Guide
No-exam life insurance
Understanding who gets approved immediately, the mechanics of fast-track decisions, and what happens if you don't qualify.
Several carriers now provide accelerated underwriting: for eligible applicants within specific age and coverage limits, they reach a decision using the application, prescription databases, motor-vehicle history and related data, bypassing the need for a physical exam. Approvals can happen within hours. Each quote on this site indicates whether an exam is mandatory, possible, or unnecessary.
What it changes
Skipping the exam doesn't bypass underwriting. Your information is cross-checked, and a policy issued on false data can be rescinded during the first two years. Should the carrier's investigation turn up concerns, they may request additional tests anyway—at that point you can decide whether to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Commonly, applicants younger than around 60 who request amounts within the carrier's accelerated approval cap, with no significant past health conditions and no tobacco use for at least one year, qualify. Recent medical visits with lab work can sometimes substitute for an exam with certain insurers.
Exams, when required, usually involve a brief 20- to 30-minute appointment with a paramedical technician at your home or workplace in the San Francisco area, at no charge. Many healthy applicants find exam results help achieve a better rate classification.