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.
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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.
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.
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.
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