For most people, getting life insurance doesn’t involve going for a medical. If you’re in good health with a clear medical history and enjoy a healthy lifestyle, you typically won’t need to attend a medical examination.

Instead, you answer some questions about your health, medical history and lifestyle. In most cases, the insurer will be able to use that information to decide whether to accept your application and how much premium you’ll pay.

If you want to remove the possibility of a medical altogether, take a look at ‘guaranteed acceptance’ insurance. There are no health questions and no medical, with a guaranteed cash payout when you pass away, once you've held the policy for a set period, typically 12 months. These are generally for people aged 50+, but some providers offer this type of plan to younger people.

You may be looking for a ‘no medical’ life insurance policy if you know that you will be declined for a standard life insurance policy due to a medical condition. The same may be true if your lifestyle or occupation is likely to rule out being accepted for life insurance.

In other cases, you may simply wish to avoid the inconvenience of attending a medical. Or perhaps for personal reasons you’d rather not have to do so.

But that doesn’t mean you need to automatically opt for an automatic ‘no medical’ policy such as an over-50s plan. Remember that most people are accepted for life insurance with no medical required, so unless you are certain you will need a medical, you may wish to apply for a policy and see what happens.

If you are accepted for a traditional life insurance policy (i.e. not a ‘guaranteed acceptance’ plan), you will immediately be covered for death during the policy term, or at any point if it’s a whole life policy. Some policies can come with included or optional extras, including terminal illness cover and critical illness cover.

What isn’t covered?

Life insurance offers valuable protection, but there are a few situations where a claim may not be paid:

• Missed payments: If you stop paying your premiums, your cover could end.

• Suicide: Many policies exclude death by suicide within the first 12 months.

• Fraud or non-disclosure: If you aren’t honest and accurate when applying, the insurer could refuse to pay out.

• Excluded health conditions: Some policies may include exclusions based on your medical history, for example if you have a pre-existing condition.

• Outliving your policy: If you survive the policy term, the cover ends and there’s no payout.

Other events may not be covered, such as death due to war or participation in extreme sports. Please see each policy’s exclusions and limitations: always read the small print to make sure you understand the terms and conditions.

In the case of guaranteed acceptance insurance with no medical, there will typically be a waiting period (usually 12 months, but sometimes longer) before your cover begins. Policies won’t typically pay out for death from illness during this time, but some will pay out if you die due to an accident.

Please see each policy’s exclusions and limitations: always read the small print to make sure you understand the terms and conditions.

If you decide to take out guaranteed acceptance insurance in order to avoid a medical examination, here are a few things to think about:

• Other types of life insurance may offer more cover. Over 50s plans for example typically have a maximum sum assured that may not be enough for your needs.

• You may end up paying more in premiums than the policy pays out, especially if you live for many years.

• If you miss payments, your policy may be cancelled and you won’t get any money back.

That said, for many people it’s a simple and stress-free way to make a thoughtful gesture and ease the financial burden on loved ones. If you’re unsure whether this type of life insurance is right for you, it might be worth exploring your other options.