CAR, the insurance rep came to our home and signed us up when I was 25 (many moons ago). As I recall, he did ask us questions and took some notes, but did not weigh us or take any photos. I was renewed every five years until age 50, at which time I had to convert to a different product (which required a physical exam) if I wanted to stay with that carrier.
The premium for the term life offered by my carrier automatically went up every five years, starting at age 25. It was a plan open to active duty and retired military and their families and DOD personnel but I was allowed to apply to the same carrier at age 50 (even though I was no longer a military dependent) because I was not a new customer. Essentially, I “converted” from regular term life to a 20-year level term policy with them at that time (but had to “requalify” for it, as did every current policyholder who aged out of their regular term life program).
I don’t recall my insurance company offering 15-year term policies at age 50 (as ljinvestor posted). And I always had just $200 – $250K of coverage (which was actually a lot of money back then, lol). Actually, that might have been the most term life they offered back in the day.
It was so long ago that I signed up initially that it is possible that life insurance companies selling large term life policies now require a physical exam of every applicant, regardless of age. Maybe ljinvestor knows the answer to this question.
