Guide
No-exam life insurance
Which applicants qualify for expedited underwriting, how it operates, and what differs if you don't qualify.
Many carriers now provide expedited underwriting: for applicants within certain ages and coverage limits, carriers decide based on application data, prescription records, driving history and other sources, instead of needing an exam. Some approvals happen in a single day. The quotes you see on this site indicate whether an exam is required, might be required, or is not needed.
What it changes
Skipping an exam is not the same as skipping underwriting. Your statements get reviewed, and a policy written based on untrue information can be challenged within the first two years. If the carrier's records raise concerns, it might ask for an exam or testing; at that moment, you get to decide whether to go ahead.
Who tends to qualify
Usually this applies to people younger than around 60 who want coverage below the carrier's accelerated underwriting limit, with no major health issues in the past and no tobacco use in the last 12 months or longer. If your doctor did blood work recently, certain carriers will use those results instead of requiring an exam.
If your carrier does request an exam, it typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes and happens at your residence or workplace in the Hayward area, with no fee to you. For individuals in good health, exam results can actually boost you to a better rate tier, making the exam a potential plus rather than a drawback.