VitalityLife improves underwriting terms for diabetics and other medical conditions
VitalityLife has announced that it will be providing fully underwritten final decisions online for Type 1 diabetics who have achieved good control of their condition, without complications.All Type 1 diabetes disclosures previously triggered an automatic GP report, but VitalityLife’s new rules will instead ask several relevant questions to establish an understanding of how well controlled the condition is. Terms will then be offered in real time, providing a significant reduction in the number of GPRs (General Practitioner Reports) being requested.
Automated decisions have been available for several years for Type 2 diabetes, however, the new rules will also see further improvements for advisers, with a higher proportion of cases being accepted online than before.
The development is part of a wider approach by VitalityLife to make it easier for diabetics to get cover. Earlier this year, the company launched a unique product for diabetics through Wellness Optimiser, which offers a substantial discount and greater access to protection for diabetics.
In a range of other underwriting changes, VitalityLife has also improved its online underwriting for the Armed Forces with a new drill down questionnaire relating to future postings overseas; for Crohn’s Disease the straight through proportion should be at least 80% of all disclosures; and for Ulcerative Colitis, the majority of cases will now be accepted online based on disclosures alone without the need for a GPR.
Deepak Jobanputra, Deputy CEO at VitalityLife, said: “These changes mean that we can now provide real-time automatic acceptances for a large number of people living with diabetes in the UK. This will result in a significant reduction in underwriting time, allowing advisers to get their clients cover more quickly than ever before."
Emma Thomson, Life Office Relationship Director at LifeSearch, said: “Underwriting developments that make it easier for clients to buy will always be welcomed, as cumbersome processes can put clients off taking out valuable cover. Insurers need to regularly review their approaches to ensure they are doing all they can to assess risks and help more consumers buy insurance. It’s therefore great to see VitalityLife do this, and these positive changes will help more clients get cover in place faster too.”
ENDS