No Medical ExamLife Insurance
Get covered without a blood test, urine sample, or doctor visit. Compare no-exam burial insurance — including guaranteed acceptance options — from A-rated carriers, with coverage approved in as little as 24 hours.
No medical exam life insurance lets you get covered without a physical, blood draw, or urine test. For seniors, the most practical no-exam product is final expense (burial) insurance — a small whole life policy, typically $5,000 to $25,000, designed to cover funeral costs and final bills so they never fall on your family.
Traditional life insurance can take weeks and often requires a nurse to visit your home for lab work. No-exam coverage skips all of that. You answer a short application — or, with guaranteed acceptance life insurance, no health questions at all — and you can be approved within 24 hours. Below, we explain how no-exam burial insurance works, who it's for, and how to choose between simplified-issue and guaranteed acceptance coverage.
Simplified Issue vs. Guaranteed Acceptance
Both are 100% no-exam. The right one depends on your health and how quickly you need full coverage.
Simplified Issue
- A few yes/no health questions — no exam
- Full coverage from day one for most applicants
- Lower premiums than guaranteed acceptance
- Best for seniors in fair-to-good health
Guaranteed Acceptance
- No health questions — approval is guaranteed
- Available to virtually anyone aged 50–85
- Two-to-three-year graded death benefit period
- Best for serious health conditions or prior declines
Who No-Exam Burial Insurance Is For
No-exam coverage exists because traditional underwriting shuts a lot of people out. If you're a senior who has been declined before, or you manage a chronic condition, no medical exam life insurance is often your most realistic path to coverage. It's a strong fit for:
- Seniors 50–85 who want to guarantee their funeral is paid for without burdening their children.
- People with health conditions — diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a cancer history — who can't pass full medical underwriting.
- Anyone previously declined for traditional life insurance.
- Adult children buying coverage for a parent who doesn't want to absorb funeral costs themselves.
For more on qualifying with health issues, see our blog post on life insurance with pre-existing conditions and our guide to life insurance for seniors over 50.
Why Carriers Can Skip the Medical Exam
A no-exam policy doesn't mean the carrier ignores risk — it means they assess it differently. Simplified-issue carriers rely on your application answers, prescription-history databases, and the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) instead of a physical. Guaranteed acceptance carriers price the risk into the premium and the graded period, which is why they can approve everyone. Either way, you skip the needle and the wait.
This is exactly where matching matters. Each carrier weighs conditions differently, so the company that quotes you a graded policy may not be the one offering day-one coverage for your exact profile. Our process compares multiple A-rated carriers at once to surface your best no-exam option — you can read more about it on our how it works page.
How Much No-Exam Coverage Costs
For most healthy adults aged 50–65, a $10,000 no-exam final expense policy runs roughly $30 to $80 per month. A 75-year-old might pay $80–$150 for the same coverage. Guaranteed acceptance costs a little more than simplified issue because of the guaranteed approval. Rates depend on your age, gender, tobacco use, and coverage amount — and they're locked in for life once you're approved.
Funeral costs vary widely by location — the national average is $10,000 to $15,000 — so it's worth checking typical burial costs in your area on our state pages before choosing a coverage amount. Our guide on how much burial insurance costs and our blog post on life insurance cost by age break the numbers down further.
How to Apply With No Medical Exam
Applying takes minutes. You'll provide your date of birth, answer a few health questions (or none, for guaranteed acceptance), choose your coverage amount and beneficiary, and make your first payment. Most applicants get a decision within 24 hours. To understand the full sequence, read our step-by-step guide to how final expense insurance works, and for tips on fast approval see instant approval life insurance and no medical exam life insurance.
The Benefits of Skipping the Exam
No Needles, No Nurse Visit
No blood draws, no urine samples, no in-home health exam to schedule.
Approval Despite Health Issues
Diabetes, COPD, heart disease, prior cancer — many applicants still qualify.
Guaranteed Acceptance Option
If health questions are a barrier, a no-questions policy is available to virtually everyone 50–85.
Fast Decisions
Most applicants are approved within 24 hours, with same-day coverage on many policies.
Rates Locked for Life
Your premium never increases and the policy never expires while premiums are paid.
Tax-Free Payout
The death benefit goes directly to your beneficiary, tax-free, to use however they need.
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No Medical Exam Questions Answered
What is no medical exam life insurance?
No medical exam life insurance is coverage you can qualify for without a physical, blood test, or urine sample. Instead of medical underwriting, carriers use your answers to a short application — and sometimes no health questions at all — to approve you. Final expense (burial) insurance is the most common type of no-exam coverage for seniors, with face amounts from $5,000 to $25,000.
What's the difference between simplified issue and guaranteed acceptance?
Simplified-issue policies ask a handful of yes/no health questions and offer lower rates with full day-one coverage for most applicants. Guaranteed acceptance (also called guaranteed issue) policies ask no health questions and cannot decline you within the eligible age range — but they typically include a two-to-three-year graded period and slightly higher premiums. Both require no medical exam.
Can I get burial insurance with no exam if I have health problems?
Yes. No-exam burial insurance is specifically designed for seniors with health conditions. Many applicants with diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of cancer qualify for simplified-issue coverage. If a condition prevents simplified-issue approval, guaranteed acceptance life insurance is available to virtually everyone aged 50–85.
Is no medical exam life insurance more expensive?
No-exam coverage can cost slightly more than fully underwritten policies because the carrier takes on more unknown risk — but for final expense amounts ($5,000–$25,000) the difference is small, and most seniors find the convenience and guaranteed approval well worth it. Our matching process compares carriers to find the lowest no-exam rate for your profile.
How much no-exam coverage can I get?
Most no-exam final expense policies offer $5,000 to $25,000 in coverage, with some carriers going up to $50,000. That range is intended to cover funeral and burial costs (typically $10,000–$15,000) plus any small debts or medical bills you'd want cleared.
How fast is approval without a medical exam?
Very fast. Because there's no exam to schedule and no lab results to wait on, most no-exam applicants are approved within 24 hours, and many simplified-issue policies provide coverage starting the same day you apply.
Does guaranteed acceptance life insurance have a waiting period?
Usually, yes. Guaranteed acceptance policies typically include a graded death benefit for the first two to three years — if you pass from natural causes during that window, the carrier refunds your premiums plus interest rather than paying the full amount. Accidental death is generally covered in full from day one. After the graded period, the full benefit is paid for any cause.