Life Insurance Drug Tests: How Strict Are They?

Life insurance companies use medical exams, including blood and urine tests, to determine what illnesses and diseases you may be at risk for and any potential drug use to help set premiums and determine your eligibility. While such tests are standard for most term and permanent life insurance policies, requests for drug testing are considered uncommon. Urinalysis is the most common form of drug testing, with blood tests also being commonplace. The hair follicle test is less common and usually only required when there is a specific concern about drug use.

Urine tests are the most common type of life insurance drug test

Life insurance companies use medical exams to determine what illnesses and diseases you may be at risk for and any potential drug use to help determine your eligibility and rates. Urine tests are a common part of these medical exams. They are standard for most term and permanent life insurance policies and are provided by the insurer for free. The tests can be conducted at your home, work or a local exam centre.

Your medical records and a phone interview with the insurance company only provide limited information about your health. Urine tests give underwriters a full picture of your current health. Here are some of the things that life insurance urine testing can be used to uncover:

• Drug use: If you’re currently using hard drugs or painkillers that haven’t been prescribed to you by a doctor, you’ll be ineligible for coverage. A life insurance urine test detects drugs like amphetamines/methamphetamines, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine (PCP), barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and methadone.
• Nicotine: Nicotine and cotinine, which is an alkaloid found in tobacco, can stay in the body and be detected by a urine test for at least several days; bodies process nicotine differently. Smokers pay two to three times more than non-smoker premiums.
• Health issues: By analyzing a urine sample, companies can determine a wide variety of health risks, such as a kidney infection, liver problems, or diabetes.

How to avoid a urine test

If you don't want to take a urine test, you can consider a no-medical-exam life insurance policy. These policies allow applicants to bypass the medical exam and offer comparable (or even lower) rates.

Blood tests are also standard and can detect drug use from 3-5 months prior

Blood tests are a common part of the life insurance medical exam, which is provided for free by the insurance company. The exam can take place at your home, workplace, or a local exam center. It typically lasts less than 30 minutes and involves answering questions about your medical history, providing a physical sample, and possibly an electrocardiogram (EKG).

Blood tests are used to detect drug use, with drugs such as amphetamines, methamphetamines, barbiturates, and opiates being common targets. These tests can reveal drug consumption from the past 3 to 5 months, making them a standard tool for insurance companies to assess your health and eligibility for coverage.

The presence of illegal drugs in your blood will likely result in your application being declined. However, marijuana is an exception, with some companies allowing its use. It's important to note that each insurer has its own rules regarding marijuana consumption, and you may need to consult an independent insurance agent to find the best fit for your situation.

In addition to drug testing, blood tests can also screen for various health markers and conditions, such as sexually transmitted diseases, cholesterol levels, hemoglobin A1C, glucose levels, kidney disease, and diabetes. These tests help insurance companies determine your overall health, confirm the information provided in your application, and assess your eligibility and rates for coverage.

Hair follicle tests are less common but can detect drug use from 6-9 months prior

Life insurance companies use medical exams to determine what illnesses and diseases you may be at risk for and any potential drug use to help determine your eligibility and rates. While urine and blood tests are standard, hair follicle tests are less common and are usually conducted when there is a specific concern about drug use.

Hair follicle tests are less desirable for the majority of life insurance companies because they can detect what drugs you may have taken 6 to 9 months ago. This is in contrast to urine tests, which mostly show what has passed through your system in the past week, and blood tests, which can reveal drugs consumed in the past 3 to 5 months.

If you have had treatment for addiction, an underwriter might require a hair follicle test. This is because hair follicle tests are more sensitive than urine or blood tests and can detect drug use from 6 to 9 months prior. This means that if you have been clean for less than 6 to 9 months, your hair follicle test will likely be positive for drug use.

If you are concerned about a hair follicle test, it is important to stop using drugs for at least a year before applying for life insurance. It is also important to be honest on your insurance application and with your medical examiner. Lying on your application or to your medical examiner is insurance fraud, and if you are caught, you will face serious consequences.

Nicotine is tested for in blood and urine samples and can remain in your system for up to 10 days

Life insurance medical exams are designed to assess your overall health, confirm the information you provide and test for illegal drug use. They are standard for most term and permanent life insurance policies and are provided for free by the insurance company. The tests are quite simple and can take place at your home, workplace or a local exam centre.

The tests involve a series of health questions, measurements of your height, weight, pulse and blood pressure, and an EKG. You will also be required to provide a blood and urine sample, which will be screened for dozens of health markers and conditions.

One of the things that will be tested for in your blood and urine samples is nicotine. This is because nicotine is highly addictive and found in all tobacco products, including cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff. It is also present in e-cigarettes and vapes.

If you are a smoker, nicotine will remain in your blood for between one and 10 days after you've stopped smoking or using tobacco. It will remain in your urine for a shorter period of time, but it can be detected in your hair much longer. The exact length of time that nicotine is detectable in your body depends on several factors, including the type of tobacco or nicotine product used, how often you smoke or use tobacco, how your body processes nicotine, your age, your body mass, your hydration levels and your level of physical activity.

Amphetamines/Methamphetamines are tested for and should leave your system within 7-10 days

Amphetamines and methamphetamines are tested for during a life insurance medical exam. This typically involves testing a small urine sample, but sometimes blood is collected for this test as well. The test is similar to drug tests administered by employers.

Amphetamines can be detected in the body for a range of different times, depending on the type of test. In blood, amphetamines can be detected for up to 46 hours, in saliva for 24 to 48 hours, and in urine for up to four days. In hair, amphetamines can be detected for up to 90 days. However, hair tests are not suitable for detecting recent or occasional drug use.

The length of time that amphetamines remain in the system depends on several factors, including age, weight, dosage, body composition, genetics, kidney and liver function, metabolism, and frequency of use. The younger a person is, the faster their metabolism tends to be, and the better their organ function. A person with a dysfunctional liver or kidney will have a harder time eliminating toxins from their body.

If you are concerned about an upcoming life insurance drug test, it is important to consult with a doctor, who can advise on the best process for discontinuing amphetamine use.

Frequently asked questions