Guide
No-exam life insurance
What qualifies someone for faster underwriting, how the process works, and what happens if a medical exam is still necessary.
Many carriers now provide accelerated underwriting: for applicants within certain age and amount limits, the carrier makes a decision based on your application, prescription records, driving history and other data instead of a paramedical exam. Some decisions come back within hours. Every quote on this site will tell you if the carrier requires an exam, may require one, or does not require one.
What it changes
Skipping an exam does not mean skipping the underwriting process. Your answers get verified, and a policy issued on false information can be challenged during the first two years. If the carrier's research raises questions, they may ask for an exam or bloodwork later, and you can decide then whether to move forward.
Who tends to qualify
Typically people younger than 60, applying for amounts under the carrier's accelerated limit, without serious health history, and who have not used tobacco in the past year or more. Carriers sometimes waive the exam if you have recent lab work from a doctor visit.
If the carrier needs an exam, it typically takes 20 to 30 minutes at a location of your choice—your residence or workplace in the Riverside area works fine—and there is no charge to you. Paramedical examiners often find that exams can move applicants to better rate classes when health is good, so the exam may actually be advantageous.