If you desire life insurance but don’t have time for a medical exam, don’t like the idea of getting your blood drawn, or might have health problems, you might want to look into life insurance that doesn’t require a physical exam. It is possible to get life insurance without going to the doctor.
For example, there are usually no exams needed to buy life insurance through a group plan at work. If your employer doesn’t offer life insurance as part of your benefits package or if you want to add to what they offer, you can buy it on your own. In that case, you might still be capable of applying for insurance coverage without a physical.
What is life insurance that requires no medical exam?
No-medical-exam Life insurance is exactly as it sounds: it’s a policy for life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam. If you take a physical and it turns out that you already have a health problem, you may have to pay higher premiums or even be turned down for coverage.
If you want life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam, you can complete an application on your laptop or tablet and get a quote for a policy on many insurance companies’ websites. But life insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam is usually more expensive and doesn’t cover as much.
If you get life insurance without needing a medical exam, you should know that your policy will probably have a waiting period. For instance, your death benefit may not expect to be paid out in full until you have had your policy for two full years. But if you die before your waiting period, many life insurers will give you back at least 110% of the worth of your monthly premiums.
Varieties of no-examination life insurance
People can get life insurance without a medical exam in three main ways: simplified issues, guaranteed acceptance, and group life insurance.
Simplified the problem insurance for life
Life insurance policies with a simplified issue ask applicants to fill out a short health questionnaire that focuses on getting a general idea of your health. Standardly, the most an insurance company will pay out is $500,000.
People aged 75 can buy simplified term life insurance policies from New York Life for up to $100,000 without a medical exam or lab tests. People can buy permanent, or whole life, insurance policies up to age 75 without a physical check or lab tests. These policies can cover up to $50,000.
Guaranteed acceptance insurance
Policies with guaranteed acceptance are usually more expensive, but they can be appealing because anyone can get them. Guaranteed admittance life insurance is also called final expense insurance or guaranteed issue insurance. It is often used to pay for a funeral and other costs at the end of life. Most companies offer guaranteed problem whole life insurance up to $50,000, but some limit it to less.
Collective life insurance
Group life insurance is usually offered through a plan sponsored by an employer and is part of the benefits package at a company. This one policy covers several different people. Because of this, group life insurance usually doesn’t need a physical, and the premium is usually lower.
How to obtain life insurance without undergoing a medical exam
There are many ways of finding life insurance policies that don’t require a medical exam. Some insurance companies, such as MetLife, sell these services through their ties to various funding and alumni groups.
You can identify and purchase no-examination life insurance in several alternative ways:
By Phone
A lot of insurance companies advertise guaranteed life insurance on TV. These plans aim to help pay for funeral costs and other bills. One company that often advertises this kind of policy is Colonial Penn. You can call the number on the screen and answer a series of questions to see if you qualify and make payment plans.
Online
You can look for this policy by typing guaranteed issue whole life insurance into Google or another search engine. Then, a list of companies that offer this kind of coverage will show up. Then you can get quotes from each insurance company and compare them to see which gives you the best coverage for the best price.
Using an agent
A lot of insurance agents sell this kind of life insurance. They should be able to give you several different quotes, so you don’t have to do your research.
By mail
Life insurance companies like Colonial Penn send out a lot of flyers that people can fill out and send back to them to get coverage. You may only need to give the life insurance company your contact information for someone to get back to you.
What is the cost of no-exam life insurance?
It’s important to remember that you’ll usually pay more for no-exam coverage than for the same level of protection with a medical exam. Most life insurance policies that don’t require a medical exam can cost up to twice as much as those that do.
That’s because when your insurance company gives you a policy without knowing much about your health record or how healthy you are now, they are taking a risk. The higher risk is passed on to you by the insurance company in the form of higher premiums.
Most of the time, it makes the most sense to get cheap life insurance without a medical examination if you already have a health problem that a physician will show.
For example, smokers might be able to find cheaper coverage if they look for plans that don’t require a physical. But if you are generally healthy, getting a physical part of the life insurance underwriting can often help you get cheaper coverage.
The Insurance Info Institute recommends getting quotes from at least three insurers to start looking for the best policy for life insurance without a medical exam at a price that fits your budget. So you can compare your options and ensure you’re getting the cheapest insurance possible.
