How To Speed Underwriting

November 11, 2001 at 07:00 PM
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There are specific guidelines that should be followed to speed the underwriting process, according to Paul P. Aniskovich, president and CEO of U.S. Financial Life.

"Whats needed," says Aniskovich, a former agent, "is for agents to offer the total picture–which links to the home office underwriters need to have all the facts."

As listed by Aniskovich, the total picture must include information on:

–Controland controllable conditions. All home office underwriters want to know if your applicant has a condition that can be controlled. For example, does the person suffer hypertension and, if so, does he or she faithfully take prescribed medication?

If so, thats a controllable condition. Conversely, an example of a non-controllable condition is cancer that has spread.

–Compliancelinked to control. This would relate to any number of medical conditions. For example, if the applicant has diabetes, does the person take insulin or other prescribed medication and follow the doctors orders? Does the person exercise and take good care of him or herself?

If so, that person is compliant. Conversely, as another example, if your applicant has had bypass surgery yet continues to smoke, he or she is non-compliant.

–Family historyand needed facts. In the evaluation of any risk, more information on family history is often needed. If your applicant has a family history of a condition that might cause him or her to be rated, that could be crucial information that should be should be provided in a cover letter (see related story) to the home office underwriting department.

–Thorough informationhonestly presented. The importance of agents presenting complete and honest information cant be emphasized too often. Without both, the agent is doing a disservice to the client/prospect, the carrier, and the industry he/she represents.


Reproduced from National Underwriter Life & Health/Financial Services Edition, November 12, 2001. Copyright 2001 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.


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