Guide
No-exam life insurance
Who gets accelerated underwriting, what the process includes, and what happens if you do not qualify.
Several carriers today provide accelerated underwriting: applicants in the right age range and requesting within the carrier's limits can be approved based on the application form, medication records, driving history, and other data—no paramedic visit needed. Approvals can arrive within hours in many cases. Every quote you see here notes whether that product requires an exam, might require one, or does not.
What it changes
Accelerated underwriting is not the same as skipping the review. The carrier will verify what you say, and policies based on false information can be challenged within the initial two years. If records prompt concerns, the carrier might still request an exam or labs—at which point it's your choice to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Generally, applicants who are under about 60 years old, requesting amounts within the carrier's limits, with no significant health conditions, and who haven't used tobacco for at least a year may qualify. A few carriers will use recent blood work from a doctor's visit instead of ordering a new exam.
If you need an exam, plan on a visit lasting 20 to 30 minutes with a paramedical examiner, scheduled at your home or workplace in the National City area—the carrier covers the cost. For applicants in good health, the results often lead to a better rate classification, so an exam can be a benefit rather than a disadvantage.