Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors

Guaranteed life insurance is a policy that will not deny you due to pre-existing medical conditions.

However, there are significant drawbacks to consider.

Additionally, for most seniors, a guaranteed acceptance policy is not the only way they can get coverage despite prior health issues.

Learn how these plans work, the exclusions you need to be aware of, if you need it, the best companies, and the cost.

Topics Covered in this article

  • What is guaranteed life insurance?
  • Pros & cons
  • Is guaranteed issue necessary?
    • Health issues where GI is inevitable
  • Best companies
  • Cost
  • Is guaranteed life with no waiting real?
  • No exam vs. no questions
  • How to get no waiting period
    • Eligibility for each health condition
  • FAQs

What Is Guaranteed Life Insurance & How Does It Work?

Guaranteed issue life insurance is a type of life insurance that comes with guaranteed approval because there are no health or lifestyle questions.

Because there is no underwriting of any kind, there is a mandatory 2-3 year waiting period.

Any non-accidental death during the waiting period will result in a refund of your premiums plus interest (typically 10%).

In other words, your beneficiaries will not receive the full death benefit amount for death due to natural causes.

Tip:

No life insurance company in the USA offers guaranteed acceptance life insurance with no waiting period.

Some life insurance companies will refer to the waiting period as a “graded death benefit” or “modified benefit.”

After the waiting period, the total life insurance benefit would pay out at any point.

Nearly all guaranteed life plans are whole life insurance.

A whole life insurance policy is a type of permanent life insurance that builds cash value and has ironclad guarantees.

The monthly premiums will never increase, and the coverage will never decrease or expire.

Since it’s life insurance coverage, the payout will be a tax-free cash payment to your loved ones.

They can use the money for funeral costs, medical bills, credit card debts, or anything else.

Guaranteed Issue Whole Life Insurance Policy Features
Policy Type Whole Life Insurance
Policy Duration Lifetime
Fixed Premiums Yes
Typical Coverage Options Up to $25,000
Health Questions No
Medical Exam No
Waiting Period 2-3 Years
Typical New Applicant Age Range 45-85
ProsCons
Cannot be denied due to prior medical history 2-3 year waiting period before the policy can payout for natural causes of death
Typically whole life with a fixed cost and lifetime coverage Higher premiums compared to other life insurance options
Can buy small amounts of coverage to cover final expenses Low coverage amounts
Fast application process Typically only available to seniors
No health questions or medical exam After many years, it's possible to pay more into the policy than it would pay out
Pays out the full amount for accidental death during the waiting period No living benefit riders for nursing home confinement or a terminal illness
Typically whole life with a fixed cost, lifetime coverage and builds cash value No optional riders you can add on
Available for seniors up to age 85 Depending on your preferences, the payout may not be enough to pay for funeral costs
Allows people with "uninsurable" conditions to get new coverage
No restrictions how beneficiaries spend the money
Can be purchased online, through the mail or via an insurance agent

Do You Need A Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Policy?

All too often, seniors mistakenly assume that guaranteed life insurance is their only option due to pre-existing medical conditions.

For most people, that is not the case.

In fact, most applicants with previous health issues can qualify for a policy with medical questions.

Tip:

Please don’t assume you need a guaranteed issue life insurance plan because of your health history because you probably don’t. At Choice Mutual, over 90% of our policyholders qualified for plans with health questions, meaning they saved money and were fully covered immediately.

For example, final expense policies have very lenient underwriting.

Most seniors qualify for final expense coverage despite high-risk medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, or previous heart attacks.

Health issues where guaranteed acceptance is your only option

Some health conditions have such a low life expectancy that guaranteed acceptance coverage is your only option.

You need a guaranteed life policy if you have any of the following medical issues.

  • Dialysis
  • Organ or bone marrow transplants
  • Dementia or Alzheimer’s
  • Bedridden
  • Wheelchair-bound due to a disease or illness
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Personal oxygen equipment (unless it’s for sleep apnea)
  • Cancer or treatment for cancer within the last 12 months
  • AIDS or HIV
  • Liver failure
  • Currently in a nursing home, hospital or nursing facility
  • Diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage from diabetes)

If you don’t have any of the above conditions, there is a very high chance that you can qualify for coverage with underwriting (lower rates and immediate coverage).

Best Guaranteed Life Insurance Companies

Mutual of Omaha and AAA are the best guaranteed acceptance life insurance companies.

However, Physician’s Mutual final expense coverage is cheaper at certain ages.

Companies like Gerber Life Insurance and AIG are reputable and financially sound, but their rates are much higher than most.

Notable companies such as the AARP life insurance program via New York Life or Colonial Penn aren’t competitive in terms of cost.

For example, check out a Colonial Penn rate chart or how much AARP final expense insurance costs relative to other insurance providers.

Below is a table that outlines all the top guaranteed issue life companies.

CompanyCoverage & New
Applicant Age Limits
Payout During
Waiting Period
Waiting Period Age 65 $10,000
Sample Quotes
Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors
Coverage:
$2,000-$25,000
Age Range:
45-85
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$50.00
Male:
$68.50
Coverage:
$5,000-$25,000
Age Range:
45-85
130% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$56.00
Male:
$74.00
Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors
Coverage:
$5,000-$25,000
Age Range:
50-80
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$72.00
Male:
$91.00
Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors
Coverage:
$5,000-$25,000
Age Range:
50-80
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$62.61
Male:
$85.16
Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors
Coverage:
$5,000-$25,000
Age Range:
50-80
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$66.42
Male:
$90.83
Coverage:
$1,000-$40,000
Age Range:
40-80
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$80.42
Male:
$92.08
Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for seniors
Coverage:
$3,000-$20,000
Age Range:
45-85
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$44.20
Male:
$57.60
Coverage:
$2,000-$20,000
Age Range:
45-80
110% Of Premiums 24 Months Female:
$67.00
Male:
$93.00

How Much Does Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance For Seniors Cost?

Most guaranteed acceptance policies cost about $50-$300 monthly for $10,000-$20,000 in guaranteed coverage.

All life insurance quotes are based on your exact age, gender, and the amount of coverage you buy.

Ordinarily, life insurance rates would also be determined by your health. But since guaranteed life insurance plans don’t ask about health history, prior medical conditions will not affect the price.

The table below has some sample monthly prices.

AGEFemale
Guaranteed Issue
$10,000
Male
Guaranteed Issue
$10,000
Female
Guaranteed Issue
$25,000
Male
Guaranteed Issue
$25,000
45 $27.90 $36.40 $68.25 $89.50
50 $30.40 $40.20 $74.50 $99.00
55 $37.50 $45.40 $92.25 $112.00
60 $42.70 $56.90 $105.25 $140.75
65 $50.00 $68.50 $123.50 $169.75
70 $63.90 $86.70 $158.25 $215.25
75 $88.50 $113.30 $219.75 $281.75
80 $126.90 $157.10 $315.75 $391.25
85 $157.70 $192.70 $392.75 $480.25

Is Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance With No Waiting Period Real?

No life insurance product (from any company) has no health questions or waiting period.

A no-health questionnaire plan always has a waiting period in the first 2-3 years of the policy.

No Exam Vs. No Health Questions

It’s essential to understand the difference between the terms “no medical exam life insurance” and “no health questions life insurance.”

They do not mean the same thing.

  • No health questions life insurance: A guaranteed issue whole life policy with no health or lifestyle questions.
  • No medical exam life insurance: Any life insurance that has health questions but does not require a medical exam.

So if you see a life insurance for seniors advertisement that only says “no medical exam,” that means it still has health questions.

How To Get Life Insurance With No Waiting Period

To qualify for life insurance products that immediately cover you for natural causes, you must apply for a policy with underwriting.

In other words, you don’t have to take a medical exam, but you will have to answer health questions.

At the very least, most applicants can qualify for a senior burial life insurance policy with first-day full coverage.

Medical conditions eligibility

The table below has various health issues and whether they are eligible for a no-waiting period policy.

Please remember that your age, resident state, and the totality of all your health issues may result in a different outcome.

Health ConditionEligibilityHealth ConditionEligibility
Alzheimer’s
disease
Waiting period Amputation due
to disease
<2 Yrs: Waiting period
>2 Yrs: Immediate
Angina Immediate Anxiety Immediate
Arthritis Immediate Assistance with activities
of daily living (ADL’s)
Immediate
Asthma Immediate Atrial fibrillation
(Afib)
Immediate
Bipolar disorder Immediate Blindness Immediate
Blood clots Immediate Blood
thinners
Immediate
Bone marrow
transplant
Waiting period Cancer
(except basal or squamous)
<2 Yrs: Waiting period
>2 Yrs: Immediate
Chest pains Immediate High cholesterol Immediate
Chronic bronchitis Immediate Chronic kidney
disease (no dialysis)
Immediate
Cirrhosis Immediate Congestive heart
failure (CHF)
Full waiting period
COPD Immediate Covid Immediate
Crohn’s disease Immediate Cystic fibrosis Immediate
Defibrillator Installed <1 Yr: Waiting period
Installed >1 Yr: Immediate
Dementia Waiting period
Depression Immediate Diabetes (Type 1) Immediate
Diabetes (Type 2) Immediate Diabetic coma <2 Yrs: Waiting period
>2 Yrs: Immediate
Diabetic nephropathy Waiting period Dialysis Waiting period
Emphysema Immediate Enlarged prostate Immediate
Epilepsy Immediate Fibromyalgia Immediate
Graves disease Immediate Heart attack <1 Yr: Waiting period
>1 Yr: Immediate
Hepatitis A Immediate Hepatitis B Immediate
Hepatitis C Immediate High blood
pressure
Immediate
Home health
care
Immediate Insulin shock <2 Yrs: Waiting period
>2 Yrs: Immediate
Insulin usage Immediate Lupus Immediate
Mini stroke
(TIA)
Immediate Multiple sclerosis Immediate
Nephropathy Waiting period Neuropathy Immediate
Obesity Immediate Organ transplant Waiting period
Oxygen equipment
(except for sleep apnea)
Waiting period Pacemaker Installed <1 Yr: Waiting period
Installed >1 Yr: Immediate
Pancreatitis Immediate Parkinson’s disease Immediate
Retinopathy Immediate Rheumatoid arthritis Immediate
SchizophreniaImmediate Seizure issues Immediate
Sickle cell anemia Age 0-49: Waiting Period
Age 50+: Immediate
Sickle trait Immediate
Sleep apnea Immediate Stroke (Non TIA) <1 Yr: Waiting period
>1 Yr: Immediate
Systemic lupus Immediate Transient ischemic
attack (TIA)
Immediate
Tumors (cancerous) <2 Yrs: Waiting period
>2 Yrs: Immediate
Tumors (noncancerous) Immediate
Ulcerative colitis Immediate

Frequently Asked Questions

Guaranteed issue whole life insurance is only worth buying if you have high-risk medical conditions that render you uninsurable via any other policy. You should only opt for a guaranteed issue plan after you’ve exhausted all other options that do have underwriting.

All guaranteed issue plans have a minimum of a two-year waiting period. No company offers a 6, 12, or 18-month waiting period.

Most guaranteed issue life insurance companies offer a maximum of $25,000 in coverage. Keep in mind that you can always buy multiple policies from different companies.

The biggest downside with guaranteed issue life coverage is the waiting period and the higher premiums. All policies with no health questions have a 2-3 year waiting period. Additionally, they are typically more expensive since the insurance companies take on substantial risk not knowing about the applicant’s health.

Nearly all guaranteed acceptance life insurance plans are whole life. However, a company called Protection Plus Life offers guaranteed issue term life insurance policy up to $50,000 in coverage.

Guaranteed universal life is not the same as guaranteed issue life insurance. A “GUL” policy is a type of permanent life insurance with a fixed rate and death benefit. All guaranteed universal life plans have underwriting, so you must medically qualify. No company offers a guaranteed acceptance universal life product.

What kind of life insurance is best for seniors?

A guaranteed issue life insurance policy is often the best option for seniors in poor health. This is a type of life insurance that does not require a medical exam or answer any health questions, and you can't be turned down in any case.

What is guaranteed in a whole life policy?

Whole life insurance guarantees payment of a death benefit to beneficiaries in exchange for level, regularly-due premium payments. The policy includes a savings portion, called the “cash value,” alongside the death benefit. In the savings component, interest may accumulate on a tax-deferred basis.

Does whole life have a guaranteed interest rate?

Most whole life policies have a guaranteed return rate at a low percentage, but it's impossible to know how much your cash value will actually grow. That's because most insurance companies that sell whole life also offer a “non-guaranteed” return rate of return based on dividends.

What is the difference between guaranteed acceptance and permanent whole life insurance?

All permanent life insurance lasts forever and has a cash value, but there are three main varieties. Whole life insurance has a guaranteed premium rate over the lifetime of the policy. Universal life insurance lets you change the death benefit, while guaranteed universal is a combination of whole and universal.