No-medical-exam life insurance

What is no-medical-exam life insurance?

No-medical-exam life insurance (also called no-med or no-exam life insurance) uses your past health records instead of a physical exam to assess your health and set your premiums. You can buy no-medical-exam life insurance in as little as a couple of days, which is much faster than the couple of months it takes to buy a traditional insurance policy. Because these types of policies are contactless, they've become more popular as people continue to practice social distancing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Policygenius Trend Report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in no-medical-exam policy availability, and people are biting. “Even when no-med policies are slightly more expensive, say $5 to $10 more per month, customers are still opting for those because of the quicker turnaround time,” says Eloise Spinello, associate director of account management at Policygenius.

Types of no-med insurance

The most common type of no-medical-exam life insurance is a term life policy with accelerated underwriting. Instead of an exam, an underwriter uses your medical history, previous labs, prescription history, and any past diagnoses to set your premiums.

During a phone interview, your agent will tell you if your age and health make you eligible to apply for a no-medical-exam policy. You'll answer the insurance company's questions and can have an application decision in as little as a few days.

Term life insurance with no medical exam

Term life policies without a medical exam offer the same robust protection as a fully underwritten policy. They offer riders and millions in coverage — all at a competitive price. They key difference is that without a medical exam, you get a policy decision much quicker.

Because term policies without a medical exam are so similar to traditional life insurance policies, anyone who is eligible should consider applying.

No-medical-exam life insurance: Quick comparison

Term no-medical-exam life insurance has some pros and cons when compared to a traditional policy: Pros

• Comparable in pricing (if not cheaper) than a fully underwritten policy

• Application decision can take as little as a few days

• Comes with riders and robust death benefit coverage

Cons

• Does not provide for wealthy candidates who need a very large death benefit

• People who are of old age or in poor health may not be eligible

• If your application is rejected, you will have to take the medical exam

→ See how else no-med coverage compares to traditional life insurance

How much does no-medical-exam life insurance cost?

Life insurance policies without a medical exam are cost-competitive and generally cost about the same as a traditional policy, if not less. Check out our chart below to see how little you could be paying per month for a no-medical-exam life insurance policy.

The best no-medical-exam life insurance companies

If you have minor health or lifestyle risks and want a speedy application process, we recommend no-exam term life insurance from three of our partner insurers:

• Brighthouse

• Foresters Financial

• Lincoln Financial

All three policies offer all the perks of a traditional term life insurance policy, including a competitive price, with much shorter waiting periods: a few days instead of five to six weeks. 

At Policygenius, we want affordable and robust coverage to be easy to find for everyone. To help you sift through the options, we review and rate companies, including those that offer no-med life insurance. We don't get paid for reviews and evaluate each life insurance business using rigorous, unbiased analysis to help you find the right insurer.

→ Read more about our picks for the best no-medical-exam insurance companies

Who qualifies for no-medical-exam life insurance?

Most healthy people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and even 50s will qualify for a no-medical-exam policy. But should they get one? Absolutely — no-medical-exam policies offer convenience, competitive pricing, and coverage that is just as robust as a fully underwritten policy. A no-med policy is worth considering, especially if: 

• You’re in good to moderate health

• You want to skip the in-person medical exam due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• You want or need coverage quickly

• You want a competitively priced policy

If your application for a no-medical-exam policy isn't accepted, you can still get a life insurance policy at an affordable price, you'll just need to take the medical exam. Your insurance agent can work with you to find you the right policy.

No-medical-exam life insurance for seniors

Seniors or those with serious health conditions may not be eligible for term life insurance without a medical exam, but they still have one no-medical-exam coverage option: burial insurance.

Burial insurance without a medical exam

There are two types of burial life insurance (also called final expense insurance) that don’t require a medical exam but offer low coverage amounts to cover funeral expenses:

1. Guaranteed issue life insurance offers almost certain approval as long as you can afford the high premiums.

2. Simplified issue life insurance offers slightly lower rates and higher coverage than guaranteed issue. But, you could be disqualified if you require assisted care or have a more complex health history.

These policies offer low coverage amounts at a very high cost, but are an alternative if you can't get term life insurance without a medical exam.

How to buy no-medical-exam life insurance

We’ve got everything you need to find the right policy for you: up-to-date, expert-vetted information, detailed reviews of the best no-medical-exam life insurance companies, and hundreds of agents on standby to answer your questions. And because Policygenius is an independent brokerage, our agents can help you compare quotes for life insurance without a medical exam across insurance carriers, so you can get the policy that’s the best fit for you — at the best price.