Once in a lifetime underwriting

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L&G launches new group IP service that assesses members' risk only once

Legal & General has unveiled a premier underwriting service for group income protection (IP). For group IP schemes with over 50 members the ONEderwriting service will underwrite clients once, and then never again - even when their salary changes. This includes future increases up to the maximum benefit of £300,000, where the member's cover is subject to a loading, or where the insured basis is changed at a future date for all members.

Tele-interviews are now offered for all of the policy scheme members and visits to the doctor have been replaced with company medicals or medical examinations either at home or in the office. L&G expect 85% of cases to be on risk in five working days.

Additionally, when an employer's high earners exceed the free cover limit and need medical underwriting for group IP, ONEderwriting has abolished non medical limits which means there are no longer automatic requests for general practitioner reports and medical evidence.

Vanessa Sallows, benefits director at Legal & General's group protection business, said: "We looked at senior executives propensity to claim, and it is negligible. Plus, in five years, we have had only four cases of non-disclosure from this group."

Other insurers 'once and done' approach will be honoured, eliminating the need for further ONEderwriting when these schemes switch to Legal & General.

Michael Benton, managing director of Medicals direct, which conducts tele-underwriting, said: "In the fullness of time, once the big boys prove the concept is valid, this approach will become standard. Smaller insurers will need to become slicker to remain competitive."

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