How to Get Life Insurance
Jason Stolz CLTC, CRPC
At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we make getting life insurance clear, efficient, and tailored to real-world needs. As an independent agency with access to more than 75 top-rated carriers, we help individuals and families compare policies side by side, understand underwriting differences, and secure coverage that fits both their goals and their budget. Whether you’re protecting your household, addressing financial obligations, or planning ahead for long-term security, our process is built around transparency and choice.
Unlike captive agents or online call centers, we are not tied to a single insurance company. That independence allows us to match each application with carriers that are best aligned with your age, health profile, and planning priorities. For many clients, that difference alone can result in lower premiums, faster approvals, or access to policy options that might not otherwise be available.
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Modern life insurance underwriting allows many applicants to see real pricing immediately, without medical exams or lengthy paperwork. Our live life insurance calculator pulls quotes from multiple carriers at once, showing how premiums change based on age, term length, and underwriting class. This gives you a realistic view of the market before committing to an application.
For applicants who qualify, instant-decision or accelerated underwriting can result in same-day approvals. For others, a fully underwritten policy may still offer better long-term value, particularly when health factors are well managed. Seeing these options side by side helps you decide which path makes the most sense.
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Understanding the Life Insurance Approval Process
Once you identify a policy that fits your needs, the application process begins. Approval and pricing are based on underwriting, which evaluates factors such as age, medical history, prescription use, lifestyle, occupation, and driving record. Even applicants with similar profiles can receive very different offers depending on the carrier’s underwriting philosophy.
This is especially important for individuals with medical conditions or prior declines. Some insurers are more flexible with controlled health issues, while others may apply stricter guidelines. By reviewing your profile in advance and submitting applications strategically, it’s often possible to improve outcomes and avoid unnecessary rate increases. If you’ve had difficulty obtaining coverage in the past, our high-risk life insurance process is designed specifically to address those situations.
Choosing the Right Type of Life Insurance
Life insurance is not a single product, but a category of solutions designed for different planning horizons. Term life insurance is commonly used for temporary needs such as income replacement, debt coverage, or protecting a family during working years. Permanent policies, such as whole life or universal life, are structured for long-term or lifetime planning and may include cash value features.
Many families use a combination of policy types over time. Term coverage may address immediate responsibilities, while permanent coverage supports legacy planning or future flexibility. Understanding how these policies work together — and which carriers price them most competitively — is a key part of building an efficient strategy.
Medical Exams, No-Exam Options, and What to Expect
Not all life insurance policies require a medical exam. Many carriers now offer no-exam or accelerated underwriting options that rely on data sources such as prescription databases, medical records, and third-party reports. These policies can be ideal for applicants seeking speed and simplicity.
That said, traditional underwriting with a medical exam can still provide better pricing in some cases, particularly for applicants in good health. Exams are typically brief and scheduled at your convenience. Understanding when an exam helps — and when it doesn’t — allows you to choose the most efficient route to coverage.
Why Independence Matters When Buying Life Insurance
Insurance companies price risk differently. An independent agency like Diversified Insurance Brokers compares carriers across the market rather than steering you toward a single company’s products. This approach is particularly valuable for applicants with health considerations, unique occupations, or specialized planning needs.
Our role is to advocate for you throughout the process, from initial quote to policy issue. That includes helping you evaluate underwriting offers, explaining policy language, and ensuring the coverage you receive aligns with your original objectives. Because we are not tied to production quotas or proprietary products, our recommendations remain objective.
Why Clients Work With Diversified Insurance Brokers
For more than four decades, our family-owned agency has helped clients navigate complex insurance decisions with clarity and confidence. We combine deep underwriting knowledge with access to a broad carrier marketplace, allowing us to deliver solutions that are both competitive and sustainable.
Whether you are purchasing your first policy or revisiting coverage as your life evolves, our process is designed to make life insurance understandable, efficient, and aligned with your broader financial picture.
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FAQs: How to Get Life Insurance
What’s the first step to getting life insurance?
The first step is deciding what the policy is supposed to do—replace income, pay off a mortgage, cover business obligations, or protect a spouse and children. Once you know the “job” of the coverage, you can estimate an amount and compare pricing across multiple carriers. Many people start by running instant quotes, then refine the coverage amount after they see what different term lengths and face amounts cost.
How much coverage should I get?
A quick rule is 10–15× income, but a needs approach is more accurate. Add income protection for the years your family depends on you, then add debts like a mortgage and any major goals such as college funding. Finally, subtract savings and existing coverage. If you’re uncertain, compare a range (for example, $500k, $750k, and $1M) across 20- and 30-year terms to see what fits your budget.
Which type should I choose—term or permanent?
Term life is usually the most affordable way to buy a large death benefit for a specific period (often 10–30 years) and is commonly used for income protection and mortgages. Permanent life (whole life or universal life) is designed to last for life and can be useful for lifetime needs like final expenses, legacy planning, or long-term obligations. Many families start with term, then consider a permanent solution later if a lifelong need becomes clear.
Do I need a medical exam to get covered?
Not always. Some carriers offer accelerated underwriting that uses health databases, prescription history, and identity verification to approve without an exam. Other cases—especially larger face amounts or more complex histories—may still require a paramed exam with basic vitals and labs. Even when an exam is required, it’s typically quick and can lead to better pricing for healthier applicants.
How long does the process take?
Some simplified or instant-decision applications can be approved quickly, sometimes the same day. Many fully underwritten policies take longer because the carrier may request medical records, lab results, or additional clarification, especially if you have ongoing conditions or specialist care. A good strategy is to be ready with your doctors’ names, medications, and recent test history so underwriting doesn’t stall.
What affects my premium the most?
Age and health class are the biggest drivers, followed by the term length and coverage amount you choose. Nicotine use, build, blood pressure, cholesterol, family history, and prescription history can influence your rate class. Lifestyle factors like driving history, hazardous hobbies, and certain occupations can also matter. Applying sooner typically locks in lower pricing for the full term.
Can I get life insurance if I have health issues?
Often, yes. Many managed conditions can still qualify for traditional coverage, especially with consistent follow-up care and stable labs. When underwriting is more challenging, carrier selection becomes even more important because companies treat the same condition differently. In tougher cases, simplified-issue or guaranteed-issue options may exist, though coverage amounts and pricing can be more limited.
Who should I list as beneficiary?
Most people name a primary beneficiary (often a spouse) and a contingent beneficiary (for example, children). It’s important to keep beneficiaries updated after major life events. If you want to protect minor children, it’s usually better to name an appropriate trust or custodian structure so proceeds can be managed properly until the child is older.
What riders are worth considering?
Common riders include an accelerated death benefit (which may allow access to part of the benefit for qualifying illness), waiver of premium for disability, child riders, and term conversion options. The “best” riders are the ones that match your goals and are reasonably priced for your situation. We typically keep it simple and add riders only when they solve a real need.
Is employer life insurance enough?
Employer coverage is a helpful start, but it’s often limited (such as 1–2× salary) and may not follow you if you change jobs. A personal policy can lock in pricing and stay with you long-term. Many families use group coverage as a base layer and add an individual policy for the bulk of income and mortgage protection.
About the Author:
Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, is a senior insurance and retirement professional with more than two decades of real-world experience helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their income, assets, and long-term financial stability. As a long-time partner of the nationally licensed independent agency Diversified Insurance Brokers, Jason provides trusted guidance across multiple specialties—including fixed and indexed annuities, long-term care planning, personal and business disability insurance, life insurance solutions, and short-term health coverage. Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains active contracts with over 100 highly rated insurance carriers, ensuring clients have access to a broad and competitive marketplace.
His practical, education-first approach has earned recognition in publications such as VoyageATL, highlighting his commitment to financial clarity and client-focused planning. Drawing on deep product knowledge and years of hands-on field experience, Jason helps clients evaluate carriers, compare strategies, and build retirement and protection plans that are both secure and cost-efficient.
