
Over 50 life insurance with free gift
9 min
Most over 50 plans now come with a free gift. But which…
Yes, it’s possible to obtain life insurance with no medical.
You can secure an affordable policy without having to undergo a physical health check.
It’s also possible to arrange life insurance with no medical questions.
This is a type of policy which guarantees acceptance to people aged 50 - 85, known as a 'guaranteed over 50 plan' or 'over 50 life insurance'.
Why not take advantage of our award-winning broker service to discover your options?
Or, continue reading this helpful guide as we explain:
Plus, we answer the most frequently asked questions regarding life insurance medical exams.
No medical life insurance is simply a standard life insurance policy that you’re able to secure without having to undergo a medical exam.
Most people can obtain standard life insurance with no medical - particularly those who live a healthy lifestyle, don’t smoke and have no medical problems.
No medical life insurance may also refer to a policy that you’re able to secure without providing any medical information whatsoever.
These types of policies can be suitable for those who are deemed a high risk (are older/have a medical condition) and struggle to obtain standard life insurance.
See over 50 life insurance no medical below for more information.
Generally, a medical is not required for life insurance, but it could be necessary depending on your individual circumstances.
Standard life insurance policies, such as term life insurance, require medical information during the application process.
This means you’ll need to answer some questions regarding your health, lifestyle and family medical history.
Insurers use this information to assess the level of risk you pose and decide the terms of your policy, including the cost of your premiums.
If your application indicates that you pose a high risk, then an insurer may request to see your medical records for further information before making a decision.
This means they’ll contact your GP (with your permission) to obtain a medical report, which will give them a better picture of your health.
If the information gathered during the questionnaire or acquired via your medical records is insufficient, then a full medical exam may be necessary.
You may be asked to undergo a medical exam if an insurer identifies any high-risk factors during the initial medical questionnaire.
High risk factors include:
Sometimes a full medical exam isn’t required in these instances and insurers may request to see your medical records as an alternative.
If you pose a low risk, for example you’re a young adult in good health, then your application should be approved without needing further investigation.
As mentioned, life insurance can usually be secured without the hassle of attending a medical exam.
If you suffer with a pre-existing medical condition, then it’s essential that you’re honest about this when applying for life insurance.
Providing as much detail as you can during the initial questionnaire will better enable the insurer to accurately assess your application and calculate your monthly premium, perhaps mitigating the need for a medical exam.
If you’re worried about being subject to a physical health check and you want to skip the whole process altogether, then there’s also the option of life insurance with no medical questions….
As mentioned, most standard life insurance policies require your medical information via a questionnaire before you can be accepted for cover.
However, there are some types of life insurance available which are designed to provide you with cover without needing any medical information from you at all.
These policies are known as ‘guaranteed acceptance’ life insurance or ‘guaranteed over 50 plans’.
The application process is usually quick and simple, as you don’t need to answer any health questions, and you’re guaranteed to be accepted.
Nonetheless, the cost of premiums tends to be higher than of other policies (relative to the sum assured), because insurers compensate for the unknown risk.
Sometimes, depending on your circumstances and the level of cover you need, it can be beneficial to apply for a policy which requires your medical information, as your premiums could work out less expensive.
At Reassured, we can help you compare quotes for different types of policies, allowing you to find the most affordable option that best suits your unique circumstances.
Without charging you a fee, our life insurance experts provide you all the information you need regarding life insurance with no medical so you can make a fully informed decision.
As mentioned, an over 50 life insurance policy (or ‘guaranteed over 50 plan’) can be obtained without having to provide any medical information.
This is a type of life assurance, which means it guarantees a pay out to your loved ones when you pass away.
To be eligible for over 50 life insurance you’ll just need to be a UK resident aged between 50 and 85.
The price of your monthly premium is determined by your age, the level of cover applied for and sometimes your smoking status (depending on the insurer).
As your health isn’t taken into account, insurers compensate for the unknown risk by offering a lower sum assured, usually up to £20,000.
It’s also important to be aware that a waiting period tends to apply with this type of policy.
This is a period of time, either 12 or 24 months, at the start of the policy wherein a claim can’t be made.
If you pass away during the waiting period, your beneficiaries won’t receive a pay out but they’ll receive back the premiums you’ve paid.
Get in touch with Reassured today to see if we can help you find the best over 50 life insurance no medical by comparing multiple quotes.
You may be interested in reading our in-depth articles on over 60 life insurance and over 70 life insurance policy options »
Although rare, some providers offer guaranteed acceptance on whole of life insurance without the need to provide any medical information.
These policies offer guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 18 - 70.
When arranging this type of cover, it's important to consider your likely life expectancy.
If you're younger and in good health, it's possible to pay more into the policy than the overall sum assured.
In this instance, you're more likely to benefit from providing some medical information to benefit from lower premiums.
Arranging a standard whole of life insurance policy doesn’t necessarily mean you'll be required to undergo a medical exam.
Most insurers require you to provide information regarding your wellbeing via a questionnaire, but won't necessarily require an exam unless any high-risk factors are identified.
We're unable to provide whole of life insurance that does not require medical information. However, if interested in arranging whole of life insurance cover that requires medical information, contact our team for your free quotes.
Yes. It's not possible to obtain term-based cover (decreasing term or level term) without providing any information on your medical wellbeing.
This is because insurers use this information to determine the likelihood of a claim.
However, it's not always necessary to undergo a physical medical exam.
In most instances, providing information regarding your health via medical questions on application is sufficient for insurers to determine the level of risk.
A medical exam for term life insurance won’t be required if you pose a low risk to the insurer.
For example:
Even if you’re health is less than ideal, you may still not be required to undergo an exam if the information you've provided is detailed enough for the insurer to assess your level of risk.
It may also be possible for the insurer to obtain any further information required by accessing your medical records (with your permission) to avoid you having to undergo an exam.
Whilst it isn’t a legal requirement to have life insurance to secure a mortgage, it's likely to be in your best interest if you have a partner or dependants.
Without cover, your passing could mean the full mortgage debt falls to them.
The inability to meet mortgage payments could result in your loved ones having to move from their family home.
A life insurance pay out could be used to pay off the remaining mortgage balance, alleviating financial strain at a difficult time.
As with other cover, mortgage life insurance won't necessarily result in a medical exam, but will require you to provide medical information.
Contact our team today to discuss the best option to protect your mortgage.
One of the most common reasons for arranging life insurance is to protect your family against financial strain if you were no longer around.
As with most forms of life insurance, a medical exam will only be required if high-risk factors are identified during application.
If your health is particularly unfavourable and is likely to result in high premiums or possible refusal, then it's possible to arrange an over 50s plan if within the required age criteria.
This takes into account no medical information and therefore, guarantees acceptance to all UK residents aged 50 - 85.
To understand the options for protecting your family and to determine which one best meets your needs, contact our award-winning team.
The cost of life insurance with no medical depends on a variety of factors including the policy you choose and your individual circumstances.
The tables below show the different life insurance policy types and example premium costs according to age.
Below you’ll find example premium costs for a non-smoker requiring over 50s life insurance, as well as the potential sum assured you could secure at each age:
Age | Monthly premium | Sum assured |
---|---|---|
50 | £57.56 | £18,000 |
55 | £66.05 | £18,000 |
60 | £70 | £17,898 |
65 | £75 | £15,733 |
70 | £75 | £11,229 |
75 | £75 | £7,669 |
80 | £75 | £4,634 |
Below you’ll find example premiums costs for level and decreasing term policies for a non-smoker in good health, based on a 20-year term with £100,000 cover, and whole of life insurance quotes based on £100,000 of cover (pay out is guaranteed):
Age | Level term | Decreasing term | Whole of life |
---|---|---|---|
20 | £3.61 | £4.36 | £61.03 |
30 | £4.82 | £4.99 | £71.01 |
40 | £7.87 | £6.05 | £100.90 |
50 | £16.18 | £10.99 | £150.50 |
Below you’ll find example premiums costs for level and decreasing term policies for a non-smoker in good health, based on a 10-year term with £50,000 cover, and whole of life insurance quotes based on £50,000 of cover (pay out is guaranteed):
Age | Level term | Decreasing term | Whole of life |
---|---|---|---|
60 | £16.47 | £10.81 | £108.82 |
70 | £48.34 | £25.62 | £177.78 |
If an insurer requires access to you medical records whilst assessing your application then they must obtain your permission first.
You’ll be given the option to see the records yourself via your GP before these are sent to the insurer.
Medical records will include your medical history over the past five years, sometimes longer depending on your circumstances.
Typically, the information provided by your GP is specific to your life insurance application.
Once your policy is in place, insurers can access your medical records upon your passing or under suspicion of fraud.
This is as a result of the terms and conditions you'll have signed with your policy.
This will allow them to ensure all aspects of your application were truthful and if required, a claim is valid.
How much life insurance you can get without attending a medical exam will depend on the type of cover you apply for and the individual insurer.
On occasions when a large sum assured is required, insurers will insist you undergo a medical exam before accepting your application.
A large pay out significantly increases their risk, therefore, measures are taken to mitigate this risk by charging an appropriate premium.
Guaranteed acceptance life insurance and over 50 plans tend to have a much lower sum assured than standard policies which require your medical information.
Particularly as you get older, the maximum level of cover you can secure is likely to be lower than your younger counterpart.
Whether no medical life insurance is right for you, or available to you, will depend on your individual circumstances.
Most people don’t need to worry about undergoing a medical exam to secure the life insurance they need.
If you’re relatively young and in good health, it may be in your best interest to provide medical information when applying for cover.
This is because the level of risk you pose to the insurer is likely to be low, and your premiums will be priced based on this low risk.
When no medical information is disclosed, the risk to the insurer is unknown and they compensate for this by inflating the cost of your premiums.
If you’re older, suffer from a pre-existing medical condition and aged between 50 - 85 then life insurance with no medical questions could be the right option for you.
If you have a complicated medical history and perhaps have suffered cancer, diabetes or a heart attack, you may experience problems securing adequate cover.
However, there are still options besides opting for a no medical alternative.
It may be possible that even in poor health, providing details of your condition could still be a more cost-effective solution than selecting an option where your risk is unknown to the insurer.
At Reassured our dedicated impaired life insurance team have helped secure cover for more than 45% of those who have been declined cover elsewhere.
They have the skills to put you in touch with the insurers most likely to accept sufferers of your condition, at the lowest cost.
Regardless of whether you opt for life insurance with or without disclosing medical information, the cost can vary significantly between insurers.
As a result, it's essential to compare multiple quotes to ensure you secure the best possible deal.
Our award-winning life insurance broker service can help, comparing a range of insurers free of charge, saving you time and money.
We can also guide you through the application process, answer any questions and help write your life insurance in trust on the majority of the policies we sell.
And the best bit is our broker service is completely fee-free to use.
Why do insurers request a medical?
Insurers request a medical if they need more information regarding your health before approving your policy.
With a better picture of your overall medical wellbeing, they’re able to provide you with a more accurate quote.
Alternatively, an insurer may ask for your permission to contact your doctor to obtain medical records.
Often, this provides sufficient reassurance for the insurer to approve your policy.
What is the medical exam for life insurance?
During a medical exam for life insurance, a number of elements will be assessed to determine your overall health.
Such as your:
This will test for any abnormal/high-risk readings which would prevent an insurer from providing you with life cover or require them to inflate the cost of your premiums.
How much is a life insurance medical exam?
If your life insurance provider requires you to undergo a medical, they'll cover the cost of the examination.
Between the application and medical exam results, most insurers will provide you with accidental life cover.
This means that if you were to pass away during this period as a result of an accident, your loved ones will receive a pay out.
How long does a life insurance medical exam take?
A life insurance medical exam isn’t a long endeavour and usually lasts approximately 20 minutes.
It's carried out at a location convenient to you and is conducted by a GP or nurse accepted by the insurer.
How do you pass a life insurance medical exam?
It's often believed there are a number of steps you can take to ensure you pass a medical exam.
However, in reality, the aspects measured are unlikely to be altered in the short period of time between the exam request and appointment.
Before attending your medical exam, you'll be advised on any action you should take prior, such as not eating for a defined period.
Can you retake a life insurance exam?
Yes, it's possible to retake a life insurance medical exam, however, usually a 6 month waiting period is enforced.
During this period your application may be deferred, or you may be required to make a new application once the time has passed.
If your original medical exam still allowed you to be accepted for life cover, but at inflated premiums, you may be able to retake it in an attempt to reduce the cost.
This must be approved by the underwriters and agreed that they're willing to review your premiums when a period of time has elapsed.
Do they check for STDs for life insurance?
Whilst the blood and urine tests used during a medical exam can detect STD’s, usually, these are not detrimental to your mortality.
As a result, their presence won't affect the likelihood of you obtaining cover or experiencing increased premiums.
The key exceptions to this are HIV and syphilis.
Whilst having either of these won't automatically mean you're declined cover, the stage they are at may result in either inflated premiums or make it more difficult to be accepted.
At Reassured, we have an impaired risk team who have helped find cover for 45% of customers declined elsewhere.
What happens if I lie about my health to avoid a medical exam?
When medical information is required it can be tempting to withhold or distort information regarding your health.
This is known in insurance as non-disclosure.
However, as mentioned, if an insurer believes the information you've disclosed is untrue or they query information upon your death, a claim can be declined.
This could be uncovered either via your autopsy or reviewing your medical records.
To prevent your loved ones being denied a claim and your investment being wasted, it's essential you disclose all information regarding your health.
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