Some people think of life insurance as something extra, something you don’t need. You and your family might actually get a lot out of life insurance coverage. It may help to take care of many of the costs you might leave behind after you die.

First time buying insurance? You might feel like you’re in a bit over your head figuring out where to start. Your parents or grandparents might have had one trusted insurance agent that they used for many years—or even decades—for all of their insurance needs. These days, you have a lot more options for buying insurance. But what’s the best way? The good news is, it’s up to you.

One of the things keeping you from buying life insurance might be the medical exam. Maybe you worry that medical exam results could make life insurance too expensive for you. Maybe you simply don’t want the hassle of an exam. Here’s some good news: It is possible to get life insurance without an exam.