At a glance
A life insurance provider may ask to see your medical records to assess how likely you are to claim.
They can’t access your medical records without your consent.
If you refuse consent, it can affect your ability to get life cover.
It’s important to answer any questions about your medical history honestly to make sure your policy is valid.
Can someone access my medical records without my permission?
Under certain circumstances, some public bodies are legally able to access your medical records without your consent. These include:
The police
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), or the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland
Social services.
However, insurance providers can only see your medical details if you’ve given them permission.
How do I access my medical records?
You can access your medical records for free from these healthcare services:
Your local GP practice
A UK hospital where you have received treatment
Your optician
Your dentist.
All healthcare professionals have a legal requirement to let you see your records if you ask them.
And anyone aged 16 or over who’s registered with a GP practice in England can register for an online NHS account to view their future medical record.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, you may need to apply in writing to your GP practice to get access to your health records.
Why would a life insurance provider ask to see my medical records?
A life insurance provider could ask to see your medical records to assess the risk involved in offering you a policy. By looking at your medical records, a provider can decide how likely you are to make an insurance claim in the future.
A provider also takes into account other factors before deciding on a price for your policy. These include your age, weight and lifestyle – along with the type of life cover you want to take out.
Will my medical records show my pre-existing medical conditions?
Your medical records should show details of any pre-existing medical conditions.
A pre-existing condition can be any illness, injury or disease that exists before or at the time you take out life insurance. Examples include diabetes, a stroke and a heart attack.
You can usually still find life cover if you have a pre-existing medical condition. However, the premium could be more expensive and there might be fewer providers willing to cover you.
Read our guide to pre-existing medical conditions for more information.
Did you know?
Insurance providers should only take into account ‘relevant’ information in medical records that will help them assess the risk of a specific customer. If they use any information that isn’t relevant to deny you cover or hike up your premiums, then this is unlawful discrimination.
Can I get a life insurance policy without an insurance provider seeing my medical records?
It can depend on your age and lifestyle, and the answers you give to any health questionnaire you’re given when you apply.
For example, you might not need a medical report if you’re young and in good health. But if you’re older and smoke, your insurance provider may ask for a medical report from your doctor.
It can also depend on the type of policy you buy. Over 50s life insurance offers guaranteed acceptance, so you won’t need to take a medical or answer any health-related questions. As long as you pay your premiums, your beneficiaries will receive a guaranteed pay-out when you die, regardless of your health.
Compare life insurance
Having a life insurance policy in place can help protect your loved ones financially, while offering you peace of mind to get on and enjoy life.
Different policies are available and the one that works for you will depend on your circumstances. Make a start by comparing life insurance from a range of providers.
FAQs
How do life insurance providers check my medical background?
If a life insurance provider wants to check your medical background, they’ll need your permission to do so.
Only once you give permission will they contact your GP for a medical report. You’ll have 21 days to review the report with your GP before it’s then sent to your insurance provider.
How far back do my medical records go?
GP records are normally kept for as long as you are registered there. If you register with a new GP, your medical records should be transferred.
Hospital records are usually kept for eight years after a patient’s final treatment (six in Scotland) after a patient’s final treatment with a few exceptions).
Mental health records are generally kept for up to 20 years.
Maternity records may be kept for up to 25 years after the birth of the last child.
Records of a child’s treatment are often kept until they turn 25.
However, insurance providers tend to focus on your medical conditions of the past five years.
If you’ve recovered from a medical issue, they may also want to know how long you’ve been free of symptoms. They ask for this because the information might affect your premiums.
How long are medical records kept after death?
GP records are generally kept on file for 10 years after the patient’s death before being destroyed.
Electronic records may be kept for longer and in Scotland, electronic GP records are kept indefinitely.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, hospital records are typically kept for eight years after the patient’s death. In England and Wales, mental health records may be kept a little longer – up to 10 years after the person has died.
In Scotland, the medical records of children, young people and mentally disordered persons may only be kept for three years after death.
Can life insurance providers check medical records after death?
A life insurance provider might ask to see the policyholder’s medical records when they die if it’s relevant to a claim. But they can only do this with permission from someone authorised to act on behalf of the deceased – for example, an executor.
What information is in my medical records?
Your medical records contain information about your physical or mental health, recorded by a health professional like your GP or hospital staff. Information can include:
Your name, age and address
Health conditions
Treatments and medicines
Tests, scans and X-ray results
Allergies and past reactions to medicines
Specialist care, like maternity or mental health
Lifestyle information – for example, if you smoke or drink
Hospital admissions, treatment and discharge information.
Can I get my medical records changed?
If you believe there’s an error in your medical records or information is incorrect, you can ask your GP to update it.
You can also ask your GP to change any part of a medical report you believe is inaccurate or misleading. If they refuse, you can add a written statement expressing your views, which must be attached and sent to the insurance provider with the report.
If you’re not happy with how your GP practice has handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
You can also stop the report being sent altogether. However, this could result in your application for life insurance being rejected.
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With more than eight years’ experience in writing and sub-editing content, Karen started her career in fashion before making the move to insurance. She now specialises in producing clear, engaging content that helps people make better financial decisions.
Karen’s areas of expertise include insurance products, such as car insurance, travel insurance and life insurance, as well as utilities such as energy comparison.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Our content is written by a Compare the Market expert, backed by data and enhanced by technology. Find out how we ensure accuracy and quality in our Editorial Guidelines.
