Provider, Guardian, has updated its policy terms and conditions to change those who can apply for its life and critical illness covers.
The new criteria will require applicants to:
- Have lived in the UK for the past six months and have the right to remain.
- Be currently registered with a UK doctor.
The requirements will be in place for applicants seeking Guardian's Life Protection, Life Essentials, Critical Illness Protection or Combined Life and Critical Illness Protection products.
Previously, the provider required applicants to have lived in the UK and have been registered with a UK GP for at least two years.
Hilary Banks, chief commercial officer, Guardian, said: "One thing that was holding them [advisers] back was our previous residency criteria, which was a barrier for clients who had recently moved to the UK.
"We've now made a change, making our protection more inclusive and accessible to more people."
Income protection will remain under existing criteria for Guardian applicants.
Paul Shearman, proposition director, Openwork, said: "We welcome this seemingly small but important change by Guardian which makes it easier for clients who've moved to the UK to apply for their life and critical illness cover. In our view, this approach to residency is fairer and more inclusive.
"It also gives advisers with clients who've moved here within the last two years a better range of covers to choose from for their protection recommendations."
COVER spoke with Alan Lakey, director, CIExpert, who called the update "more generous than most" and that the insurer would "likely see an increase in application volume" due to the changes.
