Medical Underwriting
What
Medical Underwriting is the process by which we assess the potential risk of an employee based on factors related to their past and present state of health, family history and lifestyle. This risk will either be classed as:
- Mortality (group life assurance) - those factors potentially affecting life longevity; or
- Morbidity (group income protection) - those factors potentially affecting the likelihood of developing diseases or disabilities.
When
We medically underwrite all employees who do not satisfy the eligibility conditions, are late joiners or employees who have salary/benefit is in excess of the free cover limit.
Who
If medical underwriting is required, we will provide you with contact details for your designated medical underwriter together with their contact details
How
Each employee that requires medical underwriting will need to complete a personal declaration form. This will ask for medical and family history together with some lifestyle questions and any current or previous medical problems, and must be completed by the employee. The personal declaration form must be completed and returned to us within 30 days. Temporary cover will be provided for benefits that are subject to medical underwriting for a maximum of 90 days from the date of request.
Our Medical Underwriters will assess each personal declaration to determine if we need any further information. This could involve writing to the member's own GP or arranging for an independent medical examination.
Once we are in receipt of all of the required medical evidence, our Medical Underwriters will make a decision, and this could result in one of the following:
- The employee being accepted at ordinary rates;
- An extra premium being charged for the increased risk;
- The employee being declined for cover;
- Cover being excluded for certain activities (in the case of group income protection); or
- Postponement of our decision until a confirmed period of time has elapsed.
We will then notify you of our decision which will be reflected in the statement of benefit and cost issued at the next annual revision date.