Getting life insurance usually requires a medical exam so your provider gets a clearer picture of your health status. But some policies don't require an exam, including group life insurance and burial policies, which cover funeral costs and other final expenses.
You may still need to answer some questions about your health, however, and a provider may also review your medical records and prescription history.
We've picked the best life insurance companies for no-medical-exam policies based on cost, coverage, eligibility requirements and more. (See our methodology for more on how we made our selections.)
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Best for affordability: Amica
- Can get term life quote and apply online
- 10% bundling discount with auto insurance
- Terminal illness rider included
- Not all policies and features available in all states
- No universal or variable life insurance
- Few riders available
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: No-exam coverage only applies to healthy individuals aged 50 and under that apply for certain coverage amounts (up to $1M for ages 40 and under, and up to $500k for ages 41-50). You may also qualify for a bundling discount worth up to 10% if you have car or homeowners insurance through the brand.
Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years
Age limits: 18 to 75 (for online term life insurance)
Coverage available: $100,000 to over $1 million.
Best for higher coverage limits: Nationwide
- Chronic, critical and terminal Illness riders included in most policies
- Long-term care insurance rider is available
- Not all policies available in all states
- Age limit for term life is 70 years old
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, with no exam required. The application process is 100% online, and it only takes about 30 minutes to get approved.
Term lengths: 10 and 20-year terms
Age limits: $100,000 to $5 million for ages 18 to 50, $100,000 to $1 million for ages 51 to 60
Coverage available: $100,000 to $5 million
Best for whole life: Mutual of Omaha
- Term policies available up to age 80, whole life to 85
- Coverage available without a medical exam
- Can convert term life into whole life with no medical exam
- Guaranteed whole life limited to $25,000
- Online term life quotes not available
Who's this for? Not all insurance companies offer no-exam policies for whole life, but Mutual of Omaha has three, including a plan for adults up to age 85 with a payout of up to $25,000 and a children's no-exam whole life policy for kids 17 and under that maxes out at $50,000.
Standout benefits: Living Promise, Mutual of Omaha's no-exam final expense policy is available up to age 85 with a coverage cap of $50,000, much higher than most competitors. We named it one of our top burial insurance plans.
Term lengths: 10 to 30 years for guaranteed or simplified-issue term life plans, with riders to convert to whole life without an exam.
Age limits: Whole life for adults up to age 85, whole life for children up to age 17, final expenses Living Promise policy up to age 85
Coverage available: $2,000 to $25,000 for the adult whole life policy, $5,000 to $50,000 for the children's whole life policy and $2,000 to $50,000 for the Living Promise final expense policy.
Best for quick approval: Ladder
- No-exam term life with coverage up to $3 million
- Online application process
- Can adjust premiums and coverage for free as needs change
- No riders
- No permanent life insurance
- Enrollment age limit is 60 years old
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 offers no-exam policies that pay out up to $3 million. (You'll still need to answer some health questions.)
Term lengths: 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
Coverage available: $100,000 to $3 million
Best for seniors: Ethos
Ethos Life Insurance
Policies
Term life, permanent
Policy highlights
Ethos offers term and permanent policies underwritten by top providers like Ameritas, TruStage, Mutual of Omaha, CMFG and Legal & General America. Will and estate planning tools are included with most policies.
Availability
Ethos is available in all 50 U.S. states except for New York
Online quote for term policy
Yes
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 New York
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-exam policies provide up to $2 million in coverage for 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.
Term lengths: 10 to 30 years
Age limits: 20 to 85
Coverage available: $20,000 to $2 million for ages 21 to 50, $20,000 to $500,000 for ages 50 to 85
Best for customer service: State Farm
- Reasonable rates
- Top-rated for customer service
- Return of premium benefit available
- Term policies can be converted to permanent
- 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
Who's this for? If customer service is your priority, State Farm is a winner. It topped J.D. Power's 2024 Individual Life Insurance Study and earned 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.
Term lengths: 10-year term or age 50, whichever is longer
Age limits: Up to age 50 for Instant Answer term life insurance
Coverage available: Up to $50,000 for Instant Answer term life insurance
What is no-medical-exam life insurance?
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
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.
Terms Apply
Pacific Life offers term, permanent and no-exam life insurance, with an accelerated death benefit included at no charge.
Terms Apply
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 employer 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.
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.
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
- A guaranteed issue policy can be beneficial if you have preexisting conditions
- Faster underwriting time
- Don't have to fast or disrupt your schedule
- Can avoid disclosing personal health information
- You'll pay more if you're in good health
- Coverage may be limited
- Stricter age restrictions
- Fewer riders available
no-medical-exam insurance 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 and have health complications, you may be able to skip the exam 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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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed financial decisions. 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, as well as cost, coverage limits and availability.
We considered customer satisfaction data from J.D. Power surveys, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaint index and the Better Business Bureau, and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
Based on these criteria, the best no-exam policies are:
For affordability: Amica
For quick approval: Ladder
For whole life: Mutual of Omaha
For higher coverage limits: Nationwide
For seniors: Ethos
For customer service: State Farm
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