If you’re considering buying life insurance, you may be wondering if you’ll have to go through a drug test. The answer to that question depends on the company that is underwriting your policy. In this guide, we’ll discuss how drug testing for life insurance works and what you can do to make sure you’re prepared if you’re asked to take a drug test.
How to Know If You’ll be Tested
For the life insurance medical exam, they may ask you to take a drug test. This is like other drug tests you have taken for an employer. They usually do this by taking urine or blood test.
The medical examination determines the insurance rates for life insurance. In addition, companies typically order a comprehensive drug panel during the exam, which checks for the following legal and illegal drugs:
- Amphetamine / Methamphetamine
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Nicotine
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Methadone
What If I Test Positive For Drugs?
If you test positive for most of these substances, your application will be instantly rejected. The exemption is marijuana and nicotine, which most life insurance companies permit. You can smoke or consume small amounts of marijuana as long as you don’t abuse it.
The “2 X rule” is a standard in the insurance industry that allows anyone to obtain the cheapest rates (preferred, non-smoking) if they consume cannabis twice a year or less. Other providers allow you to smoke more frequently.
These frequency rules don’t guarantee that you’ll get the best rates; rather, it indicates that it’s feasible rather than automatically assigned to the smoker prices.
Even if you smoke cigarettes only occasionally, you will be labeled a smoker if your saliva tests positive for nicotine.
Life insurance companies do not allow those who use drugs to acquire life insurance. Therefore, if you test positive for illegal narcotics such as cocaine and heroin, your application will be declined immediately.
If you have a history of drug addiction and are thinking about purchasing life insurance, it is feasible. Life insurance providers demand that applicants have been clean for at least three years (some impose longer waiting periods) and haven’t relapsed.
Life insurance companies ask about your drug use. If you have any, they will call to ask more about it. They will also ask you questions about the drugs you used and your current family, work, or school situation.
Conclusion
Most life insurance applicants do not need to worry about the life insurance drug test or blood test. However, if you currently do illegal drugs, it is unlikely that you will be able to buy life insurance.
You may be able to get no medical examination life insurance, such as simplified issue or guaranteed life insurance, but it might be prohibitively costly.
If you have been sober for some time and are negative for drug use, you may be able to purchase life insurance. However, look for higher premiums as a result of medical conditions caused by your prior drug usage.
Need Help Getting Life Insurance Coverage?
If you have a preexisting medical condition and want to buy life insurance, you will need help from an expert . This person can help make sure that you get coverage so that you don’t get declined.
Warning: Applying for life insurance without a medical exam can be risky. If you are declined coverage, it could be at least two years before you are able to get any life insurance.