Guide
No-exam life insurance
Eligibility for accelerated approval, the process, and what happens if you don't qualify.
Many carriers now offer accelerated underwriting: applicants meeting age and amount criteria are approved using application data, pharmacy records, driving records, and other sources instead of a physical exam. Some decisions arrive in hours. Every quote specifies whether an exam is required, possibly required, or not needed.
What it changes
Accelerated underwriting is not the same as skipping underwriting. Your statements are verified, and a policy issued based on incorrect answers may be challenged in the first two years. Additional information requested by the carrier can lead to further exam or testing; you decide whether to proceed.
Who tends to qualify
Typically, applicants in their 50s or younger, applying within a carrier's accelerated limit, with no serious health problems and no tobacco use in the past year or longer. If you've had a recent physical with lab work, some carriers use those results instead.
Should you need an exam, a paramedical examiner typically visits your home or workplace in the Orange area for 20 to 30 minutes, at no cost. For applicants with good health, exam results frequently result in a better rate class, so exams aren't inevitably unfavorable.