Guide
No-exam life insurance
When accelerated underwriting can work in your favor, what carriers look for instead of an exam, and what happens if you don't qualify.
Several carriers now offer accelerated underwriting: they make a decision for eligible applicants (within age and amount limits) by reviewing your application, prescription history, driving record, and other background information—no paramedical exam needed. Approvals can arrive within a day. Every quote listed here notes whether the carrier expects an exam, may request one, or doesn't require one.
What it changes
No exam doesn't mean no underwriting—your application answers still get verified carefully. If a policy is issued and later found to be based on incorrect information, the carrier can contest it for two years. If the carrier's own records turn up questions during review, they may still request an exam or lab tests; at that point you can choose whether to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Applicants generally under 60, applying for coverage amounts within the carrier's set limits, with no serious health issues and no tobacco use for a year or longer typically qualify. Some carriers will substitute recent medical records from a doctor visit—including blood work—for a paramedical exam.
If an exam is required, it's usually a 20–30 minute session with a paramedical technician at your home or office in the Walnut area, at no cost to you. For people with good health outcomes, the exam often confirms or improves your rate tier, so it's not necessarily a disadvantage.