When you buy life insurance, you're going to wind up taking a medical exam. This is so they can rate your health, ascertain the level of risk they're taking on in signing you and decide what they should be charging you. So, what do you need to know before going in? 

• It's pretty hard to cheat the test. If you're a smoker, for instance, nicotine stays in your system for a while. If you're going to take a break for the test you might as well just quit smoking outright. You're not going to get your bad habits past the examiner, so just tell the truth. Alcohol stays in your system, too, so stay sober the night before. 

• Stress is your biggest concern. It's just about impossible to trick the doctor into thinking you're healthier than you really are, but you can turn up false results owing to stress. Anything you can do to stay relaxed and keep your blood pressure down on the day of the test will help. Don't smoke cigarettes or drink coffee right before the test, avoid sugar and try to be in a good mood. Have someone else drive you if that helps.

• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and avoid salty foods before the test. That means pretzels, potato chips, French fries, chicken wings and anything that's cooked in oil. Have a nice salad for lunch and avoid all that stuff that doctors tell you to avoid anyway.

• You can typically retake your medical exam once every six months. This means that if you're starting a diet or quitting smoking, you can go ahead and sign up for life insurance and renegotiate your premiums later on down the line. However, many people find it easier to simply start over with a new life insurance company rather than wait to have their case reassessed. 

Based on your health you may be rated from standard to preferred-plus. Age, gender and smoking are other major factors as well. On average, the difference between a standard male smoker and a standard male nonsmoker may be as significant as $750 vs. $350 a year for a 30-year-old, or up to $7,000 vs. $2,000 a year past 60. Kicking bad habits is never a bad idea, but it's especially wise if you're thinking of buying life insurance.

If you have any questions about life or health insurance, contact our team of dedicated insurance agents today!