What underwriters look at
Your application asks about your health, family history, smoking, alcohol, weight, job, travel and hobbies. Underwriters use your answers to judge how likely a claim is. Many applications are accepted automatically by the insurer's system. Others go to a human underwriter for a closer look.
Underwriters may request more evidence, such as a GP report or a nurse screening, before making a decision.
The outcomes you might see
Most applicants receive standard terms. When something increases the risk, the insurer can respond in a few ways. Each option lets it offer cover where it might otherwise refuse.
A postponement often follows a recent diagnosis or an upcoming test. The insurer wants to see how things settle and usually invites you to apply again later.
- Standard terms: cover at the normal price
- Loading: cover with a higher premium
- Exclusion: cover that does not pay for a named condition
- Postponement: the insurer asks you to reapply later
- Decline: the insurer cannot offer cover
Your duty to answer carefully
UK consumer insurance law asks you to take reasonable care to answer the insurer's questions accurately. If you make a careless mistake, the insurer can adjust the claim to reflect what it would have done had it known. Deliberate or reckless misstatements can lead to a claim being refused.
If you are not sure how to answer, ask. Including too much detail does no harm. Leaving something out can cause real trouble for your family later.
Why insurers reach different decisions
Every insurer has its own underwriting guidelines. One may load heavily for a condition that another treats as minor. Specialist insurers focus on conditions that mainstream ones find hard to price. That is why shopping around matters most for people with health conditions or risky jobs.
Under a voluntary code agreed with the government, UK insurers do not ask you to take a predictive genetic test, and they will not hold it against you that you have not.
How Hi Tomorrow works with underwriters
Before you apply, we find out which insurers are likely to view your circumstances fairly. That saves you applying blind and collecting declines. Where it helps, we speak to underwriters about your case to understand the likely terms.
If an offer comes back with a loading or exclusion, we explain what it means and look for better terms across our panel. Acceptance and terms remain subject to each insurer's underwriting.