Mental health underwriting: defining best practice

'If we need to know the detail, why not ask the applicant?'

clock • 5 min read

Peter Maynard looks at better ways in which underwriters can handle cases involving mental health issues

A previous article discussed how risks associated with mental illnesses may not always be what one might think in both magnitude and causes of mortality, especially if environmental factors such as socioeconomic status and support networks are taken into account. So how can we underwrite these cases better? How can we reach fair decisions quickly and efficiently? Let's deal with life and critical illness covers first. For a start, many cases of anxiety and mild depression can be regarded as standard risks, so long as the underwriter is happy that the case is straightforward with no ad...

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