Key takeaways
AARP is our top pick for life insurance for seniors over 60 with no medical exam.
Country Financial stands out for offering several different types of life insurance with no medical exam. And Ladder has no-exam term life insurance that earns high marks for flexible term lengths.
Consider Lemonade for longer term, affordable life insurance without a medical exam.
Reviewed monthly. Last updated: October 2025.
Not all life insurance policies require a medical exam. No-exam policies can be issued quickly — sometimes within minutes — and are best suited for younger, healthier applicants who want to lock in coverage fast.
The best no-exam life insurance policies are open to a wide range of ages and offer significant amounts of coverage. The companies listed below are also highly rated in terms of financial strength and customer reputation.
Can you get life insurance without a medical exam?
Yes! It is possible to get life insurance without a medical exam. However, these policies may offer limited coverage and have higher rates than life insurance policies that do require a physical exam. If you fall into one of the following categories, other types of coverage may be a better choice.
Older, with health issues ❤️🩹
Consider guaranteed issue life insurance, which doesn't require health questions or medical exams. These policies are generally small whole life policies marketed as burial insurance to cover final expenses. Approval is guaranteed if you’re within the eligible age range (typically 50 to 85). See our picks for the best burial insurance.
Healthy, on a budget 💸
If you're not in a hurry to get coverage, life insurance with traditional underwriting — including a medical exam — may end up being more affordable for you. You may also be eligible for a higher coverage amount. See our list of the best life insurance companies to get started.
Why trust NerdWallet
1,413 life insurance rates sets collected.
441 life insurers analyzed by our team of experts.
185 policies assessed.
Dive deeper: Ratings methodology for life insurance.
NerdWallet's life insurance content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in life insurance. We follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our site is accurate and fair so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.
Best life insurance with no medical exam in 2025
Insurer | NerdWallet rating | Issue age | Coverage available | |
Best for seniors | 50 to 85 in most states (50 to 75 in NY). | $10,000 - $150,000 (up to $100,000 for NY residents). | ||
Best for policy choice | 50 or younger. | $50,000 - $100,000 (term and IUL) $25,000 - $100,000 (whole life). | ||
Best flexible term life | 20 to 60. | Up to 3 million. | ||
Best for longer terms | 20 to 75. | Starting at $100,000. | ||
Best convertible term | 18 to 60, depending on term length. | $100,000 - $2.5 million. | ||
Best whole life | 15 days to age 65. | $20,000 - $100,000. | ||
NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its no-exam policy specifically. | ||||
Best for seniors: AARP
Best for seniors
AARP
- No medical exams required.
- Fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators.
- Anyone age 50 and up can get access through AARP membership.
- Term life insurance premiums rise every five years.
Pros
- No medical exams required.
- Fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators.
- Anyone age 50 and up can get access through AARP membership.
Cons
- Term life insurance premiums rise every five years.
AARP’s term life insurance policies are available to the organization’s members over 50 and their spouses aged 45 and up. Most people who apply are accepted.
While your death benefit will stay level as long as you have the policy, your rates will increase every five years. Note that term life coverage lasts until age 80 .AARP’s policies are underwritten by New York Life, one of NerdWallet’s best term life insurance companies.
AARP no-exam policy details
Issue age: 50 to 74 for AARP members (45 to 74 for partners and spouses).
Coverage: $10,000 to $150,000 (up to $100,000 for New York residents). Higher amounts may be available by phone.
» Read the full review: AARP life insurance review
Best for policy choice: Country Financial
Best for policy choice
Country Financial
- Offers multiple insurance products.
- Not available in all states.
Pros
- Far fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers multiple insurance products.
Cons
- Not available in all states.
Country Financial offers three types of life insurance without a medical exam. You can choose a term life policy if you need coverage only for a certain period of time. But if you want insurance to last your entire life, you can get a whole or indexed universal policy instead.
Whole life policies have level premiums and cash value that grows at a guaranteed rate. IUL policies have flexible premiums, and cash value that can fluctuate based on the performance of a stock market index.
Country Financial life insurance policies are only sold through a company representative.
Country Financial no-exam policy details
Issue age: 50 or younger.
Coverage: $50,000 to $100,000 for term and IUL policies; $25,000 to $100,000 for whole life policies.
» Read the full review: Country Financial insurance review
Best flexible term life insurance: Ladder
Best flexible term life insurance
Ladder
- Quick online application.
- Most applicants won't need a medical exam.
- No riders available.
Pros
- Quick online application.
- Most applicants won't need a medical exam.
- Can top up coverage while policy is active.
Cons
- No riders available.
Ladder offers a quick online application for its term life insurance policies, which are available for 10- to 30-year periods. A unique feature of the policies is the ability to adjust coverage levels up and down.
For example, you might want to increase your death benefit if you have a second child, or reduce it once you’ve paid off your mortgage. When you reduce your death benefit, Ladder adjusts your premiums accordingly.
Ladder no-exam policy details
Issue age: 20 to 60.
Coverage: Up to $3 million.
» Read the full review: Ladder life insurance review
Best for long terms: Lemonade
Best for long terms
Lemonade
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Qualifying applicants can get millions in coverage online.
- Policies aren’t available nationwide.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Pros
- Wide range of term lengths available.
- Policies can be issued within minutes.
- Qualifying applicants can get millions in coverage online.
Cons
- Policies aren’t available in New York.
- Coverage can’t be converted to permanent life insurance.
Lemonade offers life insurance policies online for terms up to 40 years. This may be a good fit for people who need coverage for longer but can’t afford or don’t want to commit to the hands-on approach needed for permanent life insurance.
Lemonade approves some applications within minutes, while others may wait a few days or weeks. You’ll apply online and then work with Lemonade’s partner — Legal & General, otherwise known as Banner Life — to finalize your coverage.
Lemonade no-exam policy details
Issue age: 20 to 75. Not available in New York.
Coverage: Starting at $100,000.
» Read the full review: Lemonade life insurance review
Best convertible term insurance: Lincoln Financial
Best convertible term insurance
Lincoln Financial
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers hybrid policies with life and long-term care coverage.
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
Pros
- Drew fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
- Offers hybrid policies with life and long-term care coverage.
Cons
- Applicants must work with a financial advisor.
With Lincoln Financial’s TermAccel policy, you may not need to take a medical exam and could be approved in two days.
The policy can be converted from term to permanent insurance if you decide you want lifelong coverage. It may also come with an accelerated death benefit rider, allowing you to get a payout early if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Lincoln Financial no-exam policy details
Issue age: 18 to 60, depending on the term length.
Coverage: $100,000 to $2.5 million.
» Read the full review: Lincoln Financial life insurance review
Best whole life: Protective Life
Best whole life
Protective
- Simplified issue policies may be approved within 10 minutes.
- Low number of complaints from consumers.
- Relatively low coverage amounts available.
Pros
- Simplified issue policies may be approved within 10 minutes.
- Low number of complaints from consumers.
Cons
- Relatively low coverage amounts available.
If you want lifelong coverage without a medical exam, Protective’s whole life policy may be a good fit. The application consists of a few medical questions over the phone, with potential for approval within 10 minutes.
You can choose from a variety of Protective’s life insurance riders offering extra coverage, including “guaranteed insurability” that lets you buy more insurance in the future without a medical exam.
Protective no-exam policy details
Issue age: 15 days to age 65.
Coverage: $20,000 to $100,000.
» Read the full review: Protective Life insurance review
How we rate the best life insurance companies
✅ 441 life insurers reviewed
📝 185 policies assessed
🔢 1,315 data points analyzed
📊 Star rating categories
When NerdWallet evaluates life insurance companies, our editorial team considers the insurer's strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things that matter most to customers buying a long-term financial product. We then weigh these factors carefully:
💰 Financial strength (40%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s financial stability and ability to pay claims far into the future. The top life insurance companies have an exceptional financial strength rating of A+ or A++ (Superior).
🗣️ Consumer complaints (40%). Our top-rated life insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators over a three-year period, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.
👀 Policy detail availability (10%). Our methodology gives higher scores to transparent insurers who clearly display information about their policy options, coverage amounts and term lengths (if applicable) on their site.
☎️ Ease of communication (10%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores.
⭐ What our star ratings mean
Companies with 5 stars are exceptional, with strong financials, diverse policy lineups and great reputations for customer service.
Companies with 4.5 stars are excellent, with solid financials and policy offerings, and good customer service track records.
Companies with 4.0 stars are good, and potentially great for people looking for niche coverage options.
Companies with 3.5 stars or fewer could do better in certain categories, like financial strength and customer complaints.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings or our reviews. Read more about our life insurance ratings methodology and editorial guidelines.
What is no medical exam life insurance?
No medical exam life insurance refers to policies that don’t require a physical exam to qualify. No-exam policies tend to appeal to those with serious health conditions or healthy people who want to speed up the life insurance application process.
A life insurance medical exam is similar to an annual physical. A medical professional comes to your home or workplace at a time that suits you and measures your height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. They usually take samples of blood, urine and saliva.
Without the exam, insurers must rely on other data to assess the risk of insuring you, such as your answers to health questions and your prescription history.
Not all applicants are approved for life insurance without an exam. If you’re denied, you may have more trouble getting a traditionally underwritten policy because other insurers can see that you’ve been rejected in the past.
Types of life insurance with no medical exam
There are several types of life insurance that don’t require an exam.
- Guaranteed issue life insurance
Guaranteed issue life insurance policies generally provide enough coverage to pay for final expenses such as burial and funeral costs. The application for guaranteed life insurance has no health questions or medical exams.
Guaranteed issue policies often have graded death benefits. This means your life insurance beneficiaries won’t receive the full death benefit if you die within the first few years of the policy unless you die of accidental causes. Instead, they receive a percentage of the premiums you paid into the policy, such as 110%.
In general, guaranteed life insurance policies are more expensive for healthy people than those that require a medical exam.
Who it's for: Middle-aged and older adults whose health would disqualify them from getting life insurance with full medical underwriting.
- Simplified issue life insurance
Simplified issue life insurance policies don’t require a medical exam, but you may need to answer health questions during the application. Insurers sometimes request more data, such as your prescription drug history, motor vehicle record and info from previous life insurance applications.
Approval for a policy isn’t guaranteed. Many types of coverage, including term and whole life insurance, are available as simplified issue policies. The maximum coverage amounts may be limited, usually $50,000 or less. If affordable life insurance is your priority, note that this coverage is typically more expensive than a policy that requires a medical exam.
Who it's for: People who don’t mind answering health questions, but want to skip the exam and get small amounts of coverage quickly.
🤓Nerdy TipSome life insurance companies follow a streamlined approach called accelerated underwriting to make buying a policy easier and faster. Accelerated underwriting uses algorithms to determine whether you qualify for coverage and help insurers set rates. With this type of underwriting, you may be able to get approved for a policy within minutes.
- Group life insurance
Life insurance available through your employer is often called group life insurance. Rates are set for the group as a whole, and the employer typically pays all or most of the premium. Life insurance policies from an employer are often small, generally one to two times your annual salary. You could consider group life insurance since you don’t have to take a medical exam to enroll in free workplace policies.
Your employer may also offer the chance to buy additional coverage. These policies — sometimes called supplemental life insurance — may require health information or a medical exam to qualify for coverage. Because rates are based on the group as a whole, people who are young and healthy may be able to get cheaper life insurance outside the workplace.
Who it’s for: People who want free coverage or who can’t buy a policy on the open market.
» MORE: Compare life insurance quotes
Is no medical exam life insurance worth it?
If you’re in a hurry to get life insurance and only need a small amount of coverage, skipping the medical exam might be worth it to you. Just be aware that in exchange for the convenience, you’ll probably pay more in premiums.
For people with health conditions who are worried about needing a medical exam, it may be worthwhile to explore guaranteed life insurance, simplified issue life insurance, or even group life insurance to get the coverage you need.
More about top-rated life insurance companies
Looking for a different type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:
Frequently asked questions
How much life insurance can I get without taking a health exam?
How much life insurance can I get without taking a health exam?
It depends on the type of life insurance, but most policies without medical exams usually offer coverage between $10,000 to $150,000.
What’s the cheapest life insurance without a medical exam?
What’s the cheapest life insurance without a medical exam?
Because life insurance rates depend on your age, gender, and your health, rates can vary widely. You may be able to secure more affordable life insurance if you’re willing to answer a few health questions.
Can you get whole life insurance with no medical exam?
Can you get whole life insurance with no medical exam?
Yes. There are several insurers that offer different types of life insurance without a medical exam, including term, whole, and universal life policies.
