Guide
No-exam life insurance
Who qualifies for faster underwriting, how the process works, and what happens if you do need an exam.
Many carriers now offer accelerated underwriting: for people within age and amount limits, they decide using your application, prescription records, driving record and other data instead of scheduling a physical exam. Some answers come back the same day. Your quote will say whether this carrier requires an exam, may require one, or doesn't need one.
What it changes
Skipping an exam doesn't mean skipping underwriting. Your answers are checked, and a policy issued based on wrong information can be contested during the first two years. If the carrier finds questions in their data, they may still order an exam or labs; you decide at that point whether to move forward.
Who tends to qualify
Usually people under about 60 requesting coverage up to the carrier's accelerated underwriting limit, with no serious health issues and no tobacco use within the past year. If you've had a recent doctor visit with blood work, some carriers accept those results instead of a new exam.
If a carrier does order an exam, expect a 20- to 30-minute appointment at your home or workplace in the Thousand Oaks area, at no cost to you. Results often improve your rate class if you're healthy, so an exam is not always a bad thing.