How to Access the Medical Information Bureau (MIB) [2024]

When you apply for life insurance or some other type of health-related insurance, the information you put on your application is submitted to the Medical Information Bureau (MIB), which compiles all of the data into a single report. Insurance companies can access these reports to ensure accurate information on applications.

Consumers can also access their own MIB report to make sure the records are correct. Learn how to access your Medical Information Bureau (MIB) report and how it is used by life insurance companies to determine your life insurance rates.

After accessing your MIB report, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool above to find an affordable life insurance company near you.

What is the Medical Information Bureau (MIB)?

The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is an organization that compiles information from an individual’s insurance applications. For example, if you apply for life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance, the MIB will compile the information that you enter into each application. (For more information, read our “Medical Information Bureau (MIB): What It Does & How It Works“).

Read more: Do Health Insurance Companies Have Access to Medical Records?

What is the purpose of the Medical Information Bureau? The MIB compiles the information from insurance applications to ensure that consumers are entering accurate and consistent information.

What would the Medical Information Bureau identify? In cases where a consumer does not enter the same information across all applications, the MIB would identify differences in information and possibly fraud. Insurance companies can also access the reports created by the MIB to verify the information on your application.

Who makes up the Medical Information Bureau? Almost every life insurance company in the United States and Canada is a member of the MIB, which is more than 800 companies. Each company can see the information that other companies know about an individual.

What is in an MIB report?

An MIB report will include information from your insurance applications from the past three to five years. The report may include:

• The date of any insurance applications
• The date of a diagnosis or medical treatment
• All known medical conditions
• Types of medical treatments
• The source of medical information
• Habits such as smoking or drug use
• Risky hobbies or activities
• Driving records
• Credit information

For example, if you have an operation done and enter it onto an insurance application, your MIB report would include information such as the operation type, the date of the operation, and where they received that information (usually from an Attending Physician Statement).

Insurance companies can use this information, along with other records, such as a medical exam, other physician statements, and prescription records to make sure that nothing important is missing from your application.

Entries on your MIB report will remain for up to seven years. In addition, if an underwriting company requests your records, that will be noted on your report for up to two years.

There are no personal identifiers included in your MIB report, which means the information can’t be used to steal your identity. Instead, the information is coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10). In addition, your MIB report includes only information that is “significant to the underwriting process.”

The entire process of compiling information falls under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, which means that information cannot be sent to an insurance company without your consent.

How do I access my MIB report?

If you have ever applied for insurance, you can request a copy of your MIB report online or by calling (866) 692-6901. The copy that you receive may include:

• Medical and personal information
• The names of insurance companies that have requested your information
• The dates on which insurance companies requested your information
• Information from the MIB’s Disability Insurance Record System (DIRS) for those who have applied for disability insurance

The MIB falls under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which means that you have all the rights associated with the FCRA, including free copies of your report. In addition, you also have the right to dispute any incorrect information in your report.

Why do life insurance companies use MIB reports?

The MIB was created to protect insurance companies and consumers against fraud. Therefore, life insurance companies, as well as other types of insurance companies, can use MIB reports to ensure that consumers are providing accurate information.

Life insurance companies will set your life insurance rates based on the amount of risk that you pose to the insurance company, based on health, lifestyle, and more. Therefore, insurance companies can access your MIB report to verify medical information and to help determine how much they will charge for your policy.

Verifying your information with an MIB report helps life insurance companies charge accurate prices. For example, if an applicant forgets to include a past medical procedure on their application, or if someone is purposely committing fraud, the life insurance company can either raise their rates according to their health status or deny coverage due to fraud.

After you’ve checked your Medical Information Bureau report, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool below to find affordable life insurance.

Case Studies: Understanding the Impact of MIB Reports on Insurance Applications

Case Study 1: John’s Inaccurate Application

John applied for life insurance with Company A and omitted a previous medical procedure from his application. The insurance company accessed his MIB report and discovered the missing information. As a result, Company A raised John’s rates to reflect his actual health status.

Case Study 2: Sarah’s Fraudulent Claims

Sarah submitted multiple insurance applications to different companies, providing inconsistent information about her medical history. The MIB report flagged the discrepancies, indicating potential fraud. Insurance companies accessed the report and denied Sarah coverage due to the fraudulent claims.

Case Study 3: Mark’s Identity Protection

Mark accessed his MIB report and noticed an entry for a medical procedure he never had. He immediately disputed the incorrect information, and the MIB corrected his report. Mark’s identity remained protected, as the report only contained coded information without personal identifiers.