On any application with a medical exam, yes — a lipid panel is standard. No-exam routes do not draw blood, though accelerated underwriting may read lab results from other sources.
Whether your cholesterol gets measured depends entirely on which application route you take.
Fully underwritten applications
The paramedical exam includes a blood draw, and the panel covers total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and the ratio, alongside glucose, liver and kidney markers, and cotinine. Fasting instructions matter — a non-fasting sample can distort triglycerides and, through them, calculated LDL.
No-exam routes
Simplified issue and guaranteed issue involve no blood draw. Simplified issue may ask about a cholesterol diagnosis as a health question.
Accelerated underwriting involves no exam, but it is not blind. It reads prescription data — a statin is visible — and in some programs electronic health record or lab-history data as well. A poor recent panel can route the application into underwriting">full underwriting.
Getting the best reading
Follow the fasting instructions exactly. Avoid alcohol for a few days beforehand, since it raises triglycerides. Schedule the exam for the morning. None of this is gaming the system — it is making sure the sample reflects your actual baseline rather than last night.
The full treatment of this topic is on High cholesterol.