Simplified issue life insurance is a type of life insurance that can easily be approved with just minimal health questions. It is a type of policy that is made for people who want to get life insurance immediately. Or for people who do not want to submit a medical examination. It is made to provide a good amount of life insurance right away.
With this policy, you can skip lab tests and medical examinations. All you need is to provide certain information such as your address, occupation, height and weight, and age. The death benefit payout ranges from $5,000 to over $100,000. And it comes with a very high monthly premium and the coverage availability is very low. However, this no-medical exam life insurance can help people with certain conditions to get a policy without a full medical checkup.
How Does a Simplified Issue Insurance Policy Work
Simplified issue insurance also known as simplified whole life insurance is a policy that requires only some health-related questions. When you apply for this policy, the insurer will only base its decision on the provided information. However, some providers make use of third-party reports such as your prescription drug history, MIB group reports, and motor vehicle records to determine your eligibility.
Although, there is no medical examination needed, a short health questionnaire is required. This allows the insurer to complete a good risk assessment and fix a monthly premium and death benefit. Just so you know some insurers provide this simplified issue of life as either a permanent life or term life. You may be allowed to add riders to this policy to enhance or expand death benefits or coverage.
Pros & Cons of Simplified Issue Life Insurance
Although this policy does not require a medical exam, you need to reach a certain age before you can apply. Nevertheless, here are some of the pros and cons of the simplified issue of life insurance;
Cons
- It does not require a medical examination
- The policy coverage begins as soon as the insurer accepts your application and the premium is fixed
- Compared to the guaranteed issue policies, these policies typically offer a higher maximum.
Pros
- The application can get rejected if you have a dangerous job, high-risk hobbies, or pre-existing health conditions
- You may qualify for more coverage and lower premiums through a traditional policy.
This policy is a really good one if you want to purchase an insurance policy right away. And if you are in a really good health. For example, if you want to purchase a new coverage, without waiting for several weeks for the coverage to start.
When Can I buy a Simplified Issue Life Insurance Policy
Just like I have stated above, if you want to purchase life insurance without waiting for long, this may be the right solution for you. Here are some of the situations when the policy may be a good choice;
- If you are not sure that you would qualify for more traditional policies
- It can be used as a collateral for a loan
- If you need to retain a life insurance policy while you want to decide what you need to do next
- It can be a good choice if you have been court-mandated immediately to get life insurance with your children as your beneficiaries
And of course, it is a very good one if you don’t want to go through a medical examination.
Who Can Be Eligible for Simplified Issue Life Insurance
According to the Society for Actuaries report, it is available for people of the age of 75 and above. Although the age restriction depends on the insurer, you will be able to get a higher death benefit if you are between the ages of 16 to 56. However, unlike the guaranteed life insurance, you can be rejected for this policy, if you do engage in dangerous activities or have very serious underlying health issues. In this case, your application would be referred to an underwriter or be denied totally.
How Much Coverage Can I Get
When you apply for this policy, the insurance company has less information about you than it should if you went through the underwriting process. This makes it very risky for you to get insured from your insurer’s perspective. As a result of this, the policy will have lower death benefits than the normal traditional policies.
A typical simplified whole life insurance policy will offer amounts ranging from $100,000 to $250,000. However, customers who are more than the age of 55 are always limited to $100,000. Just so you know, simplifies the issue of permanent life insurance policies are made for final expenses such as burial. So they offer very low death benefits. Some policies have maximum death benefits between $25,000 and $50,000.
Is It Worth It
It is worth it if you need a policy quickly and your health is in a good place. This policy is a really good one if you have children or dependents and you are not willing to death the medical examination required for a life insurance policy. You can purchase this policy to provide financial protection to your family and loved ones without waiting for weeks or months for it to start. However, if you have enough time, you should purchase the traditional policy to make the best out of your life insurance.
Simplified issue life insurance is a good one to explore when you need life insurance immediately. But is not the only option available. Some alternatives to consider include; obtaining group life insurance via your employer, undergoing a full writing, or purchasing a temporary life insurance to avoid a coverage gap.
If you are patient enough to get life insurance coverage and be eligible for various types of policies, you will get to pay less for traditional life insurance coverage. And if your health is in good condition, you can get very cheap coverage within the same space from instant decision life insurance policies.