How Can I Qualify For Preferred Life Insurance Rates?

Life insurance agencies aren’t like convenience stores. You can’t just walk in and buy whatever you’d like. When you’re looking to get life insurance, you have to qualify first.

There are two parts that go into qualifying:

• Your lifestyle. Are you a skydiver? Do you frequently travel to dangerous or war-torn countries? A risky lifestyle will make any insurance company think twice about accepting your policy.
• A physical exam. Your health plays a major role in qualifying you. Most life insurance policies require an exam before you enroll.

Between these two factors, the insurance company will determine if you qualify for standard rates, the more affordable preferred rates, or if your application will be turned down.

Passing Your Exam With Flying Colors

You can’t fake your way through a health exam. But there are some things you can do to make sure that you put your “best foot forward.”

• Don’t eat anything for about 12 hours before the exam. Eating right before your exam can skew test results — including making you look like you have high cholesterol.
• Don’t drink anything with caffeine for two days before your exam. A cup of coffee could ratchet up your blood pressure.
• If you smoke, don’t light up for at least 3 hours before your exam.
• Avoid drinking alcohol for two days before your exam.

Following these tips will make help make sure you get a clean bill of health. And that means you have a better chance of qualifying for the preferred rates on your policy.

It’s also a good idea to work with an agent. Every insurance company has a different idea of what makes a person “preferred.” A professional agent will know which companies to steer you toward.

To get matched with agents licensed in your area, use our free online quote service.