Health and other disability insurance secured in response to public or personal solicitation by mail and advertising. It usually requires no physical examination, but rather a statement of health completed by the insured, and becomes effective upon return of the application by mail and approval by the mail-order insurer. The scant health information required, the complexities of medical histories, and the relative difficulty of excluding preexisting conditions have contributed to relatively high premiums and loadings, and low rates of claims recovery from mail-order insurance.