It is possible to buy life insurance without answering medical questions if that is your preference. In this article, we explain which types of life insurance you can buy without answering any medical questions as well as how those products compare to other types of life insurance that ask for medical information upfront.
You can jump ahead to 'Where to buy life insurance without medical questions' and also find out how to get £100 cashback* when you buy your life insurance.
Do I need to have a medical to get life insurance?
No, many life insurance policies are available to buy without the need for a medical examination and you can usually secure a modest amount of life insurance by simply answering some questions about your health and lifestyle.
There are a number of reasons why someone may not wish to answer medical questions. Some people feel it is intrusive while others may be in poor health and fear being declined by the insurance company. Whilst these are understandable reasons, it is important to explore all options before choosing a life insurance policy solely because the application will not ask you about your health.
The most common type of life insurance that can be offered without medical questions is an Over 50s life insurance policy. Sometimes, this type of cover is called a funeral plan because the normal payout value is similar to the cost of a funeral.
On the other hand, term life insurance and whole-of-life insurance policies do ask about your health and lifestyle as part of the application process. Some life insurance companies ask fewer questions, asking just enough to expose any serious health or lifestyle risks that the insurance company will want to know about.
If you wish to avoid answering questions about your health altogether, you will limit the options of life insurance that are available to you. Furthermore, the options available will provide less value.
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Why do I need a medical for life insurance?
If you have applied for life insurance and the insurance company has requested that you attend a medical examination or nurse's medical screening this is usually because of one or more factors. You should not assume that the insurance company is suspicious of your application or is hesitant to offer you life insurance. Life insurance companies assess each person's risk for a claim before offering life cover - mostly, your risk will be checked through the answers that you provide on your application form. However, in some cases, the insurer will take extra steps to ensure that the risk has been assessed correctly. Here, we describe some of the circumstances that may prompt the request for a medical.
Medical exams for large life cover amounts
The amount of life cover or critical illness cover you apply for has a bearing on whether a medical screening will be needed. Healthy applicants under the age of 50 can usually get up to £750,000 of life insurance or £500,000 of critical illness insurance without the need to attend a medical but these limits vary from one insurer to another. Some life insurance companies may have lower limits for a medical exam than others. If you need a large amount of life insurance and wish to avoid the need for a medical screening, you should speak with a life insurance specialist* as they will direct you to an insurer that offers higher medical life insurance limits.
Medical exam for older life insurance applicants
Your age will also factor in prompting the need for a medical examination when you apply for life insurance. Insurers generally assess your age alongside the amount of cover you wish to arrange - as you get older, the amount of life insurance you can get without a medical exam reduces. But again, this will vary from one insurer to another and if you are over the age of 50 some life insurance policy options won't ask you anything about your health - we explain these options further on in this article.
You are overweight or underweight
You will usually be asked for your height and your weight as part of your life insurance application. Insurers use a BMI calculator to work out your height-to-weight ratio and in some cases may request that you complete a basic medical exam that is referred to as a health screening or nurse screening. These types of medical exams usually only take around 20-30 minutes to complete and a nurse will usually visit you at a time and place of your convenience. The insurer will look to check things like your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and will take an accurate height and weight reading for you. Not all insurers will request this type of medical exam for this reason and you can check to see if applying to a different insurer will mean that you can avoid this type of health check by speaking to a life insurance specialist* who can navigate you to one that doesn't.
Who pays for a medical examination and what do they check for?
If a medical examination is requested, the life insurance company will pay for this and it will usually be arranged at a place and time that is convenient for you.
The medical examination itself can be anything from a very basic health screening to a full medical exam. The examination can include gathering some or all of the following information about you:
- Diet
- Activity levels
- General health
- Height
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar/glucose levels
- Cholesterol levels
- Smoking habits (cotinine tests detect nicotine)
Life insurance with no medical vs Life insurance with medical
In the table below, we compare the different types of life insurance cover you can buy and explain the pros and cons of buying each type of insurance. We also confirm whether you will be required to answer any medical questions when you apply.
| Type of life insurance | Medical questions asked? | Pros | Cons |
| Over 50s life insurance | No |
|
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| Term life insurance | Yes |
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What is over 50s life insurance?
Over 50s life insurance - sometimes referred to as 'Funeral cover' - is a type of life insurance policy that is available to UK residents aged over 50 and doesn't ask about your health when you apply. They provide guaranteed acceptance to anyone who meets the criteria set out in the plan.
This type of life insurance is designed to provide a few thousand pounds as a lump sum benefit to those who may otherwise struggle to be accepted for a life insurance policy due to their health. It is rare for people in good health to buy this type of cover as they can usually buy better value life insurance products, however, some people over the age of 50 may choose to do so for ease of application.
You can read more about this type of life insurance in our article, 'Which is the best over 50s life insurance?'
Over 50s life cover and funeral plans usually cover people regardless of poor health. The monthly premium for these types of policy is high for the amount of cover you get and you can end up paying in more than what will pay out when you die.
What questions do life insurance companies ask?
Your age and whether you smoke are usually all that is needed in order to obtain a life insurance quote. To apply for a term life insurance or a whole life insurance policy, you'll be asked about:
- Your medical history
- Your family medical history
- Your occupation
- Whether you smoke
- Any dangerous pursuits
- Any drug use
- Your alcohol consumption levels
- Serious illnesses diagnosed in your immediate family
Adverse risks related to the above could increase the cost of your life insurance and in very severe circumstances, you could be declined for life insurance.
You will find that some applications are shorter than others. Over the years, insurance companies have realised that lengthy applications can be a deterrent for some people. Short applications focus on revealing any concerns and only ask further questions if required. This option can help speed up the application process for those who have nothing to disclose.
Speak to a life insurance expert* to decipher what the application entails whilst finding the best value life insurance.
Over 50s life insurance and funeral plan applications do not usually ask anything other than your age and smoking habits.
Do life insurance companies check your medical records
Not always, but life insurance companies can ask your permission to request further medical information from your doctor if necessary.
This is usually the case if you are unable to provide full details about your health or if the life insurance company wants to see a more detailed summary of your health history.
Often, a doctor's report can help the underwriter who assesses your application to make a fairer decision for you based on your specific health history instead of using a blanket approach. For example, if you are a diabetic but have a long and sustained history of good control of your diabetes, you are likely to receive better terms for life insurance than those offered to someone who has a history of poor control.
You can request to see a copy of the medical report requested by the insurance company before it is sent by your GP.
Do life insurance companies check your medical records for claims?
Yes, it is quite common for life insurance companies to check your medical records before paying a death claim. This can be true even if you were not asked any medical questions to buy life insurance. It is important that you disclose all the information that you are asked for when you apply to ensure a claim is paid. Furthermore, ensure that you follow medical advice as death linked to a failure to follow medical advice can also mean that a death claim could be declined.
What happens if you lie on a life insurance application?
If you lie on your life insurance application, any claim will likely be declined.
Once a death claim is submitted, the life insurance company will request a death certificate to understand the cause of death. Once this is assessed, they may write to your doctor to review your full health history. If this reveals something that you would have known but did not disclose at the time that you applied, your claim could be declined due to non-disclosure.
Sometimes, non-disclosure of facts can happen unintentionally and life insurance companies do differentiate between malicious non-disclosure and innocent non-disclosure to help decipher such situations. However, it is always best to answer all questions fully and to the best of your knowledge.
If you are unsure about how to answer a question within the life insurance application, just say that you don't know. This puts the onus on the life insurance company to establish facts through your doctor or otherwise.
How to buy life insurance without a medical
If you wish to buy the best value life insurance without answering any medical questions you should speak with a specialist life insurance adviser*.
There are plenty of over-50s or similar life insurance products advertised with the promise of no questions, medicals or lengthy applications. However, these usually don't provide the best value and it is wise to check whether you really need to avoid answering medical questions.
Life insurance is quite simple to arrange if you are young and in good health allowing you to access many different types of life insurance.
If you have a medical condition, discussing it with an adviser can help you to decipher how to navigate the application process that is best and easiest for you. You may be worried about discussing your health unnecessarily and this could lead to you opting for a poor-value life insurance product that doesn't meet your needs.
The life insurance specialists vetted by Money to the Masses provide bespoke advice and do not charge you for this. They'll even ensure that the policy is written into trust, allowing you to nominate your chosen beneficiaries without attracting any potential inheritance tax on the proceeds. An adviser will discuss your requirements and present you with options accordingly and you don't have to go ahead with any of the options if you do not feel that they suit you.
If you do buy your life insurance by speaking to the life insurance specialist, you will receive up to £100 cashback as a Money to the Masses reader.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link, Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. This link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses and do not wish to qualify for the cashback referred to in the article.
