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No-exam life insurance — guaranteed & simplified issue

Reviewed by licensed insurance agents· Updated July 2026· Based on our own placed policies

No-exam life insurance skips the medical — you answer a few health questions (simplified issue) or none at all (guaranteed issue), and you can be covered in days. It's the most common way our clients get approved, especially seniors and anyone with health conditions. Here's how it works and what it costs in our own book.

Quick answer

No-exam whole-life plans in our book average about $77/mo for $10,000 and $96/mo for $25,000. Simplified issue (a few health questions) pays from day one and is the cheapest; guaranteed issue (no questions) approves anyone but has a 2-year waiting period for natural causes.

Simplified issue vs guaranteed issue

The two kinds of no-exam life insurance, and who each is best for.

 Simplified issueGuaranteed issue
Medical examNoneNone
Health questionsA fewNone
Payout timingDay one2-yr wait (natural causes)
Typical coverage$10k–$50k$5k–$25k
CostLowerSlightly higher
Best forReasonably healthy applicantsSerious health conditions, any answer

Accidental death is typically covered from day one on guaranteed-issue plans, even during the waiting period.

What no-exam life insurance costs (2026)

Real average monthly premiums for no-exam whole-life plans, from our own book of 1,595 placed policies.

Real data — not generic estimates. The vast majority of policies in our book are issued with no medical exam, so these averages reflect exactly what no-exam applicants pay.
Coverage
Your ageAvg monthly premiumAvg annual
50–54$47 /mo$564
55–59$55 /mo$660
60–64$65 /mo$780
65–69$71 /mo$852
70–74$79 /mo$948
75–79$86 /mo$1032
80–84$132 /mo$1584

Illustrative averages from our placed-policy data (not carrier-published rates). Tobacco users typically pay 30–50% more. The $50k/age-80 cell is omitted (thin sample).

Who no-exam life insurance is for

Seniors 60–85

The core of our book — 76% of buyers are 60–79. No-exam plans avoid the hassle and delays of a medical.

Health conditions

Diabetes, heart history, COPD and more can still qualify — guaranteed issue asks no health questions at all.

People who want it fast

No exam means no scheduling a nurse or waiting weeks for labs — coverage can be in force in days.

Final-expense buyers

$10k–$25k to cover a funeral and final bills is the most common use — 62% of our policies are $10k–$25k.

Guaranteed-acceptance seekers

If you've been declined before, a guaranteed-issue plan can't turn you down within the issue ages (typically 45–85).

Anyone comparing quietly

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No-exam life insurance — FAQ

Is no-exam life insurance real / legitimate?
Yes. It's standard for final-expense and small whole-life policies from A-rated carriers. Instead of a medical exam, the carrier uses a few health questions (or none) plus prescription and MIB database checks. It's how the large majority of our clients get covered.
How much does no-exam coverage cost?
In our book, no-exam whole-life plans average about $77/month for $10,000 and $96/month for $25,000. Your rate depends on age, coverage and tobacco use.
Does guaranteed issue have a waiting period?
Yes — typically 2 years for natural causes. If death occurs during that window, beneficiaries usually get all premiums paid back plus interest. Accidental death is covered from day one.
Can I be denied?
Guaranteed-issue plans can't deny you within the issue ages (usually 45–85). Simplified-issue plans can decline based on the health questions — but if so, we'll route you to a guaranteed-issue option.
How fast can I be covered?
Because there's no exam to schedule, many no-exam plans issue within a few days of applying.
How we get these numbers. Cost figures are computed from our own book of 1,595 placed life-insurance policies — nearly all issued with no medical exam — reviewed by licensed agents. We're a free comparison & matching service.

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About these figures: the premiums and averages shown are estimates based on our own placed-policy data (our internal systems), not carrier-published quotes. Your actual rate depends on age, gender, tobacco use, health, coverage amount and state, and is confirmed by the carrier at application.