A pre-existing condition doesn’t mean that you can never get insurance. You just have to get non-traditional about it. You need a no medical life insurance policy.
With this type of policy, you don’t have to take a medical exam to get life insurance coverage. Unlike a traditional life insurance policy, you aren’t required to undergo a medical exam so your insurer can verify your health. Generally speaking, those who are younger and in better health are more likely to get approved for a policy at lower premiums.
However, genetics, lifestyle, age, and other reasons might make you less desirable to insure. Luckily, there are certain policies that do not require a visit from a nurse or doctor.
Can You Get A No Medical Life Insurance Policy In Canada?
Yes, you can get a no medical life insurance policy in Canada. No medical life insurance policies do not involve examinations in order for a policy to be granted. Instead, they involve a questionnaire about your health. However, these policies are usually more limited in coverage and come with higher premiums than traditional policies.
These Are Some Of The Best No Medical Life Insurance Companies In Canada
Let’s compare some no medical exam life insurance policies to help you determine who’s the right provider for you.
PolicyMe
PolicyMe offers an affordable life insurance (term) policy with fast approval. To be eligible for a term life insurance policy without taking a medical exam, you simply need to answer 26 base questions* to assess your risk.
Everything is done online and most eligible applicants can complete the application process in under 20 minutes. Once you’ve completed the application, you’ll receive an instant decision.
- If Approved – If you’re approved, you won’t require a medical exam.
- If Not Immediately Approved– If you’re not immediately approved, it may be because you need to provide additional information, which may include a medical exam. If you do, PolicyMe will schedule and cover the cost of the exam.
* Do note, PolicyMe may require additional information (including a health exam) based on your responses to the 26 base questions.
Benefits Of PolicyMe
- High Coverage – Get no medical life insurance with coverages ranging from $10,000 to $5,000,000 and terms from 10 to 30 years.
- Complimentary Child Coverage – You’ll get an extra $100,000 in free child coverage with each policy.
- Easy And Fast Application – Applicants that are eligible for the no medical life insurance are able to complete the application in 20 minutes or under. Moreover, depending on your health, you may only need to answer the 26 base questions.
Sun Life Go
Sun Life Go offers a permanent no medical life insurance policy called the Sun Life Go Guaranteed Life Insurance. With this product, you’ll be covered for your entire life and you aren’t required to answer any medical questions or undergo a medical exam.
However, coverage for this insurance product is low, capping at $25,000. Moreover, despite the low coverage, premiums are much higher. If you’re someone with a pre-existing condition and are looking for a small payout to help with funeral costs, this can be a good option.
Benefits Of Sun Life Go
- No Medical Questions – Sun Life Go Guaranteed Life Insurance doesn’t ask any medical questions or details, including a medical exam.
- Payments Stay The Same – Your coverage and premiums will stay the same for the rest of your life.
- Instant Coverage – When you apply online, you’ll be instantly covered.
Canada Protection Plan (CPP)
Canada Protection Plan offers the majority of its plans without the need for a medical exam or a doctor’s report. Whether you’re looking for term no medical life insurance (periods of 10, 20, 25 or 30 years) or permanent no medical life insurance, you can find a policy with CPP.
With Canada Protection Plan, applying for no medical life insurance is simple and straightforward. If you’re someone who has a dangerous job or someone with a pre-existing health condition, Canada Protection Plan’s Simplified Issue or No Medical Life Insurance may be right for you.
Benefits Of Canada Protection Plan
- High Coverage Amounts – Up to $750,000 in life insurance coverage is available.
- Short Or Long Terms – You can opt for a no medical life insurance plan that offers lifetime protection or one with a term (10, 20, 25 or 30 years).
- Large Age Range – Canadians again from 18 to 80 can apply.
- Hard To Insure – For any Canadians who are hard to insure or who have some health problems, Canada Protection Plan has options for you.
- Fast Application – You can get the life insurance protection you need in as little as one day.
What Is A No Medical Life Insurance Policy?
As the name suggests, “no medical life insurance” is a type of life insurance policy that does not require a medical test. It works in much the same way as a regular life insurance policy but allows applicants to avoid a medical examination.
In lieu of the exam, you can fill out a questionnaire that requires you to provide detailed information about your health. In some cases, a questionnaire is not needed.
How Does No Medical Life Insurance Work?
While a no medical life insurance policy may not require you to visit with a physician, you will likely need to fill out a questionnaire, as mentioned above. The questionnaire is usually pretty straightforward and will include questions about your health conditions and any family history of health issues.
The more accurate and honest you are with your answers, the more accurate your premium will be. Moreover, honesty will be required – if your insurance provider discovers any untruths in the questionnaire, you could be denied coverage.
Pre-Existing Health Conditions That May Make You Uninsurable
Some common pre-existing conditions that traditional insurance might disqualify include:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Aids
- Heart attack (within a certain period)
- Dementia
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Stroke (within a certain period)
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Types Of No Medical Life Insurance
A handful of variations of no medical life insurance exist, which you may want to take a look at before you apply for a policy:
Simplified Issue Life Insurance
This basic form of life insurance requires a few questions to be answered, but no medical exam. There is no guarantee of approval, but if you do get approved, your policy could take effect in just a few days after application.
It should be noted that there is generally a 2-year waiting period before the entire death benefit is paid out to your beneficiaries when you pass away. If you die before that waiting period is up, your beneficiaries would receive a partial payout worth the amount of premium paid up until that point.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
This type of policy is guaranteed to anyone who applies. Life insurance providers cannot deny coverage to anyone despite their health condition. No medical exam or questionnaire is required. The coverage amounts are usually much less than the average policy and are meant to help cover the cost of funeral and end-of-life expenses.
Instant-Approval Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is finite in its coverage and lasts only up until a specified date, unlike permanent life insurance which lasts a person’s entire life, no matter when they pass away.
With this type of insurance, you can gain instant approval if you are relatively healthy and are under a certain age according to the terms of the insurance company. While no medical exam is required, you may still have to complete a questionnaire about your health and your family’s health history.
Group Life Insurance
Employers typically offer a group life insurance plan as part of their benefits package to employees. To enroll, you won’t have to undergo a medical exam or complete a questionnaire. Premiums are usually paid for the most part by the employer, though employees may still need to cover some of them.
Regardless, group life insurance is an affordable option for this specific reason. That said, coverage is usually capped at very low amounts, which are often not enough for many Canadians’ debt.
Options For Your Family When Your Life Insurance Payout Is Not Enough
- Check Out Government Benefits – The Government Of Canada offers a number of financial support programs that you may be eligible for.
- Get A Personal Loan – Spread the cost of your expenses with a personal loan. Even if you have bad credit, you can still get a personal loan with an alternative lender. However, they may charge you a higher rate as a result. To help get the most affordable rates, consider improving your credit score. If you don’t know what your credit score currently is, you can check it for free with Compare Hub.
What Do You Need To Qualify For No Medical Life Insurance?
The only thing you need to do to qualify for a no medical exam life insurance policy is to fill out the questionnaire you will be provided with. Your ability to get approved will not only depend on your health but on the exact type of policy you are applying for. Some policies do not guarantee approval, while others do.
The most common reason why people would be denied coverage for a no medical exam life insurance policy is because of age at the time of enrollment. Generally speaking, people over the age of 75 will have a much tougher time securing a life insurance policy.
Pros And Cons Of No Medical Life Insurance
No medical life insurance is attractive to many Canadians for a variety of reasons. Below is a list of benefits and drawbacks to no medical life insurance.
No medical life insurance is typically more expensive compared to a standard policy simply because insurance providers do not have as much information to go on to assess your health. Further, people who are generally healthy more often go for standard life insurance policies that require a medical exam.
Pros
- Quick approval. Since there is no medical exam required, a policy can usually take effect within a few days. Compare that to the weeks that you may be waiting for a traditional policy.
- Easy application. It’s a lot easier to go through the application process without having to undergo a medical exam. Instead, a quick questionnaire can be filled out. And in some cases, not even that would be needed.
- More Likely To Be Approved – Those with pre-existing medical conditions may find a no medical life insurance policy more appealing because they risk being denied coverage for a conventional policy.
Cons
- Expensive. There is a bigger risk for insurance companies to accept clients without knowing the full scope of their health. Moreover, without a medical exam, it is difficult to verify the overall health of policyholders. To mitigate this risk, insurers typically charge more for no medical exam life insurance policies.
- Lower coverage amounts. No medical exam life insurance policies are typically limited in terms of coverage.
Should You Get No Medical Life Insurance?
You should consider a no medical exam life insurance policy if you find yourself in the following situations:
- You cannot qualify for a traditional policy because of a serious medical condition
- You have a chronic medical condition that is difficult to manage, such as high blood pressure
- You are not comfortable with being poked and prodded
- You want to make sure your funeral and end-of-life expenses are covered
Final Thoughts On Getting A No Medical Life Insurance
A no medical exam life insurance policy sounds great for those who may have a medical condition that would disqualify them from traditional coverage. That said, these policies may be more expensive and may not provide as much coverage as you may like. Therefore, be sure to compare life insurance providers and policies before you buy coverage.
No Medical Life Insurance FAQs
What kind of questions will I need to answer for a no medical life insurance policy?
- How often do you see your doctor?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you drink alcohol? If that, how often?
- Have you recently undergone surgery?
- Are you currently on any medication?
- Do you currently suffer from a medical condition?
- Do you have a family history of health issues?
