PolicySolutionsThe free-look period: your window to cancel a new policy for a full refund.
Nearly every life insurance policy comes with a free-look period — a set number of days after your policy is delivered when you can return it for a full refund of premium, no questions asked. The window is usually set by your state, and it is always printed in your policy. Below is the standard period for individual life insurance in each of the 25 states we're licensed in — including the five where we could not confirm one set by statute or rule — with the source for each, so you can verify it yourself.
In short: The free-look period is the time after a life insurance policy is delivered when you can cancel it and get a full refund of the premium you paid. Most states set it at 10 days for individual life insurance; some are longer, and replacement policies often get a longer window. A few states set no statutory minimum, in which case your insurer's own window applies. The days are printed on the first page of your policy — always confirm your own policy's number.
A no-risk window to read the policy you actually got.
You apply, you're approved, and the insurer delivers the issued policy. The free-look period starts then. During it, you can read every page of the real contract — not the illustration — and if anything isn't what you expected, you return it and get a full refund of what you paid. It exists so no one is locked into a policy they never had a fair chance to review.
Full refund, no penalty
Cancel within the window and you get your premium back. For most policies that's a return of everything paid; for some variable products the refund may be adjusted for market performance — your policy spells out which applies.
The clock starts at delivery
The period runs from when the policy is delivered to you, not when you applied or were approved. If you're unsure of the date, ask your agent or the carrier in writing.
It's printed in your policy
By law the free-look notice appears on or near the first page of the contract. If the number there differs from a general chart, your policy controls — charts describe the state minimum, not every product.
Standard individual-life free-look period, by state.
These are the standard minimums for individual life insurance in the states we serve. Some states set a longer window for replacement policies (when a new policy replaces an existing one) or for buyers over a certain age — those are noted where they apply. Always confirm against your own policy.
| State | Standard free-look | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not mandated by rule* | The Alabama Department of Insurance states that variable life policies must include a free-look provision and that "for other coverage, it is at the company's option" — so check the window printed in your own policy. Rule 482-1-131-.05 is conditional: it sets when the Buyer's Guide may be delivered if a policy already contains a 10-day unconditional refund provision. Replacement is different: at least 30 days when a new policy replaces existing coverage (r. 482-1-133-.06). | ALDOI, Glossary of Common Insurance Terms; Ala. Admin. Code r. 482-1-131-.05 |
| Alaska | 10 days | Full refund; variable policies refunded on account value. | Alaska Stat. § 21.45.020 |
| Arizona | Not confirmed by statute* | We could not confirm a standard free-look period set by Arizona law for ordinary life — confirm the window printed in your policy. (A.R.S. § 20-1233 sets one for annuity contracts, not life.) | A.R.S. § 20-1233 (annuities) |
| California | 10 days | 30 days if you are age 60 or older. | Cal. Ins. Code §§ 10127.9–10127.10 |
| Colorado | 15 days | Longer than the typical 10 days. | C.R.S. § 10-7-302 |
| Florida | 14 days | Florida reaches 14 days indirectly: § 626.99(4)(a) lets an insurer either deliver the buyer's guide and policy summary before taking a first premium or provide an unconditional refund for at least 14 days — insurers take the 14 days. Section does not reach variable life, group life, credit life or ERISA-plan policies (§ 626.99(2)(b)); annuities get 21 days under § 626.99(4)(b). | Fla. Stat. § 626.99(4)(a), (2)(b) |
| Georgia | 10 days | Full refund within 10 days of receipt. | O.C.G.A. § 33-25-8 |
| Iowa | 10 days | Policy is voided as if never issued. | Iowa Admin. Code r. 191-15.9 |
| Louisiana | 10 days | Immediate refund of any premium advanced. | La. R.S. 22:931 |
| Maine | 10 days | Full refund within 10 days of delivery. | 24-A M.R.S. § 2515-A |
| Michigan | 10 days | Front-page notice required on the policy. | MCL 500.4015 |
| Minnesota | 10 days | At least 30 days for replacement policies. | Minn. Stat. 72A.52 |
| Mississippi | 10 days | Full refund within 10 days of delivery. | Miss. Code § 83-7-51 |
| Montana | 10 days | Or longer if the policy provides; the notice must be printed on the policy. | MCA § 33-15-415 |
| New Hampshire | 10 days | Policy is void from the start on return. | NH Admin. Rule Ins 401.05 |
| New Jersey | 10 days | Flat 10-day minimum; no age-based extension. 30 days when the policy replaces existing coverage. | N.J.S.A. 17B:25-2.1; N.J.A.C. 11:4-2.4(a)5 |
| New Mexico | Not set by statute* | No standard free-look statute located — confirm the window printed in your policy. | NM Insurance Code Ch. 59A |
| North Carolina | 10 days | A “Ten Day Free Look” must be printed on the face of the policy. For replacements sold through a producer, the replacing insurer must give notice of a 30-day right to return (NCDOI's consumer FAQ states a 20-day minimum). | 11 NCAC 12 .0447; 11 NCAC 12 .0612(a)(4) |
| Ohio | None set by statute* | No statutory minimum for ordinary life — check the window printed in your policy. A 30-day return right is required on replacements. | ORC 3915.05; OAC 3901-6-05(G)(1)(d) |
| Pennsylvania | 10 days | Notice must be printed on the first page of the policy. Replacements: at least 20 days when the new policy replaces another insurer's, and at least 45 days when it replaces one from the same insurer or insurer group. | Ins. Co. Law of 1921 § 410D(a); 31 Pa. Code § 81.6(d) |
| South Carolina | 10 days | 30 days for replacements (Reg. 69-12.1); 31 days for direct-mail sales (§ 38-63-220). | S.C. Code § 38-63-220; S.C. Code Regs. § 69-12.1 |
| Texas | Not set by statute* | We could not confirm a standard free-look period set by Texas statute for ordinary life. TDI's consumer guide says only that Texas policies carry a free look of “at least 10 to 20 days” — that describes what policies contain, not a state-set minimum — so rely on the window printed in your policy. | Texas Dept. of Insurance, Life insurance guide (cb018) |
| Virginia | 10 days | Statutory “ten-day right to examine policy.” | Va. Code § 38.2-3301 |
| Washington | 10 days | 20 days for replacements; 10% penalty on late refunds. | RCW 48.23.380; WAC 284-23-455 |
| West Virginia | 10 days | Return notice printed on the first page. | W. Va. Code § 33-6-11b |
This table is general education, not legal advice, and reflects our reading of each state's standard individual-life requirement as of publication. An asterisk (*) marks states where we could not confirm a standard free-look period set by statute — insurers there typically still provide one, but rely on the window printed in your policy. Free-look rules can change and can differ by product (for example, variable or replacement policies). The controlling number is always the one printed in your delivered policy — confirm it there, or with your state's Department of Insurance.
Coverage in the states we're licensed in
- Term life insurance in California
- Term life insurance in Florida
- Term life insurance in Georgia
- Term life insurance in Michigan
- Term life insurance in New Jersey
- Term life insurance in North Carolina
- Term life insurance in Ohio
- Term life insurance in Pennsylvania
- Term life insurance in Texas
- Term life insurance in Virginia
If you want to cancel within the window.
Using the free-look right is simple, but a few steps make sure your cancellation actually counts.
Act before the deadline
Count from the delivery date and don't wait until the last day. Deliver your written cancellation to the carrier (and your agent) within the window — keep a copy and proof of the date sent.
Don't cancel old coverage first
If this policy is replacing another, never drop the old one until the new one is past its free-look and you're sure you're keeping it. A licensed agent can sequence a switch so you're never uncovered.
Ask questions before you cancel
If something feels off — the rate, the type, a rider — a quick call often fixes it without starting over. An independent agent can compare other carriers if the fit is genuinely wrong.
Free-look period — frequently asked questions
What is a life insurance free-look period?
It's a window after your policy is delivered — the length is usually set by your state — during which you can cancel the policy and get a full refund of the premium you paid. It lets you review the actual issued contract before you're committed. The exact number of days is printed on the first page of your policy.
How many days is the free-look period?
It varies by state and is commonly 10 days for individual life insurance, though some states set a longer window and replacement policies often get more time. The table above shows the standard period for each state we serve — but the controlling number is the one printed in your own policy, so confirm it there.
When does the free-look period start?
It starts when the policy is delivered to you, not when you applied or were approved. If you're not certain of the delivery date, ask your agent or the insurer to confirm it in writing, since the deadline counts from that day.
Do I get all my money back if I cancel during the free-look?
For most life insurance policies, yes — you receive a refund of the premium you paid. Some variable or investment-linked policies may adjust the refund for market changes during the period. Your policy states exactly what is refunded, so check that language before you rely on it.
Is the free-look period different for replacement policies?
Often, yes. Many states require a longer free-look window when a new policy replaces existing coverage, to give you more time to compare. Where that applies in the states we serve, it's noted in the table. Never cancel the old policy until the new one is clearly the one you're keeping.
Not sure a policy is right? That's what the free-look is for.
A licensed independent specialist (NPN #20612303) can review what you own or are considering, compare carriers, and make sure the coverage fits before your window closes. No cost, no pressure.