Obtaining life insurance is worthwhile for everyone. The process can range from relatively quick to annoyingly long. When a life insurance company offers you a policy they are doing so based on the assumption that they will profit off the policy. There is no other reason for them to be in business. When you fill out the application, you are giving them the information they need to determine how risky you are to cover. The more risk involved, the longer the application process will take. The more questions they have and the more documents they must obtain, the longer it takes to complete the process. There are some things you can do to ensure the process goes as smoothly and as quickly as possible.

Starting the Process

When you fill out an application for life insurance you are giving preliminary, unverified information to get the process started. The person reviewing the application is not likely to see one thing that is going to disqualify you for coverage all together. They may see a red flag that immediately calls for further investigation. For example, if you tell them that you are a smoker that is a big red flag. Smoking is dangerous to human health and is demonstrably detrimental to life expectancy. That does not mean they will not cover you. They will more than likely offer you a term policy that accounts for your decreased life expectancy. For instance, if you are in your 30s and you are a moderate smoker you will likely pay more and get a shorter term coverage period than a non smoker. Quitting smoking before purchasing life insurance is something to consider. You may want to also think about getting pertinent documents together prior to being requested. You can get a letter from your doctor giving an overall assessment of your health. You can request medical records pertaining to any chronic condition you may have. This might help speed up the process.

If you are asked to take a medical exam it is vital that you be as upfront and honest as possible. It is important that you impress upon the doctor performing that exam that you are proactive about your health and if you have any chronic conditions such as diabetes, tell them what you do to manage that disease. Having a chronic health condition is not as big of a ding on your record as you may think as long as you manage your overall health in an effective way.

Underwriting

Once the policy has gone to Underwriting there may be some unavoidable hiccups that delay the process. Don't worry about it. Just provide the information they have requested, and if they are having an issue getting any medical records it may help if you step in and push people to get the information that has been requested. After Underwriting has finished you will get the final offer. They will tell you what the premiums will be. This is no longer a quote but an offer. Prior to this point your quote is an estimate that can be vastly different from your actual offer.

Congratulations on your choice to pursue life insurance coverage. The process can be frustrating but it is worthwhile. You deserve the peace of mind that life insurance brings. When you ask your agent, "How long does the application process take," bear in mind that each individual is different. It all depends on the type of policy, the amount of coverage, and the lifestyle and health condition of the applicant.