Home Life insurance Types of life insurance No-medical-exam life insurance: What it is and how it works No-medical-exam life insurance: What it is and how it works No-medical-exam life insurance offers all the perks of a traditional policy without the medical exam. Written by Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. Reviewed by Laura Longero Laura Longero Laura Longero is a content strategist and communications leader with more than 15 years of experience in content development in journalism, marketing and communications for start-ups to global companies. She started her career as a reporter and editor and honed her journalistic skills at the USA Today Network, working in several roles, as well as managing content and writing at MoneyGeek and XYZ Media. Updated on: October 29, 2024 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. No-medical-exam life insurance is a type of life insurance policy that doesn’t require a physical during the application process. Traditionally, term or whole life insurance policies require a medical exam so that insurance companies can determine your health and decide how much you pay in premiums, which can make the application process last weeks or even months. But no-med policies skip this and use your previous medical records and personal history to figure out how much you should pay — which can shorten the application process significantly. Some policies will even offer you immediate coverage. While in the past, no-medical-exam policies offered minimal coverage at a high cost and were generally reserved for people who couldn’t get a traditional policy due to health or age, insurance companies are starting to catch up to the times. The onset of COVID-19 and an uptick in online shopping have created widespread availability for no-medical-exam life insurance policies that offer the same high coverage as a traditional term policy at the same competitive price — or less. “These policies offer a good balance between accessibility and coverage, eliminating barriers that traditional underwriting may present,” says Marty Burbank, owner of OC Elder Law. No-med policies offer life insurance buyers an affordable and quick way to get covered. Policies catered toward people who may not otherwise be eligible for coverage are also available. How to get life insurance with no medical exam Getting a no-medical-exam life insurance policy is as easy as it looks. When you’re applying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy, you’ll generally have to take a phone interview and medical exam to get coverage. No-medical-exam policies, on the other hand, make the process completely contactless. You’ll still have a phone interview, but after the insurance agent understands your needs and background, they’ll let you know if you are eligible for coverage without taking an exam. Instead, you’ll consent to a review of your previous health records, labs and prescriptions. Insurers will use this data to decide what you’ll pay for coverage and offer you a policy. For those who would like to shop for coverage at 2 a.m. or from the airport lounge, some no-med policies don’t require a phone interview at all. These policies will conduct the interview process completely online and most offer instant approval. To get a no-med policy, talk to an insurance advisor who can help you find the right company. Is final expense insurance right for me? In four questions or fewer, determine if you should get guaranteed or simplified issue life insurance Select "yes" if applicable to you I have a pre-existing medical condition Yes No Back Is final expense insurance right for me? Select "yes" if applicable to you I have been denied coverage in the past Yes No Reset result Is final expense insurance right for me? Recommended Guaranteed issue life insurance may be right for you More options : Learn more about guaranteed issue life insurance Find the best life insurance offers for you Back Is final expense insurance right for me? Select "yes" if applicable to you I would prefer not going through a full medical exam Yes No Back Is final expense insurance right for me? Select "yes" if applicable to you I need coverage quickly Yes No Reset result Is final expense insurance right for me? Recommended Simplified issue life insurance may be right for you More options : Learn more about simplified issue life insurance Find the best life insurance offers for you Reset result Is final expense insurance right for me? Recommended Traditional life insurance is right for you More options : Find the best life insurance offers for you Calculate Life Insurance Types of no-medical-exam life insurance There are two main types of no-medical-exam life insurance: Term life insurance: Term no-med life insurance is similar to a traditional term life insurance policy. It offers coverage for a certain term length and doesn’t come with any frills, like a cash value component. Coverage for term no-med policies can go into the millions. Whole life insurance: Whole no-med life insurance policies are not the same as traditional whole life policies. They are actually burial insurance policies, which offer low coverage amounts that are meant to cover final expenses, such as end-of-life medical expenses or the cost of a funeral. There are two types of burial insurance policies — simplified issue and guaranteed issue. The type of no-med policy you get depends on your profile. Healthy individuals should get term no-medical-exam life insurance. But if you’re generally ineligible for coverage, you’ll need to get a whole no-med policy. How much does no-medical-exam life insurance cost? How much you pay for a no-medical-exam life insurance policy depends on the type of policy you get. Term no-med policies cost the same — and sometimes even less — as traditional term policies. When getting a term no-med policy, there’s really no downside, especially when it comes to cost. Whole no-med policies, however, are a lot more expensive than any traditional life insurance policy. This is because burial insurance policies are generally meant for people who are too old or unhealthy to get a traditional policy. While a burial insurance policy offers very low coverage amounts, it costs a lot more. QuickTake What is instant life insurance? Permanent life insurance: What it is and how it works What is final expense insurance and how does it work? The different types of term life insurance policies explained Whole life insurance: What it is and how it works What is universal life insurance? Types of life insurance What is term life insurance and how does it work? What seniors need to know about buying life insurance What is indexed universal life insurance? What happens if you outlive your term life insurance? The limitations of group life insurance What is simplified issue life insurance? What is variable universal life insurance? How much term life insurance costs A marijuana user's guide to buying life insurance The basics of group life insurance Term life insurance for seniors Term vs. perm life insurance: Which one is right for you? What is optional term life insurance? How to buy group life insurance for your small business See more > Who should get no-medical-exam life insurance? No-med life insurance is a good choice for people in both good and poor health. Basically, it’s for everyone — but your health status and profile will determine what type of no-medical-exam life insurance you’re eligible for. Term life insurance: People in their 50s or younger who are in good or average health and don’t have what insurers would consider a “risky” profile. Whole life insurance: People who are older or are in poor health which disqualifies them from getting traditional life insurance may opt for this type of coverage. Generally, only someone who isn’t eligible for any other type of life insurance should get a whole no-med policy. Whole no-med policies come with little coverage at a high cost, and people who are able to get a more affordable policy will get more bang for their buck elsewhere. Even as more and more insurers begin to offer term no-med policies, it’s still easy to find a policy that offers comprehensive coverage at an affordable price. Talk to a life insurance advisor to figure out your options. × Get Free Life Insurance Quotes Today! Zip Code Please enter valid zip Age Age 16 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Coverage Amount Coverage Amount $50,000 – $100,000 $100,000 – $200,000 $200,000 – $300,000 $400,000 – $500,000 $500,000 – $1,000,000 $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 $2,000,000 – $5,000,000 $5,000,000+ Coverage Type Coverage Type Whole Life Term Life Final Expense Not Sure Gender Gender Male Female Non-Binary Tobacco Use Yes No Compare Quotes Nupur GambhirManaging Editor | . .Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. Related Articles Life insurance for people with dementia By Satta Sarmah-Hightower Life insurance calculator: How much life insurance do you need? By Huma Naeem Who’s who on a life insurance policy By Huma Naeem The life insurance contestability period: What you need to know By Laine Adley What is demutualization and what does it mean for policyholders? By Laine Adley What is instant life insurance? By Huma Naeem On this page How to get life insurance with no medical examTypes of no-medical-exam life insuranceHow much does no-medical-exam life insurance cost?Who should get no-medical-exam life insurance? ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates