Guide
No-exam life insurance
What makes an applicant eligible for expedited underwriting, how the process works, and what happens if you don't qualify.
Several carriers offer expedited underwriting: for applicants within specific age ranges and coverage limits, they can make decisions using just the application, medication history, driving records, and public databases instead of a physical health screening. Some approvals happen within hours. Each quote on this site notes whether a health screening is required, may be required, or is not necessary.
What it changes
Skipping the exam isn't the same as skipping the review process. Your statements are double-checked, and policies written based on inaccurate information can be challenged for two years after issuance. If the carrier uncovers information that needs clarification, they might request additional testing or medical records; you can then choose how to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Usually this includes applicants under approximately 60 seeking amounts within the carrier's accelerated range, with no serious health issues and no nicotine or tobacco use in the past year or more. Some carriers will take recent blood work from your physician's office as a substitute for their own exam.
If your application requires an exam, it typically consists of a 20- to 30-minute in-person appointment with a nurse at your residence or workplace in the Pleasanton region, at no charge to you. For applicants in good health, the results can even lead to a better rate category, so an exam isn't always a drawback.