Guide
No-exam life insurance
Which applicants qualify, how the process works, and what changes if a medical exam is required.
Many insurance carriers now provide accelerated underwriting: for applicants within specified age brackets and coverage limits, the carrier makes a decision based on the application, pharmacy records, DMV records, and other data sources rather than ordering a paramedical exam. Some decisions are issued within 24 hours. When you review quotes on this site, each quote indicates whether an exam is required, might be required, or is not anticipated for that product.
What it changes
Skipping a medical exam does not mean skipping the underwriting process. Your application answers are reviewed, and if there are discrepancies between what you stated and what underwriting discovers, a policy can be challenged in its first two years. If the carrier's investigation turns up concerns, it may request exam or lab results; you can then decide whether to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Frequently, individuals younger than about 60 seeking typical coverage amounts, with no serious health issues, and with no tobacco use during the past year or more qualify. If you've had recent medical appointments with lab work, many carriers will accept those results instead of scheduling a paramedical exam.
If a medical exam is required, expect a 20- to 30-minute appointment with a medical professional at your home or workplace in the San Ramon region, at no expense to you. Test results often result in a better classification for applicants in good health, so submitting to an exam need not put you at a disadvantage.