I was lucky enough that when I got on disability I had a Life Policy with my employer which happens to also be an insurance company. I am covered for $720,000. Which will put my wife in a very comfy situation if I pass. I often bother her that she should just get rid of me and collect.
However you can buy a guaranteed acceptance policy.
Because insurance companies are taking a bigger risk when they offer Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance, they set limits on your benefits. For example, most companies limit the amount of insurance you can buy, usually offering no more than $20,000. However, you can buy Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance policies from multiple insurance companies. This allows you to build up a higher death benefit than you can get in one policy.
I know its a hassle and takes time to find a few policies and also depends on the state you live in. In FL State Farm offers their customers a guaranteed policy for only a few dollars per month.
In regards to the agent telling you that you would be approved is because for the most part the writing agent does not make the decision and its the under writer. I was the senior manager of over 200 writing agents and I constantly had them in my office or calling me complaining about how the underwriting department had refused a policy for really stupid things.
The agents on the phone would also always complain about how they would take down all the information on a person and how the person buying the life insurance seemed so happy over the phone that we were taking them and the agent knew that they would be denied coverage because of the replies to the questions but were not allowed to tell them.
We did not sell guaranteed acceptance policies but again you may be able to get one that would help. Hopefully you can get something.