Updated August 7, 2026. Quick answer: a free look is the only unconditional exit a life insurance policy has — return it inside the window and the purchase is undone. The window is usually 10 days, it is longer in many states for older buyers and for replacements, and in a substantial number of jurisdictions we could not find a general mandate at all. All 51 are below, each with its citation.
A correction to what almost everyone publishes
Florida does not mandate a free look for ordinary individual life insurance. The widely republished figure of “Florida: 14 days” is a misreading of a conditional clause — Fla. Stat. §626.99(4)(a) requires a buyer’s guide and policy summary before accepting an initial premium, and the 14-day right attaches only where the insurer does not do that. It is a consequence of a failure, not a general right.
That is the clearest example of the problem with this table as it is normally published: a conditional refund clause reads exactly like a mandate once it has been copied into a summary a few times. Every figure below is quoted from the state’s own code with the section cited, so the conditional ones stay visible as conditional.
Where we did not find a mandate — and why we will not give you a count
In 20 jurisdictions no general free-look mandate for ordinary individual life insurance was located: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
We are deliberately not publishing that as “20 states have no free look”, because the underlying research draws a distinction that a headline number destroys. Some of those rows are confirmed absences — the insurance code and the department’s regulations were both enumerated and nothing was found. Others are not-found — the statute was read in full but the state’s administrative code could not be reached, and the rule may live there.
Only the first kind is publishable as a negative, and a single count cannot tell you which row is which. Each row’s note records the sections actually read. If you are relying on an absence, read the note.
All 51 jurisdictions
| Jurisdiction | Free-look period | Extended windows | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | no mandate found | 30 days from delivery in replacement transactions | Ala. Admin. Code r. 482-1-133-.05(1)(d) (replacement); cf. Ala. Admin. Code r. 482-1-131-.05(1)(a) (conditional 10-day unconditional refund); no free-look provision in Ala. Code tit. 27, ch. 14 or ch. 15 |
| Alaska | 10 days | — | Alaska Stat. Sec. 21.45.020 |
| Arizona | no mandate found | Annuity contracts: 10 days after the contract is delivered, or 30 days if the contract holder is 65 years of age or older on the date of the application. Replacement transactions ( | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Secs. 20-1233, 20-1241.05(E) |
| Arkansas | no mandate found | 30 days of the delivery of the contract in replacement transactions | Ark. Ins. Dep’t Rule 97, recodified 23 CAR pt 128 (Life Insurance and Annuities Replacement); cf. Ark. Ins. Dep’t Rule 17, recodified 23 CAR pt 85 (conditional 10-day unconditional refund); no free-look provision in Ark. Code Ann. tit. 23, subtit. 3, ch. 81, subch. 1 |
| California | Not less than 10 days and not more than 30 days, with the exact period set by the insurer and stated on the policy (general individual life and annuity); not less than 30 days for a policy or annuity issued to a senior citizen | Not less than 30 days for every individual life insurance policy and individual annuity contract initially delivered or issued for delivery to a SENIOR CITIZEN, defined by the stat | Cal. Ins. Code Secs. 10127.7, 10127.9, 10127.10 |
| Colorado | 15 days | — | Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 10-7-302(1)(g) |
| Connecticut | 10 days | — | Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 38a-436 (formerly Sec. 38-157a) |
| Delaware | no mandate found | — | No free-look provision in 18 Del. C. ch. 27 or ch. 29; Delaware Administrative Code tit. 18, 1200-series (incl. Reg. 1204) not retrievable |
| District of Columbia | no mandate found | Variable life insurance: 45 days from the date of execution of the application, or 10 days from receipt of the policy by the policyholder, WHICHEVER IS LATER | DCMR 26-A2712.1(5) (variable life insurance mandatory policy provisions); no free-look provision in D.C. Code tit. 31, ch. 47 or elsewhere in DCMR tit. 26-A |
| Florida | no mandate found | Annuities (fixed and variable): the policy must provide an unconditional refund for at least 21 days – this one is mandatory | Fla. Stat. Sec. 626.99(4)(a)-(c); no right-to-return provision in Fla. Stat. ch. 627 |
| Georgia | 10 days | — | O.C.G.A. Sec. 33-25-8 |
| Hawaii | 10 days | 30 days for replacement policies and contracts (HRS 431:10D-505(a)(4)) | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 431:10-214; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 431:10D-505(a)(4) |
| Idaho | 20 days | — | Idaho Code § 41-1935 |
| Illinois | 10 days | 20 days from delivery for replacement life insurance — but only where the replacing insurer elects that option instead of delaying issuance | 215 ILCS 5/224(1)(n), 5/224(2) |
| Indiana | no mandate found | — | Ind. Code § 27-1-12-6 (standard provisions — contains no free look); 760 Ind. Admin. Code 1-18-10; 760 Ind. Admin. Code 1-24-5 |
| Iowa | 10 days | 30 days for replacement transactions (191 IAC 16.26(1)“d“); at least 15 days for an annuity where the Buyer’s Guide and disclosure document were not provided at o | Iowa Admin. Code r. 191—15.9(507B); r. 191—16.26(1)“d“; r. 191—15.64(3) |
| Kansas | no mandate found | — | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 40-420 (standard provisions — contains no free look) |
| Kentucky | not less than 10 days | — | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 304.15-050(2) |
| Louisiana | 10 days | — | La. Rev. Stat. § 22:931 |
| Maine | 10 days | — | 24-A M.R.S. § 2515-A |
| Maryland | no mandate found | — | Md. Code Ann., Ins. Title 16 (Subtitles 1-6 reviewed; no free-look provision) |
| Massachusetts | 10 days, but ONLY for individual life policies with a face amount of less than $25,000 | — | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 175, s. 187H (Owner’s right to cancel policy; notice; refund of prepaid premiums) |
| Michigan | not less than 10 days | 15 days where the policy is delivered sooner than 5 days after the required policy-cost-factor information is given to the applicant | Mich. Comp. Laws s. 500.4015; extension at Mich. Comp. Laws s. 500.4038 |
| Minnesota | 10 days | 30 days for replacement transactions | Minn. Stat. s. 72A.51, subds. 1-4 (reaching life insurance via Minn. Stat. s. 60A.06, subd. 1, cl. (4)); replacement window at Minn. Stat. s. 61A.57 |
| Mississippi | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement transactions; 10 days for variable life insurance | None located for a general free look. Product-specific: Miss. Ins. Dep’t Reg. 99-2 (19 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Ch. 14), Rule 14.05(A)(4); Miss. Ins. Dep’t Reg. 84-101 (19 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Ch. 5) |
| Missouri | at least 10 days | 30 days for graded death benefit policies; 30 days for replacement transactions; 15 days for annuities where the Buyer’s Guide and disclosure document are not delivered by ap | 20 CSR 400-1.010(1)(D) (Policy Approval Criteria for Life Insurance and Annuity Contracts). Related: 20 CSR 400-1.030 (Variable Life Insurance); 20 CSR 400-1.040 (Policies Providing Graded Death Benefits); 20 CSR 400-5.400 (Life Insurance and Annuities Replacement); 20 CSR 400-5.800 (Annuity Disclosure) |
| Montana | 10 days, or a longer period if the policy provides one | no statutory extension; the statute defers to ’a longer period if provided by the policy’ | Mont. Code Ann. s. 33-15-415 (Notice of right to return policy) |
| Nebraska | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement transactions; 10 days for variable life insurance | None located for a general free look. Product-specific: 210 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 19, s. 009.01D; 210 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 15, s. 004.03A(5) |
| Nevada | 10 days for a non-replacement policy; 30 days where the policy replaces existing coverage | 30 days for replacement policies (NRS 688A.165(2)); the section does not apply at all to industrial life insurance (NRS 688A.165(3)) | Nev. Rev. Stat. s. 688A.165 (Surrender and request for cancellation of contract or policy) |
| New Hampshire | 10 days | 30 days for replacement transactions; 10 days for preneed funeral policies; 10 days for deposit term life | N.H. Code Admin. R. Ins 401.05(f) (Individual Life and Annuity Contracts). Related: Ins 302.06(a)(4); Ins 301.05(i)(4); Ins 303.05(a). Enabling statute RSA 408:13 contains no free look. |
| New Jersey | not less than 10 days | — | N.J.S.A. 17B:25-2.1 |
| New Mexico | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement policies and contracts (13.9.6.9 NMAC); 10 days for variable life insurance policies (13.9.8.11 NMAC) | 13.9.6.9 NMAC (replacement); 13.9.8.11 NMAC (variable life); no general free-look provision located in NMSA 1978, ch. 59A, art. 20 |
| New York | a range, not a fixed number: ’not less than ten days nor more than thirty days’ – the insurer selects the exact period within that band and states it in the policy; 30 days is MANDATORY for policies sold by mail order | 30 days for policies sold by mail order (statutory, Ins. Law 3203(a)(11)); 30 days for mail solicitations under Ins. Law 3209 | N.Y. Ins. Law 3203(a)(11); see also N.Y. Ins. Law 3209 |
| North Carolina | 10 days (’Ten Day Free Look’) | 30 days for replacement policies and contracts (11 NCAC 12 .0612(4)) | 11 NCAC 12 .0447 (authority G.S. 58-2-40; 58-58-1); 11 NCAC 12 .0612(4) |
| North Dakota | 20 days | — | NDCC 26.1-33-02.1 (Life insurance policies and certificates – Right to return) |
| Ohio | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement transactions (OAC 3901-6-05) | OAC 3901-6-05 (replacement); no free-look provision in ORC ch. 3915 or OAC 3901-6-01 through 3901-6-04 |
| Oklahoma | 10 days | — | 36 O.S. 4003.1 (Cancellation of Policy – Time Period) |
| Oregon | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement transactions (OAR 836-080-0029) | OAR 836-080-0029 (replacement); no free-look provision in ORS 743.159-743.243 or OAR ch. 836 div. 51 |
| Pennsylvania | at least 10 days for ordinary individual fixed-dollar life and endowment policies; at least 10 days for individual variable life policies; at least 10 days for industrial life and industrial endowment policies | 45 days where the policy replaces an existing life policy or annuity with the SAME insurer or insurer group; 20 days where it replaces a policy or contract with a DIFFERENT insurer | Insurance Company Law of 1921, secs. 410D, 410E, 420E and 404-A (Act of May 17, 1921, P.L. 682, No. 284; 40 P.S. 510d et seq.) |
| Rhode Island | 20 days for policies and contracts delivered on or after January 1, 2008 (10 days for those delivered after July 1, 1978 and before that date) | — | R.I. Gen. Laws 27-4-6.1 (Right to examine and return policy) |
| South Carolina | not less than 10 days | not less than 20 days if replacement of insurance is involved; not less than 31 days if the policy was solicited by a direct response insurer rather than through a licensed insuran | S.C. Code Ann. 38-63-220(b) (Required policy provisions) |
| South Dakota | 10 days | — | SDCL 58-15-8.1 |
| Tennessee | no mandate found | 20 days for replacement policies | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-1-24-.07(4) (replacement); no general free-look statute located |
| Texas | no mandate found | — | Tex. Ins. Code ch. 1101 contains no free-look section; administrative-code locus (28 TAC ch. 3, subch. B) not reached |
| Utah | 10 days | 30 days for a replacement policy, contract or certificate | Utah Code Ann. Sec. 31A-22-423 |
| Vermont | no mandate found | — | 8 V.S.A. ch. 103 contains no free-look provision; regulatory locus not reached |
| Virginia | 10 days | insurer may voluntarily extend beyond 10 days if the longer period is stated in the policy; industrial life carries the same 10 days | Va. Code Ann. Sec. 38.2-3301 (individual life); Sec. 38.2-3342 (industrial life) |
| Washington | 10 days | 20 days for replacement policies (regulation) | RCW 48.23.380; WAC 284-23-455(4) (replacement) |
| West Virginia | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement policies and annuity contracts | W. Va. Code St. R. Sec. 114-8-6.1.d (replacement); W. Va. Code ch. 33 art. 13 contains no free-look provision |
| Wisconsin | no mandate found | 30 days for replacement policies and annuity contracts; separately, 30 calendar days as a conditional alternative for non-intermediary (direct) marketers | Wis. Admin. Code Sec. Ins 2.07(6)(a)4 (replacement); Wis. Admin. Code Sec. Ins 2.14(4)(c) (conditional); Wis. Stat. Sec. 632.73 (disability/Medicare supplement/LTC only, NOT life) |
| Wyoming | no mandate found | — | Wyo. Stat. Ann. tit. 26 contains no life free-look provision; W.S. Sec. 26-38-207 (Medicare supplement, 30 days) is the nearest analogue |
The extensions are where the useful facts are
The base window is dull; the extensions are not. Several states lengthen it for the situations where a buyer had least chance to reflect: replacement transactions (commonly 20–45 days), older buyers — California requires not less than 30 days for a policy issued to a senior — mail-order and direct-response sales, and variable policies.
Two worth singling out. Massachusetts’ right reaches only policies with a face amount under $25,000 — a limit that does not appear in any summary table we have seen. And Pennsylvania gives 45 days where the policy replaces an existing one with the same insurer or group.
Using it
- The clock runs from delivery, not from application or signature. Date the delivery.
- The exact period is printed on the policy where the state sets a range rather than a number.
- Return it in a way you can prove.
- Do not let it lapse into “thinking about it.” Afterwards, leaving means surrendering, and surrender has costs the free look does not.
If the policy is a small guaranteed-issue or final-expense product, use the window to check the feature that most often disappoints: whether the death benefit is graded. And the opposite situation — a policy you want to keep, at risk of lapsing — is the lapse notice.
Cite this
Clear Money Guide, Life Insurance Free-Look Periods by State, 2026. https://clearmoneyguide.com/life-insurance-free-look-periods-by-state/. Read at primary source; every row carries its citation and retrieval date. Reusable under CC BY 4.0.
Honest gap. Free-look rules sit in insurance codes and in administrative regulations, and several jurisdictions’ regulations could not be reached — those rows say so rather than reporting an absence as a finding. Annuities, variable contracts and preneed policies often carry their own separate windows; where the research captured them they are in the extended-windows column, but this table is about ordinary individual life insurance. Nothing here is legal or insurance advice.
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Reusing any of this? One licence covers all of it — free to reuse, adapt and republish, including commercially, with attribution. No permission needed. Figures we quote from the IRS, SSA, BLS or a state agency belong to their publishers and should be cited to them, with the data year.