Guide
No-exam life insurance
Who gets approved for fast-track underwriting, what the process involves, and what happens if you don't qualify.
A lot of carriers have added express underwriting: within certain age and amount ranges, they decide using your application, pharmacy records, DMV info and other databases instead of a medical exam. Answers can come the same day. All the quotes on this site say whether a specific product requires an exam, might need one, or won't ask for one.
What it changes
An express process doesn't mean no underwriting. Your application answers get checked, and if a carrier later finds the application had mistakes, it's allowed to challenge it within the first two years. If the carrier spots something that needs clarity, you'll hear from them; you're always free to walk away at that point if you'd rather.
Who tends to qualify
Usually: applicants younger than around 60, applying for sums within the carrier's express limits, without major health issues, and who haven't used tobacco for a year or longer. If your doctor has recent bloodwork from a checkup, a lot of carriers will accept those records in place of their own exam.
When an exam is needed, it's usually a quick 20 to 30 minute appointment with a paramedic at your home or workplace in Redwood City—free of charge to you. For people in good health, the exam results can actually lead to a better rate class, so it's not necessarily a bad thing.