M completes an application for health insurance but does not pay the initial premium. All of these actions must occur before M's policy goes into effect, except?

For a health insurance policy to go into effect, certain critical actions must take place. One important action is that the application must be approved by the insurer, confirming acceptance of the coverage. Additionally, the health examination may be required to assess the applicant's health status, which can help the insurer determine risk and coverage terms.

The initial premium payment serves as a prerequisite for the policy activation. Without this payment, the insurer will not formally issue the policy or provide coverage.

The statement regarding the free look period is fundamentally a consumer protection measure that allows the policyholder to review the policy details after it has been issued, typically giving them time to cancel without penalty if they change their mind. The expiration of the free look period does not prevent the policy from going into effect initially; rather, it becomes relevant after the policy is issued.

Thus, while the application approval, health examination, and initial premium payment are all essential for the policy to become active, the free look period's expiration is not a necessary condition for the policy to go into effect from the onset.