Best No Medical Exam Life Insurance for August 2024

Shop for the best life insurance policy
Best for affordability
Amica Life Insurance Learn More Cost The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available Yes
Policy highlights Amica offers a level term life insurance and whole life insurance policies payable for 20 years or until ages 65 or 100. Both include a terminal illness rider at no extra charge. Pros Can get term life quote and apply online
10% bundling discount with Amica auto insurance
Terminal illness rider included Cons Not all policies and features available in all states
No universal or variable life insurance
No other riders available Learn More View More
Who’s this for? Amica is a great budget-minded option with policies that start at less than $12 a month for a 20-year term and a $250,000 death benefit. Standout benefits: Applicants in good health can skip the medical exam for a level term life insurance policy with Amica. You may also qualify for a bundling discount worth up to 10% if you have car or homeowners insurance through the brand. [ Jump to more details ]
Best for seniors
Ethos Life Insurance Learn More Cost The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available Yes
Policy highlights Ethos offers term and permanent life insurance and includes free will and estate planning tools with policies. Pros No medical exam
Guaranteed acceptance option
Instant coverage
100% online application Cons Limited customization
Whole life policies only available to adults 66 to 85
Not available in all states Learn More View More
Who’s this for? Ethos offers no-exam term life policies you can buy up until age 65 and keep until you’re 80, making it a no-brainer for seniors. Standout benefits: Ethos’ no medical exam policies provide up to $2 million in coverage in terms of 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. Adults 66 to 85 can qualify for a final expense whole life policy with a payout of up to $30,000. [ Jump to more details ]
Best for quick approval
Ladder Life Insurance Learn More Cost The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available No
Policy highlights Ladder is a digital-first life insurance company offering up to $3 million in coverage without a medical exam. It only issues term life insurance and offers no riders, but you can adjust coverage as your needs change. Pros No medical exam for coverage up to $3 million
Online application process
Rates starting at $5 per month Cons No riders
No permanent life insurance coverage
Coverage only available until age 70 Learn More View More
Who’s this for? Ladder’s completely digital application process means you could get approved in as little as five minutes. That’s a big win if you want to cross it off your list quickly. Standout benefits: The company has no-exam policies that pay out as much as $3 million. (You’ll still need to answer some health questions.) [ Jump to more details ]
Best for higher coverage amounts
Nationwide Life Insurance Learn More Cost The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available Yes
Policy highlights Life insurance policies through Nationwide can come with several benefits, including the ability to keep all of your insurance policies in one place. Nationwide offers term, whole and universal life insurance, and offers a no-exam term life insurance option that can be bought online with coverage up to $1.5 million. Pros Long-term care insurance rider is available Cons Not all policies available in all states Learn More View More
Who’s this for? Nationwide’s Intelligent Underwriting program means healthy applicants may be approved for up to $5 million in coverage without an exam — the most of any provider we reviewed. Standout benefits: A Life Essentials term life policy offers a death benefit of up to $1.5 million without an exam. The application process is 100% online and it only takes about 30 minutes to get approved. [ Jump to more details ]
Best for customer service
State Farm Life Insurance Learn More Cost The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available Yes
Policy highlights State Farm offers a variety of term, whole, and universal life insurance products to choose from, alongside other types of insurance. It’s rated highly for both financial stability and customer service. Pros Outstanding customer service
Reasonable rates
Offers return of premium policy
Bundling discount Cons Policies must be purchased through a State Farm agent
Doesn’t sell policies in Rhode Island or Massachusetts
Fewer riders than the competition
Accelerated death benefit costs extra Learn More View More
Who’s this for? State Farm is a winner if customer service is your priority. It topped J.D. Power’s 2023 Individual Life Insurance Study and has an A+ from the Better Business Bureau. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, State Farm receives far fewer complaints than other providers. Standout benefits: You can apply for and buy a State Farm policy the same day and your premiums can be paid monthly or annually. [ Jump to more details]
More on our top no medical exam life insurance companies
Amica
Amica issues life insurance policies in all 50 states and has been in the market since 1907. Term life quotes are available online and you can save up to 30% by bundling life insurance with Amica auto, home and umbrella policies. Term lengths available 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years Age limits 18 to 75 (for online term life insurance) Amount of coverage available $100,000 to over $1 million [ Return to summary ]
Ethos
Ethos is an online life insurance broker issuing policies from top carriers, including Ameritas, TruStage, Mutual of Omaha and Legal & General America. Policies come with free will templates and other estate planning tools. Term lengths available 10 to 30 years Age limits 20 to 85 Amount of coverage available Age 21 to 50: $20,000 to $2 million
Age 50 to 85: $20,000 to $500,000 [ Return to summary ]
Ladder
Ladder operates in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Depending on where you live, your policy may be underwritten by Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, Amica Life Insurance, Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company, Ladder Life Insurance Company or S. USA Life Insurance Company. Term lengths available 10 to 30 years
Age Maximum term length 40 years old 30-year term 45 years old 25-year term 50 years old 20-year term 55 years old 15-year term 60 years old 10-year term
Age limits 20 to 60 Amount of coverage available $100,000 to $3 million without a medical exam. Up to $8 million with an exam. [ Return to summary ]
Nationwide
Nationwide lets you apply for no-exam insurance online with approval available in minutes. It came in second in JD Power’s 2023 Individual Life Insurance Study and earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau. Term lengths available 10 and 20-year terms Age limits Ages 18 to 50: $100,000 to $5 million
Ages 51 to 60: $100,000 to $1 million Amount of coverage available $100,000 to $5 million [ Return to summary ]
State Farm
State Farm offers rate estimates online and policies are available nationwide. It’s Instant Answer term life insurance plan pays out up to $50,000, while a guaranteed issue final expense plan provides up to $25,000. Term lengths available 10-year-term or age 50, whichever is longer Age limits Up to age 50 Instant Answer term life insurance Amount of coverage available Up to $50,000 for Instant Answer term life insurance [ Return to summary ]
What is no medical exam life insurance?
Most life insurance policies require a medical exam to determine your risk level and the premiums you’ll pay. If you have a preexisting condition — or just don’t want the hassle of scheduling an exam — some plans don’t require an examination.
Since providers have less information, though, the death benefit is usually smaller and premiums are higher. There are several types of no-exam life insurance. Group life insurance: If your company offers life insurance, it generally won’t require an exam. The amount is usually smaller than a standalone policy and coverage terminates when you leave your job.
If your company offers life insurance, it generally won’t require an exam. The amount is usually smaller than a standalone policy and coverage terminates when you leave your job. Guaranteed issue life insurance: No medical information is required, although the coverage level is usually much smaller and premiums are higher. Guaranteed issue final expense insurance can pay for funeral and burial costs.
No medical information is required, although the coverage level is usually much smaller and premiums are higher. Guaranteed issue final expense insurance can pay for funeral and burial costs. Simplified issue life insurance: While you won’t have to undergo a full exam, you will have to answer questions about your health and medical history.
While you won’t have to undergo a full exam, you will have to answer questions about your health and medical history. Accelerated underwriting life insurance: Uses third-party data about your health and lifestyle, like your driving record and prescription medication history, instead of a medical exam.
Pros and cons of no medical exam life insurance
Pros of no medical exam life insurance A guaranteed issue policy can be beneficial if you have preexisting conditions
Faster underwriting time
Don’t have to disrupt your schedule
Can avoid disclosing personal health information Cons of no medical exam life insurance You’ll pay more if you’re in good health
Coverage amount may be more limited
Stricter age restrictions
Few if any riders
FAQs Can I get life insurance without a medical exam? You can get life insurance without a medical exam if you’re in relatively good health. Some plans may require you to answer health questions, however, or provide records. If you’re older with health complications, you may be able to skip the exam still and get a small guaranteed issue policy. How much life insurance can I get without a medical exam? Each company sets its own limits. Nationwide has no-exam policies that pay out $5 million, the most of any insurer we reviewed. Is no-exam life insurance worth it? A no-exam policy may be worth it if you have a preexisting condition or don’t have the time to be examined. If you’re healthy, you could qualify for an accelerated underwriting policy, which considers other health data (like prescription records) instead of exam results. No medical exam term policies may cost more or have slightly lower limits, however.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Our methodology
To determine the best no medical exam life insurance companies, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of providers, focusing on the availability of exam-free policies for a wide variety of customers. We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools. While narrowing down the best insurance companies, we compared companies on cost, customer satisfaction data from J.D. Power and the Better Business Bureau and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best. From there, we sorted our recommendations by the best for affordability, seniors, quick approval, higher coverage amount and customer service. Premiums and policy structures advertised for life insurance companies fluctuate in accordance with company policies. Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.