a risky occupation, you may be considered a high risk to the insurance provider.

Most health insurance applications include a standard health questionnaire with a checklist of medical conditions. If you or an immediate family member has had any of these conditions, you must check the appropriate box. An additional field may be provided to clarify the information you provided or to report a condition that wasn't on the list. During the underwriting process, an underwriter may contact your physician to confirm the information you provided or ask for additional details. Medical screening exams are generally not required.

If you fill out an application with an agent or broker, this professional may also complete a section of the application. In this section, the agent provides a statement to verify that you completed the application. At the end of the application, you will be asked to sign the document to confirm that the information is complete and accurate as you understand it.

Applications and Insurance Underwriting

For a medical underwriter, the health insurance application is a key source of vital information about the applicant. In the underwriting process, the underwriter compares the details you provided against the insurance company's guidelines for classifying applicants. If you do not have any serious health conditions, do not smoke and have a healthy weight, you may be classified as a standard risk to the insurer. If you smoke, have a chronic health condition or a high risk occupation, you may be classified as a substandard risk.

The health insurance application plays an important part in determining how much your insurance will cost. If you are classified in a standard risk group, your rates will be lower than the cost of insuring a member of a substandard risk group. However, even if you are considered a substandard risk by one insurer, you may get a more competitive offer from another insurance company.

Filling out paperwork may seem like a routine process, but it's worth taking your time when you fill out a health insurance application. If you have questions about any of the information requested, ask your insurance agent or an insurance company representative to clarify the details. Information in the application may determine how your medical care with an insurance company is handled in the future.

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