What is a health questionnaire?
The health questionnaire is a detailed form that you must complete when applying for outstanding balance insurance.
Its purpose? To enable your insurer to assess the risks associated with your health status at the time of subscription to determine:
- acceptance or non-acceptance of coverage under the policy;
- the insurance premium amount;
- any exclusions to policy coverage.
This document forms the basis of your insurance policy and is binding. It is therefore essential to fill it in with the utmost care, providing all the necessary details.
Essential information
Below you'll find all the essential elements of your health questionnaire. You will need to enter:
Your basic personal information:
- age, weight and height to calculate your BMI.
- profession to determine whether your occupation is a high-risk occupational activity.
- whether you practise a dangerous sport or leisure activity.
You will also need to list your lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol).
Detailed information
The questionnaire also reviews several aspects of your health and requires you to provide a detailed medical history of the following elements:
Your personal medical history: chronic illnesses, surgical procedures, hospitalisations (dates and any sequelae).
As well as any treatment you may be undergoing, such as medication or regular medical check-ups, and why.
And finally, information about your time off work, including the duration and reasons for such leave.
Specific questions
Depending on the amount you are borrowing, the answers you give to the 1st questionnaire and your age, additional medical examinations may be requested:
- A Medical Report - i.e. a full medical examination carried out by your usual family doctor;
- A blood test and/or urine analysis;
- An electrocardiogram performed by a cardiologist;
Why is the health questionnaire so important?
The answers and information you provide in your health questionnaire will have a direct influence on a number of factors, including the amount of your insurance premium. The higher the health risk, the higher the premium.
Certain pathological conditions may also be excluded from your cover. Finally, your insurer may apply surcharges and additional premiums depending on the risks identified.
Please note: making false declarations can have serious consequences. Luxembourg law is strict on this point, and you could, for example, be refused compensation in the event of a claim linked to an undeclared event. Your policy may also be declared "void".
Practical advice for completing your questionnaire
Prepare all of your recent medical documents in advance and contact your GP if necessary. You can also list the treatments you are taking and the precise dates of your most recent consultations.
Be exhaustive and precise, never play down a health problem, mention all your treatments, even occasional ones, and date them as accurately as possible.
If in doubt, it's better to overstate than understate.
Don't hesitate to ask your GP to help you with this process.
Discover Domia, an insurance solution specifically designed to protect the outstanding balance on your mortgage. This insurance guarantees repayment of the capital outstanding in the event of the insured's death or total and permanent disability.
These include:
- Total and permanent disability (generally a lump sum paid in the event of declared permanent disability > 65%)
- Temporary total disability (annuities and waiver of premiums)
- Temporary or permanent partial disability (annuities and waiver of premiums)
- Additional lump sum in the event of death/total and permanent disability as a result of an Accident
What should you do in the event of refusal or additional premiums?
In Luxembourg, there is no system as comprehensive as the AERAS Agreement in France, for example, but the "right to be forgotten" agreement is an important first step in the fight against discrimination linked to medical history in the context of mortgage loans.
This does not include disability or incapacity cover (as with AERAS) and only covers the outstanding balance. What's more, it does not apply to other types of credit or insurance (health, disability, etc.).
Since 1 January 2020, this agreement between the Ministry of Health and the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies (ACA) has enabled former cancer patients, or those suffering from certain infections such as hepatitis C or HIV, to access outstanding balance insurance without being penalised by their medical history.
The main conditions include:
- Time elapsed since the "right to be forgotten" recovery date: for example, for cancers, active treatment must have been completed 10 years ago, without relapse (or 5 years if the diagnosis was made before the age of 18).
- No automatic additional premiums or exclusions: the insurer cannot use the history of cancer to increase the premium or refuse cover.
- Maximum cover: up to EUR 1,000,000, for a property used as a main residence or business premises, and with a maximum age of 70 at maturity.
The ACA encourages all insurance companies offering this cover to sign up to this agreement.
If your insurer refuses, you can also consider alternative solutions.
If your medical profile poses a problem, you can, for example, turn to a specialist in substandard risks or opt for "partial" cover rather than having no protection at all.
"Transparency, your best bet"
The health questionnaire is not an obstacle, but a tool to help you build the right cover for your situation. Being honest in your declarations will guarantee you optimum cover when the need arises.
With the Domia solution, AXA Luxembourg offers you a balanced approach between essential protection and cost control. Our advisers are on hand to support you through this crucial process and to help you make the right choices.
