Let's say that you get life insurance and claim to be a non-smoker. Then let's say that you start smoking or resume smoking. Assuming that your medical records show that you smoked, will most life insurance companies check your records, see that you smoked, and then cancel your benefit?

Are medical records sort of like a credit report, where an insurance company can put in your information and automatically see all of your records, or do you have to give them the name of your doctor for them to find the records? I'm just curious to see how a medical insurance company researches your records when you apply. I signed the release of records, but I have not had any medical problems in a while. I am a little scared that I may have forgotten about something that I didn't list on the application that will not allow me to be approved. Thanks!

I need medical records of my mother who passed away in 1985. A death certificate will not provide a complete medical history which is what I need. Any tips or advice on the best way to go about this? I know the hospital where she passed but it has been 22 years and the hospital is no longer the "family " hospital it once was. It is now a huge huge multi-floor facility and I am afraid they probably would have tossed the records after a certain number of years.

I got hired by a federal law enforcement agency and must now submit to a medical exam. My physical will be with an in-house federal doctor. I know that the agency can access the results of this physical, what I am wondering is if they can access my complete medical records. I've read that they can only access records that I give them consent to look at. For example, if I sign a consent form to look at my records at "Hospital A", they can. However, if I made no mention about my records at Hospital B and never gave consent, then they cannot access those records. I'm wondering if this policy is true? Also, when it comes to medical records, do they even care about anything but the results from the physical. I'm getting the feeling that the medical exam isn't a big deal, they just want to see if your capable of walking, talking, hearing, seeing, and other basic activities?