4 Best No-Exam Life Insurance Policies in 2026

Reviewed monthly. Last updated: December 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.

NerdWallet’s top 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.

About AARP no-exam life insurance

AARP’s term life insurance policies are available to the organization’s members over 50 and their spouses aged 45 and up. It’s offered in partnership with New York Life, and most people who apply are accepted.

While your policy’s death benefit won’t change, your rates will increase every five years.

Policy name: Level Benefit Term Life Insurance.

⏳Term lengths: Until the age of 80.

Coverage amount: $10,000 to $150,000 (up to $100,000 for New York residents). Higher amounts may be available by phone.

Age eligibility: 50 to 74 for AARP members (45 to 74 for partners and spouses).

Riders:

• Term rider.

• Living benefits.

• Waiver of premium for nursing home stays.

Online experience: AARP’s site shares some policy details and supports online quotes. Some information, such as riders or policy add-ons, are buried in the frequently asked questions section and can be hard to find. The AARP/NYL program has an online portal where you can make payments and manage your policy, but there’s no dedicated mobile app for life insurance.

What to know about applying for a policy: AARP says its term life policies don’t require an exam, but you will be asked some health questions. To buy these policies through New York Life, you must be an AARP member or the spouse of one and meet certain age requirements.

Where this insurer stands out: Unlike other term life policies that end after a certain number of years, AARP’s term life coverage lasts until age 80. It’s also worth noting that New York Life, the carrier that issues AARP policies, is one of NerdWallet’s best term life insurance companies.

» Read the full review: AARP life insurance

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About Ladder no-exam life insurance

Ladder offers a quick online application for its term life insurance policies, which are available for 10- to 30-year periods. You can increase or decrease coverage while the policy is active, but there aren’t any riders available to customize your policy.

Policy name: Term Life Insurance.

⏳Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years.

Coverage amount: $100,000 to $3 million.

Age eligibility: 20 to 60.

Riders: N/A.

Online experience: Information on Ladder’s website is easy to find and its help center is very user-friendly. However, unlike most online-only insurers, Ladder doesn’t have a mobile app so you’ll have to manage your policy through the site’s portal.

What to know about applying for a policy: Be prepared to answer a few health questions in Ladder’s digital application. You won’t be asked to take a medical exam for any of Ladder’s standard term life policies, though.

Where this insurer stands out: A unique feature of Ladder’s policies is the ability to adjust coverage levels up and down, referred to as “laddering.” 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 policy’s death benefit, Ladder will adjust your premiums accordingly.

» Read the full review: Ladder life insurance

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About Lemonade no-exam 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.

Policy name: Term Life Insurance.

⏳Term lengths: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 years.

Coverage amount: $100,000 to unlimited amounts for qualifying applicants.

Age eligibility: 20 to 75.

Riders: N/A.

Online experience: Lemonade’s site takes a simple approach, emphasizing transparency. You’ll find coverage amounts, eligibility ages, term lengths and more laid out clearly on the main page or in the FAQ section. Once you’re a policyholder, you can manage your policy on Lemonade's mobile app.

What to know about applying for a policy: Lemonade’s streamlined application asks a few questions about your health and some other potential risk factors. If you’re approved, your policy could be issued within minutes, but some people may require additional review or a medical exam. Note that Lemonade’s policies are not available in New York.

Where this insurer stands out: The company offers coverage lasting up to 40 years, which is significantly longer than the average term life policy. 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.

» Read the full review: Lemonade life insurance

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About Protective no-exam life insurance

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.

Policy name: Simplified Issue Whole Life Insurance.

Coverage amount: $20,000 to $100,000.

Age eligibility: 15 days to age 65.

Riders:

• Waiver of premium

• Accidental death

• Children's life insurance

• Accelerated death benefit

• Guaranteed insurability

Online experience: Protective’s website has plenty of educational content, but its policy details can be hard to find. Once you become a policyholder, note that Protective doesn’t have a mobile app but you can manage your policy through the site’s portal.

What to know about applying for a policy: For Protective’s simplified issue whole life, you’ll have to schedule a phone call to complete your application. You’ll be asked a few health questions, but won’t need to take a medical exam.

Where this insurer stands out: Some no-exam policies are bare bones but with Protective, you can choose from a variety of life insurance riders offering extra coverage. This includes “guaranteed insurability” that lets you buy more insurance in the future without going through the underwriting process again.

» Read the full review: Protective Life insurance

No medical exam life insurance refers to policies that don’t require an 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.

» MORE: How does life insurance underwriting work?

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.

  » MORE: How to get life insurance if you have a medical condition

• 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 Tip

  Some 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.

  See the best instant life insurance companies.

• 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

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: