No Medical Exam Life Insurance: Bloodwork Not Required!

One of the worst things about getting life insurance is the sometimes required medical exam. During a medical exam, a health professional comes to your house and draws blood. If you are like me, and hate getting a needle poked into your vein, you can understand how requiring a medical exam is a big friction point.

Luckily, there are a whole host of insurance providers who are willing to insure you without requiring a medical exam. Further, if you get a lower amount of insurance, you may not need a medical exam.

Because I had liabilities at one point that totaled around $1 million, I decided to get a $1 million term life insurance policy in 2014 for 10 years. My exam required a medical exam. However, if I got a $500,000 policy, it would not. Now that I have two children (2017 & 2019), I wish I got the policy for 30 years.

Just know that if you don't get a medical exam, your health insurance premiums might be higher since the insurance carrier needs to bake in higher levels of risk of you dying.

What Is No Medical Exam Life Insurance?

A no medical exam life insurance is a policy that allows the individual purchasing a policy (policyholder) to not undergo the medical exam. The definition is exactly what it means. No healthcare worker coming to your house, no measurements, and definitely no needles.

No medical exam life insurance is actually great for individuals with average to less than average health. Such an individual is making a bet that having no medical exam will save them money on life insurance premiums versus having a medical exam. If you have a pre-existing health condition and know you have other potential issues like sleep-apnea, a no exam life insurance policy makes sense.

If you are in great health, your best bet is to ironically get a medical exam to prove to your insurance carriers that you are indeed in great health. The medical exam is almost always free and if you can withstand bloodwork, you could end up savings thousands over the life of your policy.

One tip I have is for everyone to get life insurance BEFORE going to see a doctor for any non-life threatening illnesses. For example, I went to see a sleep doctor for my snoring and ended up having to pay a lot more for life insurance because the visit was put on my medical record.

What Is The Maximum Amount Of Life Insurance With No Medical Exam?

The maximum amount of life insurance you can get without a medical exam is usually $1,000,000. However, it may be possible to obtain more than $1,000,000 in life insurance coverage because you are not necessarily limited to just one life insurance policy.

Therefore, if you need more life insurance, you can strategically get multiple life insurance policies that are under $1,000,000. You just have to check with each individual carrier and ask what is the maximum life insurance you can get without a medical exam.

The only downside to this strategy is that you will have to deal with two different life insurance companies, two different websites, two different numbers, and so forth. In general, you should stick with the largest and oldest life insurance carriers.

Six Types Of No Medical Exam Life Insurance

You would think that there would only be one type of No Medical Exam Life Insurance, but there are actually six types. The reason is the life insurance industry's desire to met customer preferences.

1) Guaranteed Issue

Guaranteed issue is the easiest type of no exam life insurance to obtain, but is also the least comprehensive.Not only are there no medical exams, but you won’t even have to complete a medical questionnaire, and approval can be instantaneous. The downside is that you won't get much coverage at all. We're talking no more than $25,000 – $50,000.

My life insurance carrier offered a Guaranteed Issue life insurance before of $50,000 for $5/month. I just had to say yes and I saw it on my account that week.

2) Graded Death Benefit

Here's an interesting life insurance policy where the death benefit increases the longer you are away from taking out the insurance policy. For example, if you die a week after taking out the policy, not much will be taken out. But if you die 10 years later, more will be paid out. This is to reduce the company’s risk, especially for terminally-ill clients. Remember that lower risk for the company usually means lower premiums.

3) Level Death Benefit Whole Life

Level death benefit whole life insurance is what most people think of when they get a term life insurance policy. The “level” word here means that the benefit paid out by the policy is the same regardless of when you die.

4) Simplified Issue Term Life

Simplified issue term life insurance is a type of policy that works to minimize the insurance provider’s risk while simplifying the application process using their actuarial database about age, sex, and so forth to determine how long you may life. You can usually get up to $100,000 in coverage with this type of life insurance.

5) Simplified Issue Whole Life

Simplified issue whole life is very similar to simplified issue term life. The cost calculations are going to be similar as well; the biggest difference is whole vs. term. With a whole life policy, you get coverage for life, not for an agreed upon term. You also build a cash value to your policy which you contribute to each month. As a result, these policies are usually more expensive than term life policies.

A whole life policy is good for someone who may have a dependent that needs support their entire life e.g. a person with down's syndrome. A whole life policy is also good for someone who is or will become very wealthy and has exhausted all their tax-advantageous retirement accounts.

6) Rapid Decision Senior Life

Rapid Decision Senior Life is a policy intended for individuals who have already reached the later stages of life. For instance, a life insurance carrier can offer a policy for those aged 50 to 85. A rapid decision should mean no medical exam required. Policy amounts typically range from $10,000 to $150,000, and the full benefit is paid out upon death. This amount is usually good for covering funeral and burial expenses and other benefits associated with death like probate court.

It is advisable to get a revocable living trust to avoid costly probate court that opens up your financial information to the public.

Best Way To Get A No Medical Exam Life Insurance Policy

There are dozens of No Medical Exam Life Insurance companies. The best way to get life insurance is to apply online at PolicyGenius. PolicyGenius is the #1 life insurance marketplace that whose purpose is to compare and contrast the best life insurance rates based on your application.

Instead of applying to each life insurance company one-by-one, you just have to apply on PolicyGenius and have qualified life insurance companies compete for your business all in one place. I've met the founders many times before and the two of them are excellent and have really helped consumers make better life insurance choices.

Just for background information, here are some No Medical Exam Life Insurers to be aware once you apply on PolicyGenius.

  • Haven Life
  • Principal Financial Group
  • Mutual of Omaha
  • Principal
  • Transamerica
  • Lincoln Financial
  • American National
  • Penn Mutual

Haven Life

No Exam coverage amounts: $100,000 to $1,000,000

Haven Life scores an A++ rating with AM Best – the highest rating possible. In addition, Haven Life offers up to $1,000,000 of term coverage without a medical exam, which is the maximum possible no-exam coverage.

However, it should be noted that to be eligible for the highest amounts of coverage, your policy will have to be underwritten. There is still no physical exam, but these policies take into consideration your age, lifestyle choices, and family history. Term lengths are 10, 15, 20 years, and those ages 50 and under have the option for a 30-year term.

Mutual of Omaha

No Exam coverage amounts: $25,000 – $300,000

Mutual of Omaha is up high because they are a name that, to many people, is synonymous with life insurance. Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1940, Mutual of Omaha has an AM Best rating of A+.

Their no medical exam policy is a term life insurance policy spanning 15, 20, or 30 years.

Principal Financial Group

No Exam coverage amounts: $50,000 to $1,000,000

Another highly-rated company, Principal, was founded in 1879. They have an A+ rating with AM Best.

One key aspect of their application is there isn’t a separate no-exam process. If you answer “no” to a series of qualifying questions, you’ll be approved without needing an exam. Otherwise, they will require one.

Transamerica

No Exam coverage amounts: $25,000 to $249,000

Transamerica was founded in 1928 and is based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Their AM Best rating is an A, and they receive similar marks from other rating agencies. There is a standard online application.

One downside to this no exam policy is that it can take longer than others, possibly several weeks.

No Exam coverage amounts: $100,000 to $1,000,000 for ages 18-45; $1,000 to $500,000 for ages 46-60

American National

No Exam coverage amounts: $50,000 to $250,000

Founded in 1905, this company is based in Galveston, TX, and scores an A rating from AM Best. After submitting your electronic questionnaire, you may be approved without even needing a medical records review. However, in some cases, that will be necessary. Costs are relatively low, though some companies do offer higher levels of coverage.

Penn Mutual

No Exam coverage amounts: up to $2,500,000

Penn Mutual was founded in 1847 in Philadelphia PA and a stellar A+ rating from AM Best. You probably already noticed that the coverage amount Penn Mutual offers far surpasses anything else on this list. However, this level of coverage won’t be available for high-risk clients.

They also only cover people ages 20-65, and you must speak to them over the phone before they consider you.

Once again, apply for life insurance on PolicyGenius and have qualified life insurance companies compete for your business all in one place. It's a much more efficient and cost-effective way to get life insurance than going to each one one-by-one. Further, applying is free!

No Medical Exam Life Insurance: Bloodwork Not Required

Thanks to Policygenius, I was able to get a new affordable life insurance policy for the next 20 years with no medical exam. I feel so thankful because the next 20 years are the most important of my life. I've got to take care of and teach my two young kids until they become mature adults.