How Long Does A Life Insurance Application Take? 
With simplified issue life insurance you get your approval right when you do the application with many companies . This is the type of whole-life insurance that many seniors over age 50 purchase on amounts of $ 25,000 or less . The agent that you meet with will do the initial screening and then you call in to the life insurance company for a phone interview . At the end of the phone interview you are approved or declined and if you want to write a check for your first premium , you are covered right then . For life insurance in larger amounts , they will do much more extensive underwriting . Your application will have many more health questions and you will likely have to take a physical exam . The insurance company may order records from your doctor 's office and that can take over a month depending on fast your doctor 's office responds . So one to two months would be average for fully-underwritten life insurance . And for simplified issue it could be right within the meeting with your insurance agent . The more extensive underwriting will usually get you a better rate per thousand if you are healthy and buying more than $ 25,000 of coverage . 