No Medical Exam Life Insurance
Don't let the hassle of a medical exam get in your way of a life insurance policy. There are various no exam options available to you, often with a minimal price difference.
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Table of Contents
- What Is It?
- Is Life Insurance Without A Medical Exam Right For You?
- The 2 Different Types of Life Insurance With No Exams
- How You’re Qualified Without A Physical
- Best Companies With No Medical
- What About Other Popular Insurance Companies?
- How Much Does No Exam Life Insurance Cost?
- How Much Coverage Can You Get Without Taking A Medical Exam?
- No Medical Exam Life Insurance Reviews
What Is It?
Put simply, no medical exam life insurance is exactly what the name implies. A life insurance policy that does not require a medical examination. These policies are available in different types, like term and whole. As a result, you can get a life insurance policy without the hassle of a medical exam, no matter your age or health.
How no exam life insurance has evolved in recent years
In the past, if you didn’t want to undergo a physical, it meant a much higher cost. It also meant that the insurance provider would have a case manager assigned to your policy. This case manager would pull and review your public records, like medical, medication, and driving records.Additionally, you wouldn’t be able to get nearly as much coverage.
But, over recent years, no medical exam policies have evolved tremendously. Some carriers like Bestow and Haven Life have fine-tuned their process so much that a decision can be made in seconds. And the cost? Only slightly more than policies that do require a medical exam. And when I say slightly, I mean pennies or dollars.
Important takeaways
- There are two main types of no medical exam life insurance: term life and whole life.
- For healthy individuals between ages 20 and 60, the most popular option is term life insurance without a medical exam.
- Seniors over age 60 can opt for whole life insurance without a medical exam, either through a simplified issue final expense or guaranteed issue policy.
Is Life Insurance Without A Medical Exam Right For You?
It depends. Even with the recent changes in affordability and speed, it’s important to know that you are still qualified when choosing a no exam option. After all, “no medical exam” does not mean “no medical qualification”.
Pros
Convenience
Not having to worry about a doctor visit, needles, urine samples, and so on, can make a huge difference for some individuals. If you’re one of them, a no exam policy is likely a great choice
Cost
More and more carriers are offering life insurance without a physical. To be able to compete with one and another, prices are lower than ever in history.
Speed
Term life insurance policies without a medical exam are some of the fastest to go into effect. This is also known as “instant issue life insurance“. And as the name implies, a decision can be made instantly. The insurer will pull your public records and the system will determine if you qualify or not. Think of it as applying for a credit card. The issuer pulls your credit score, and seconds later, you know if you’re approved or not.
Cons
Cost
While the cost is lower than ever, it’s important to know that it’s still slightly more expensive than the same policy that does require a medical exam. How much more expensive depends on the carrier and your personal situation. This cost difference can range from just pennies to a few dollars a month.
Less coverage
Another con of no medical exam life insurance policies is that the max coverage is typically lower than the physical version. For example, Bestow may offer up to $5million in coverage with a medical exam. The same product, without a medical exam, may be limited to just $1million in coverage.
No Medical Exam Life Insurance Is Best If:
- You don’t mind paying a bit more for convenience (although in some cases a no medical term life insurance policy can actually cost less than other types of policies).
- You prefer an online, no-contact approach.
- You want up to $1 million in coverage.
The 2 Different Types of Life Insurance With No Exams
If you seek life insurance without a medical exam, there are various options available to you. But overall, these options fall into two general categories:
- Term life insurance
- Whole life insurance
More about each one is below.
Term life insurance
Level term life insurance without a medical exam has become hugely popular in the last decade, for several reasons:
- These policies are flexible. You can get up to $1 million in coverage and select a term that works best for you. A 20-year term is the most common, but longer terms are available.
- No medical exam term life insurance is affordable. It costs about 2 to 4 times less than whole life insurance. In fact, most people significantly overestimate the cost of this type of coverage.
- You can choose from many top-rated providers. Because no medical exam term life insurance has become so popular, many insurers have improved their products in this category.
While a medical exam isn’t required, you still need to qualify medically. But instead of having you take a physical, insurance companies will qualify you based on public records they can access online, such as medical history, prescription medication history, and driving records.
When you request an online quote, we ask a few specific questions before providing you with rates. We do this so that we can exclude results from certain insurers if we know that you would have a tough time meeting their eligibility criteria.
Term life insurance without a medical exam is best if you:
- Want $1 million or less in coverage
- Are younger than 60 and in good overall health
- Want life insurance coverage for the next 10 to 30 years
Whole life insurance
Whole life insurance policies have become less popular over time. But, they still have a strong foothold for a few reasons:
- These policies last your entire life. While some people prefer having life insurance only when it matters most, others would rather get one policy for the rest of their life.
- Some whole life insurance policies offer guaranteed acceptance. This might sound convenient, but it’s also expensive. These policies are most popular for those who can’t otherwise qualify for life insurance because of their health.
- Simple and straightforward. Final expense is a type of whole life insurance that’s popular among older adults. It’s typically used to cover burial costs, and usually, a medical examination is not required to get this type of policy.
If undergoing a physical exam is out of the question, you’ll have two options if you want whole life insurance: final expense or guaranteed issue. These options are most commonly chosen by people in their 70s or older.
Should you decide you want one of these whole life insurance options, then final expense life insurance will be your best choice if you’re in overall good health. If you currently have any serious health conditions or have had any in the past, then guaranteed issue life insurance is your best choice.
Whole life insurance without a medical exam is best if you:
- Are 60 or older
- Want life insurance to cover your funeral expenses rather than to leave an inheritance
- Can’t qualify for term life insurance because of health issues or other reasons
| Term life insurance without a medical exam | Whole life insurance without a medical exam | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 18 – 65 | 60+ |
| Cost | Most affordable | Expensive |
| Health | Average to excellent health | Excellent to poor health |
| Insurance duration | 10 to 30 years | Entire life |
| Coverage | Up to $1 million | Up to $50,000 |
| Compare term rates | Compare whole rates |
Learn more about the difference between term and whole life insurance
How You’re Qualified Without A Physical
Even though the insurer doesn’t require a medical exam, that doesn’t mean there’s no qualifying process.
In fact, there are only two types of life insurance that have no medical qualification whatsoever — accidental death and dismemberment, and guaranteed issue life insurance.
Both simplified issue term and final expense life insurance require medical qualification, just not the traditional way.
Instead, a decision on your application will be made using the following records:
- Pharmacy report, which reveals all medications you’ve been prescribed over the last 5–10 years
- Motor Vehicle Department report
- Medical Insurance Bureau report (shows whether you’ve applied for or been denied life insurance in the past)
- Credit history (only a few insurance companies check this)
Best Companies With No Medical
Whenever you’re preparing to make a financial decision, including selecting an insurance provider, it’s always in your best interest to do some homework. Some life insurance companies have far better ratings, and offer better prices and benefits, than others.
Assurity Life Insurance Company
Assurity has provided reliable life insurance for over 120 years. The company’s no medical exam term life insurance is a great product. If you’re in good or excellent health, you could qualify for accelerated underwriting. This means you could get a coverage decision within minutes rather than days or weeks.
Our opinion about Assurity
Assurity offers one of the best-priced no-exam policies, along with great service and lenient underwriting. The application takes about 20-30 minutes to complete over the phone. Some policies are approved instantly, depending on the applicant’s health history.
How much does Assurity life insurance cost?
| Age | Gender | $100,000 | $250,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Male | $11.14 | $18.27 |
| Female | $9.57 | $14.14 | |
| 30 | Male | $11.14 | $18.27 |
| Female | $9.57 | $14.36 | |
| 40 | Male | $17.14 | $30.67 |
| Female | $14.53 | $25.45 | |
| 50 | Male | $37.67 | $70.47 |
| Female | $29.84 | $54.81 | |
| 60 | Male | $98.05 | $185.96 |
| Female | $69.08 | $129.63 |
Methodology: We calculated these rates based on age and gender specified above, for healthy, non-smoking individuals based in California.
Sagicor Life Insurance Company
Sagicor is a top-rated insurance provider for no medical exam term life insurance. The company’s Sage Term product offers an online application and accelerated underwriting. So, you can answer some medical questions online and find out in minutes if you’re approved.
Our opinion about Sagicor Sage Term
The application can be taken over the phone in about 20 minutes, or the majority of the application can be completed online.
This product does not require a medical exam. While that convenience increases the price slightly, this product is still one of the most affordable options available.
How much does Sagicor life insurance cost?
| Age | Gender | $100,000 | $250,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Male | $10.03 | $15.61 |
| Female | $9.19 | $12.52 | |
| 30 | Male | $10.77 | $16.13 |
| Female | $9.87 | $14.23 | |
| 40 | Male | $13.95 | $22.36 |
| Female | $12.15 | $18.64 | |
| 50 | Male | $28.14 | $52.77 |
| Female | $25.60 | $45.58 | |
| 60 | Male | $86.72 | $191.15 |
| Female | $58.94 | $138.16 |
Methodology: We calculated these rates based on age and gender specified above, for healthy, non-smoking individuals based in Ohio.
Great Western Life Insurance Company
Great Western specializes in one type of insurance, and that’s insurance for burial expenses. The company is continually ranked as one of the top pre-need insurance companies in the United States. This makes Great Western a great choice for guaranteed issue life insurance.
Our opinion about Great Western
Great Western specializes in final expense insurance and has over 4 decades of experience. This allows the company to offer exceptional customer service and guidance with funeral and pre-need planning.
How much does Great Western life insurance cost?
| Age | Gender | $10,000 | $25,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Male | $75.42 | $184.17 |
| Female | $66.25 | $161.25 | |
| 70 | Male | $119.58 | $294.58 |
| Female | $102.08 | $250.83 |
Methodology: We calculated these rates based on age and gender specified above, for healthy, non-smoking individuals based in Ohio.
What About Other Popular Insurance Companies?
Geico life insurance
Geico specializes in vehicle insurance. If you already have your vehicle insured through Geico, you might be wondering about getting life insurance through the company as well.
Unfortunately, Geico does not sell life insurance. Instead, it has affiliations with other insurance providers. That means if you get a life insurance quote through Geico and you choose to buy a life insurance policy based on that quote, it won’t be through Geico.
So, if you’re thinking about combining your vehicle and life insurance through one company, Geico doesn’t give you that option.
State Farm life insurance
State farm holds a 16% share of the auto insurance market, making it the largest auto insurance provider in the United States. Unlike Geico, State Farm does provide additional types of insurance in-house.
State Farm’s life insurance quote process is pretty straightforward, although you can’t opt for no medical exam rates only. Instead, you may or may not have to undergo a medical examination.
How much does State Farm life insurance cost?
We got a life insurance quote for a 30-year-old male in excellent health who hasn’t smoked in the last 3 years. The cost for a $100,000, 20-year term policy was $12.88 per month. The same quote, but for a female, resulted in a rate of $12.35 per month.
Based on these quotes, State Farm costs 10% more than Assurity and about 20% more than Sagicor. While having multiple insurance policies under one insurer is definitely convenient, a 20% price difference could end up costing thousands of dollars in the long run.
How Much Does No Exam Life Insurance Cost?
It mainly depends on whether you want term or whole life insurance. No medical exam term life insurance is surprisingly affordable. Price drops in recent years have definitely made this product more attractive than ever.
Additionally, some insurers have fine-tuned their underwriting process to where they can offer a policy without a medical exam that actually costs the same as, or even slightly less than, a traditionally underwritten policy that does require an exam. They are able to do that because less work is required and the difference in risk is virtually nil. This is especially true for people who are in good overall health.
Buying a whole life insurance policy without undergoing a doctor visit can be quite expensive. That’s mostly because people buy these policies at a later age, and the older you get, the more expensive life insurance becomes.
How Much Coverage Can You Get Without Taking A Medical Exam?
It depends on the type of policy and the insurer. Generally speaking, you can get $500,000 to $1 million in coverage with term life insurance, depending on the specific company.
New life insurance providers are increasing the pressure on established insurers, though. Some offer as much as $2 million in coverage without a medical examination.
With whole life insurance, the maximum amount of coverage is far lower — usually around $50,000. Typically, a no exam whole life insurance policy is used to pay for burial expenses. In 2020, the average funeral cost was between $7,000 and $12,000. Some people buy a policy for $10,000, which will cover at least most of their funeral costs, whereas others go for a higher amount, such as $25,000, to pay off additional debt.
No Medical Exam Life Insurance Reviews
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Sep 27, 2021
Jen did an amazing job and it was a very quick process!! Thank you!!!
Mark Finnell
Agent: Jennifer Plisch
Sep 14, 2021
Efficient with great staff!
Susan Woodruff
Agent: Jennifer Plisch
Jun 07, 2021
Great job. Great information.
Wiley Barber
Agent: Jennifer Plisch
May 21, 2021
Cheryl made the process fast and easy!
Derrick Rogers
Agent: Cheryl Schlenkert
Apr 30, 2021
Great everything was explained and the service was great
Mary Sherlock
Agent: Jennifer Plisch
Apr 15, 2021
It was easier than I thought! In one phone call I was covered. My family and I are now stress free, all thanks to my Agent,
Jennifer Plisch!
Nadia Rutledge
Agent: Jennifer Plisch
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See what you qualify for by answering some health questions.
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About the author
Ben Peetermans is a life insurance editor. He enjoys blogging about various topics, including finance. He has been writing about insurance since 2015. Ben has been featured in various press outlets including FOX, CBS, and NBC.
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