What to Expect When the Carrier Requests Your Medical Records

An Attending Physician Statement (APS) is a report of your medical history obtained by the insurance carrier from your doctors' offices. When you sign the application, you authorize the carrier to request your medical records as part of the underwriting process. Understanding what to expect helps you prepare and avoid surprises that could delay your coverage or affect your classification.

The carrier sends a request to the physicians you listed on your application (and sometimes to others found through the MIB or prescription databases). Your doctors' offices compile your records and send them to the carrier. This process can take 2-4 weeks, depending on the efficiency of the medical office. Some offices respond quickly; others may take longer, which is the most common cause of delays in life insurance underwriting. Large hospital systems with dedicated medical records departments tend to process requests faster than smaller private practices with limited administrative staff.

The APS contains your complete medical history as recorded by that physician: diagnoses, treatments, medications prescribed, lab results, specialist referrals, hospitalizations, surgeries, and notes from each visit. The underwriter reviews this information to verify what you disclosed on the application and to assess any conditions or risk factors. Every entry in your medical file is visible to the underwriter, including notes about lifestyle factors, mental health discussions, weight management conversations, and any screening results — even for conditions that turned out to be minor or were fully resolved.

There are a few things you can do to help the process move smoothly. Before applying, make sure your medical records are up to date — schedule any overdue checkups or follow-up appointments. Be completely honest on the application about all conditions, medications, and doctors you have seen, because the APS will reveal anything you omit. If you have had a health condition that is now well-controlled, ask your doctor to document the current stable status in your records. A note from your physician confirming stable management of a condition can support a more favorable underwriting decision.

If the APS reveals information that differs from your application, the underwriter will investigate further. This does not automatically mean a denial — it may simply result in questions or a request for additional information. However, the discrepancy itself creates concern because it raises questions about whether the omission was intentional. Complete honesty from the start eliminates most APS-related issues and gives you the strongest foundation for the underwriting process.

The APS may also reveal information you were not aware of. Physicians sometimes note observations, differential diagnoses, or screening recommendations that they did not explicitly discuss with you during the appointment. If the underwriter contacts you about something in your records that you do not recall, review the specific records with your physician before responding. An agent in our network can help facilitate communication between you, your physician, and the carrier to resolve any questions efficiently.

For applicants seeing multiple doctors, the carrier may order APS reports from each physician, which can extend the overall underwriting timeline. If one physician is particularly slow to respond, your agent can follow up directly with the medical office. Some carriers allow a preliminary underwriting decision based on partial records, with the final classification contingent on the remaining APS. This approach can provide a conditional offer while waiting for slower medical offices.

Privacy protections apply throughout this process. HIPAA regulations govern how your medical information is collected, stored, and used. The carrier can only access records you have authorized and can only use the information for underwriting purposes. Your medical information is not shared with other insurance carriers, employers, or third parties outside the underwriting process.