Guide
No-exam life insurance
Who qualifies for accelerated underwriting, how the process works, and what happens if you don't qualify.
Many companies now offer accelerated underwriting: for applicants within certain age and amount limits, they decide using your application, prescription records, driving history and other data instead of a physical exam. Many decisions come back within the same day. Each quote shows whether an exam is required, maybe required, or not needed for that particular product.
What it changes
Skipping the exam is not skipping underwriting. Your answers are checked, and a policy issued with incorrect answers can be challenged during the first two years. If the company finds issues in their records, they might still ask for tests or an exam; you can decide then whether to move forward.
Who tends to qualify
Generally applicants below roughly 60, applying for amounts within the company's accelerated underwriting limit, with no major health history and no tobacco use for at least a year. If you've had a recent doctor's visit with lab work, some companies accept those test results instead of an exam.
If an exam is needed, it's typically a 20- to 30-minute appointment with a paramedic at your Murrieta home or workplace, at no cost to you. For healthy applicants, exam results often lead to a better rate tier, so an exam isn't necessarily a disadvantage.