What is the waiting period for life insurance?

The waiting period in insurance occurs after you’ve applied for a policy and are waiting for your coverage to kick in.

Headshot of Nupur Gambhir
Headshot of Tory Crowley

By

Nupur GambhirSenior Editor & Licensed Life Insurance ExpertNupur Gambhir is a licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service Cake.&Tory CrowleyAssociate Editor & Licensed Life Insurance AgentTory Crowley is an associate editor and a former licensed insurance agent at Policygenius. Previously, she worked directly with clients at Policygenius, advising nearly 3,000 of them on life insurance options. She has also worked at the Daily News and various nonprofit organizations.

Edited by

Antonio Ruiz-CamachoAntonio Ruiz-CamachoAssociate Content DirectorAntonio helps lead our life insurance and disability insurance editorial team at Policygenius. Previously, he was a senior director of content at Bankrate and CreditCards.com, as well as a principal writer covering personal finance at CNET.
|

Reviewed by

Kristi Sullivan, CFP®Kristi Sullivan, CFP®Certified Financial PlannerKristi Sullivan, CFP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, she was a regional consultant at Fidelity Investments for nine years.

Updated|2 min read

Expert reviewedExpert reviewedThis article has been reviewed by a member of ourFinancial Review Council to ensure all sources, statistics, and claims meet the highest standard for accurate and unbiased advice.Learn more about oureditorial review process.

Policygenius content follows strict guidelines for editorial accuracy and integrity. Learn about our editorial standards and how we make money.

The life insurance application process is a necessary part of getting coverage. However, a typical life insurance application can take about four to six weeks to process. That time period creates a gap between when you need life insurance coverage and when your coverage officially starts or is in force.

But there are ways to protect your family financially during this waiting period. Temporary life insurance coverage and policies with a quicker turnaround time for application decisions offset the risk of a coverage gap.

Key takeaways

  • The waiting period for a standard life insurance application is four to six weeks on average, but it can be longer.

  • Temporary insurance pays out to your beneficiaries if you die during the waiting period.

  • Accelerated underwriting and final expense life insurance policies offer almost immediate coverage.

What is the waiting period in insurance?

The waiting period in life insurance is the time between when you initially apply for a policy and when your life insurance coverage begins.

The waiting period happens because insurers need to evaluate your background and health profile to determine how much you’ll pay for your policy. This evaluation process is called underwriting.

During this waiting period, you don’t have life insurance coverage and if you die, beneficiaries won’t receive any life insurance money.

Once you’re approved for coverage, you’ll need to pay your first policy premium and sign your life insurance policy for the waiting period to end. At that point, your coverage will be active and if you die, your beneficiaries will receive the payout. 

Ready to shop for life insurance?

We don't sell your information to third parties.

How to avoid the waiting period

You can get a life insurance policy without undergoing the waiting period — here’s how:

  • Purchase temporary coverage while you wait for your actual policy to become active. The cost of temporary coverage is based on your quoted premiums. So, if you were quoted $30 per month for your policy, you’d pay $30 for temporary coverage.

  • Buy a no-medical-exam life insurance policy that skips the medical exam, which speeds up the application process.

  • Get a policy with no waiting period by purchasing accelerated underwriting life insurance, which offers an application decision almost immediately.

→ Learn more about how to buy life insurance

The waiting period for insurance payouts

The waiting period also can refer to the time between when your beneficiaries submit a death claim form and the time they receive the actual payout. Processing the death claim can take as little as two weeks and as long as two months, after which the life insurance company will pay out the death benefit.

Most payouts happen less than 30 days from when you file the claim. If your family will need immediate financial support, consider creating a contingency plan, like a savings account they can immediately access, while they wait for the funds. 

The life insurance waiting period can have some serious consequences for your beneficiaries, but you can take steps to ensure that your family is financially protected.

If you choose to get temporary life insurance during the application process or opt for a no-medical-exam policy, your coverage will begin much more quickly.

More about the life insurance application process

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of waiting period in insurance?

The waiting period in insurance is the time between applying for coverage and getting that coverage in force. You do not have insurance coverage during this waiting period.

Why do companies have a waiting period for insurance?

The waiting period is in place so the insurance company can conduct a thorough evaluation of your background. This allows the company to determine the risk of insuring you before they make you a formal offer.

How long does it take for benefits to start?

Depending on the policy you apply for, your life insurance coverage can begin immediately after you apply. For some companies, it can take six weeks or more for you to receive an offer of coverage.

Can I get life insurance with no waiting period?

There are life insurance policies available that offer coverage without a medical exam or waiting period. These policies have different eligibility and coverage parameters than typical life insurance policies. A licensed advisor can help you determine your eligibility.

Authors

Nupur Gambhir is a licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service Cake.

Tory Crowley is an associate editor and a former licensed insurance agent at Policygenius. Previously, she worked directly with clients at Policygenius, advising nearly 3,000 of them on life insurance options. She has also worked at the Daily News and various nonprofit organizations.

Editor

Antonio helps lead our life insurance and disability insurance editorial team at Policygenius. Previously, he was a senior director of content at Bankrate and CreditCards.com, as well as a principal writer covering personal finance at CNET.

Expert reviewer

Kristi Sullivan, CFP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, she was a regional consultant at Fidelity Investments for nine years.

Questions about this page? Email us at .