The Principal Evidence of Insurability form is a short health questionnaire that Principal Financial Group’s underwriters use to decide whether to approve life or disability coverage beyond what your employer’s plan issues automatically. To complete it well, pull your medical records for the past five years before you start, answer every yes-or-no question based on what a doctor actually diagnosed or treated, list your medications with dosages, sign the authorization, and submit it through Principal’s online portal or your HR department.
When the Form Is Required
Employer group life plans include a guaranteed issue amount, a coverage level approved for every eligible employee without health questions. That threshold varies by plan but commonly falls between $50,000 and $150,000 for basic group life. Any coverage you request above that line has to be underwritten, and that is where the EOI comes in. The guaranteed issue limit for your plan is in your employer’s summary plan description or enrollment materials.
You also need an EOI if you missed your initial enrollment window, which is typically about 31 days from your hire date. Late applicants complete the form regardless of the dollar amount requested. The same applies if you declined coverage at open enrollment and later changed your mind.
Qualifying life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, or the loss of a spouse’s coverage can reopen enrollment. If the amount you elect during that special enrollment period exceeds the guaranteed issue limit, the portion above the threshold still requires an EOI. HR can confirm which changes trigger the requirement under your specific plan.
What the Form Asks
The Principal EOI runs about three to four pages. It collects basic identification and a focused set of medical questions covering the past five years.
Identification and Employment
The top of the form asks for your full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, and home address, plus your employer’s name and group policy number. HR can supply the policy number. If you are requesting coverage for a spouse or domestic partner, their information goes here too. Height and weight are also recorded in this section because underwriters use them in the risk assessment.
Medical History
The medical section is built around yes-or-no questions. A “yes” answer requires details: the condition, diagnosis date, treating physician, and current status. The questions on the Principal form cover:
- Whether anyone being covered is currently pregnant.
- Whether you have had surgery, been hospitalized, or seen a medical professional for diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition in the past five years, including test results.
- A checklist of specific diagnosed conditions, including cancer, stroke, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, colitis or Crohn’s disease, organ transplants, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, psychological or mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression, anemia, and alcohol or drug abuse.
- A second checklist of chronic or progressive diseases organized by body system: liver, kidney, musculoskeletal, pancreas, gallbladder, thyroid, reproductive, lungs and respiratory, and digestive.
For high blood pressure, the form asks for your last reading and the date it was taken. For diabetes, it asks for your most recent HbA1c result and date. Having these numbers in front of you before you sit down with the form prevents vague answers that slow underwriting.
How to Answer Accurately
Pull your medical records first. Log into your patient portal or call your doctor’s office and request a visit summary covering the past five years. That gives you exact diagnosis dates, procedure names, and medication dosages instead of relying on memory. Portal access is usually free; paper copies may carry a small per-page fee.
Answer each question based on what a medical professional actually diagnosed or treated, not what you suspect or have read about. If you were evaluated for a condition and the doctor ruled it out, that is different from a diagnosis, and the form’s wording reflects that distinction. “Diagnosed by a medical professional” and “received treatment from a medical professional” are the operative phrases.
List every prescription medication with its dosage and the prescribing physician’s name. Underwriters cross-reference medications against the conditions you disclose, so a medication that doesn’t match any reported condition raises a flag. Over-the-counter supplements generally don’t need to be listed unless the form specifically asks.
Honesty matters past the approval decision. Life insurance policies include a contestability period, typically two years from the policy’s effective date, during which the insurer can investigate the application and potentially deny a claim for material misrepresentation. After that period, the policy generally becomes incontestable except for outright fraud or nonpayment. Accurate answers protect your beneficiaries from a denied claim later, which is the point of carrying the coverage.
Each person covered by the request has to sign and date the form. Your signature authorizes Principal to verify your answers through third-party sources, including the Medical Information Bureau. The MIB maintains coded records of conditions disclosed on individual insurance applications within the past seven years. You can request a free copy of your MIB file once every twelve months at mib.com/request_your_record.html or by calling 866-692-6901, which is a reasonable step if you want to see what insurers already have on you.
Submitting the Form
Principal offers two submission paths: an online portal and traditional mail. Most employers use the online route. You’ll receive an email from “PrincipalGroupBenefits” with a link to log in at principal.com and complete the EOI electronically. The online process pre-fills your employment details and gives you an immediate confirmation of receipt.
If your employer still uses paper forms, HR will provide the correct version for your group policy. Complete it in ink, make a photocopy for your records, and return it to HR. Most employers forward paper EOI forms to Principal on your behalf rather than having you mail them directly. If you do mail it yourself, send it certified with return receipt requested, and ask HR or your benefits administrator for the correct address for your group plan.
Keep a copy of whatever you submit. If a question comes up during underwriting about a date or a missing detail, you want to reference exactly what you wrote.
What Happens After You Submit
Principal’s underwriting team reviews your answers and may take one of several paths depending on your medical history.
If your answers reveal no significant concerns and the coverage amount is within normal ranges, a decision can come quickly. For cases that qualify for accelerated underwriting, typically younger applicants requesting moderate amounts with clean health histories, a decision can arrive in as little as 24 hours with no further exams.
If your answers flag conditions that need more detail, Principal may request an Attending Physician Statement from your doctor. An APS is a detailed report covering your diagnosis, treatment plan, medications, and prognosis. You don’t fill it out yourself; the insurer contacts your doctor’s office directly, though you may need to sign a medical records release. Turnaround depends on how fast the doctor’s office responds, which can range from a few days to several weeks.
Principal may also require a paramedical exam. A certified examiner comes to your home or workplace for a basic physical that usually includes a blood draw, urine sample, blood pressure reading, and height and weight. An EKG may be added for older applicants or higher coverage amounts. The insurer pays for the exam. If one is scheduled, fast for at least twelve hours beforehand and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco for at least twenty-four hours. A morning appointment makes fasting easier, and the visit usually runs under an hour.
The decision comes through your employer’s benefits portal or by letter. Principal may approve the full amount, approve a reduced amount based on your health profile (which you can accept or decline), or deny the request. Approvals typically take effect the first of the following month, when premium deductions begin.
If Your EOI Is Denied
A denial letter has to spell out the specific reasons for the decision, cite the plan provisions it relied on, describe any additional information that could change the outcome, and explain how to appeal, including your right to bring a civil action under ERISA Section 502(a).
For group life and disability plans governed by ERISA, you have at least 60 days from the date you receive the denial to file a formal appeal, under the Department of Labor’s claims procedure regulation. Missing that deadline can forfeit your right to challenge the decision in court, so note the date when the letter arrives.
On appeal, you can submit additional medical records, a letter from your physician explaining your condition or prognosis, or updated test results that weren’t available during the first review. If the denial relied on an internal guideline or medical criterion, you can request a copy free of charge. A different underwriter reviews the appeal, and the plan has to issue a final decision within the timeframe specified in your plan documents.
If the appeal is also denied, ERISA lets you file a civil lawsuit to recover benefits. At that stage it is worth consulting an attorney who handles ERISA benefit disputes, because courts generally limit review to the evidence in the administrative record from the appeal. New medical evidence usually cannot be introduced for the first time in court.