Simple underwriting for people with raised blood pressure

Author: 

  Debbie Bolton, Head of Underwriting and Claims Strategy

Friday 20 October 2017

We’re making it even easier to do business by making it simpler for people with raised blood pressure to get life insurance.

Over 16 million people* in the UK have raised blood pressure so it’s no surprise that it’s the most common medical condition people tell us about on their applications for life insurance.**  At AIG Life we keep on top of medical advancements and are always looking for ways to incorporate them in our underwriting.  This has enabled us to make changes to our blood pressure underwriting to make it even easier for people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure to get the insurance they need quickly and easily.

We’ve improved our system to allow most applicants to get a decision immediately. These changes will mean over 2,000 more people a year getting an answer straight away without the need for a GP report.** This means a better customer experience and less delays.

If raised blood pressure isn’t controlled there’s an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke. Where blood pressure is controlled by treatment this risk is significantly reduced and most cases will be accepted at standard rates. An increase in premium will only apply if there’s an indication that the blood pressure isn’t controlled by treatment or the diagnosis was very recent.

This change follows on from the underwriting changes to our diabetes rule we made last month and there are further underwriting improvements planned to make it even easier for people living with chronic medical conditions to get the insurance they need.

If you wish to discuss this subject further please contact our Business Development Team on 0345 600 6829.

^{* Blood Pressure UK
** Based on AIG MI, 2016}