If you are interested in getting life insurance without having a physical exam, it means one of three things: You want the insurance really fast, you can’t stand doctor examinations or you have a health condition that keeps you from applying for a more traditional policy.
Either way, I have some good news for you. You can get insurance without a physical exam and still save money – sometimes, a lot of money.
The problem with no-exam life insurance
While buying life insurance without having a medical examination is more convenient, it’s also more expensive.
That’s because when insurance companies don’t know about your health condition, they take on greater risk. They cover those risks by charging higher premiums.
In many cases, no-exam life insurance can cost you three times as much as a policy that does require a health exam. Fortunately, there are a few tactics you can employ to get the coverage you need without paying exorbitant prices.
Getting life insurance without a medical exam
There are two ways that people can buy life insurance without taking a physical exam. The first is to buy a simplified issue policy, and the second is to buy a guaranteed issue policy.
Either way, you won’t have to take a medical exam. You also won’t have to have your blood or urine examined. All you have to do is answer a few medical questions.
If you pass those questions, you’ll be able to get insurance without taking any physical exam. Your new provider will verify that your answers are accurate, and then you’ll be insured. Pretty simple.
How to get no-exam insurance and not pay through the nose
Assuming you are in good health but need to buy insurance fast, the easiest thing to do is to apply for both a traditional and a simplified issue policy.
You can quickly get the latter and then cancel it once the traditional (and cheaper) policy gets approved.
Keep in mind that you can’t do this indiscriminately. Insurance companies know when you apply for and then cancel life insurance. Do this enough times and nobody will want to insure you.
In a pinch, though, this is a great tactic to get some coverage in place while you wait for other carriers to complete their underwriting.
My favorite way to get fast coverage for 80 percent less than simplified issue policies
If you are in good health and are willing to have a quick and painless exam, but need coverage fast, here’s a great idea.
Apply for a traditional policy and obtain “temporary insurance.” If you apply for insurance and have a clean bill of health, you can get almost immediate coverage if you do a quick para-med exam (in most cases).
Keep in mind that different carriers have different stipulations for temporary insurance. They have benefit limits that you can’t exceed and, again, you have to answer all of their questions. You must also complete a para-med exam.
If you comply with these rules, you’ll be insured while the company underwrites.
This approach is far cheaper than using a simplified issue policy, and it can be just as effective. You just have to obtain the right policy with the right company.
This article originally appeared on MCMHA.org and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Featured Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
