You can be offered life insurance without a medical examination, but that is not the same as cover without health questions. The insurer decides what evidence it needs after considering the application and the cover requested.
What does “no medical” mean?
For an underwritten policy, you normally answer questions about health, treatment, nicotine use, occupation and activities. An insurer may accept those answers without arranging a nurse screening or examination. It may instead request a GP report, further answers or medical tests. No examination is not a separate promise that every applicant can select.
What determines whether evidence is needed?
Age, benefit amount, medical disclosures, existing or pending cover and the insurer’s criteria can all matter. A smoker or someone with a medical condition does not automatically need an examination, and being healthy does not guarantee that no evidence is required. There is no universal £100,000 or £500,000 cut-off applying to every insurer.
Are no-health-question policies different?
Some guaranteed-acceptance over-50s plans do not ask medical questions, subject to age and residence eligibility. These are typically smaller-benefit whole-of-life plans with an initial restricted period for certain deaths. They may have no surrender value, and total premiums can exceed the payout. Compare them with conventional underwritten cover where that is available; see our over-50s guide.
Can you split applications to avoid a medical?
Do not split cover or omit existing and pending applications to avoid an insurer’s evidence requirements. Insurers may ask about the total cover being arranged. The priority is a valid contract based on accurate answers, not avoiding a particular check. Ask the insurer or adviser if a question is unclear.
What happens to your quote?
An online quote is an initial price based on the information entered. Further assessment can change the premium, add particular terms, postpone a decision or result in a decline. Read the offer and documents before agreeing to proceed; a quote itself does not put cover in force.
Choosing cover for your circumstances
Start with the amount you need and the right policy term. If you have a condition or previous decline, our health and underwriting guide explains what to prepare. An examination, if required, can be a routine part of obtaining suitable protection.
Compare your options
You can compare life insurance quotes online and ask our advisers for help with the next step. Initial quotations are subject to the insurer assessing the application. Cover begins only when the insurer confirms the policy is in force; completing a form or receiving a quote does not start cover.
Editorial note
Avoiding a medical should not be the main reason to choose a policy. Accurate answers and suitable cover matter more than whether the application needs an extra appointment.
Jody Pearmain is Director of My Key Finance Ltd. About our advice service and editorial approach.
Updated October 2026. General information, not a personal recommendation or a quotation. Eligibility, exclusions, premiums and tax treatment depend on the policy and individual circumstances. Discount Life Cover is a trading style of My Key Finance Ltd, authorised and regulated by the FCA, FRN 628996.
Further information: MoneyHelper: life insurance.