You can buy temporary life insurance during the life insurance application process to ensure you’re covered until your actual policy goes into effect.
Nupur Gambhir is a licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service Cake.
Amanda Shih is a licensed life, disability, and health insurance expert and a former editor at Policygenius, where she covered life insurance and disability insurance. Her expertise has appeared in Slate, Lifehacker, Little Spoon, and J.D. Power.
When you apply for life insurance, it can take five to six weeks (and sometimes longer) to receive your final offer and pay your first premium. To guarantee financial support for your loved ones during that period, ask your life insurance provider if they offer temporary life insurance.
Temporary life insurance, sometimes referred to as a temporary insurance agreement (TIA), is a type of short term life insurance offered only during the life insurance application process. If you die before your final application is approved, the temporary policy pays out to your beneficiaries. Temporary coverage is only available while you wait for your final policy to go in force and can’t be purchased separately.
Temporary life insurance provides coverage before your term or permanent policy becomes active. When applying for temporary life insurance coverage, you’ll be asked questions about your physical health, just as you are for coverage under the base policy. Some medical conditions may disqualify you for temporary coverage, even if you’re still eligible for coverage under your main plan.