Have you recently been declined insurance or decided against applying for fear of rejection? Specifically, I am referring to personal insurance like life cover, critical illness or income protection.
I was told recently by one of the country’s biggest insurance providers that nowadays, there is rarely a case of getting clean insurance anymore. What I mean is it’s rare that when you apply for insurance and provide your medical data, there won’t be some form of an increase in premium.
This is because there are a lot more identified conditions these days. According to Scottish Widows, mental illness, for example, is now the number one health disclosure on applications.
Insurance companies also have more data than ever on health conditions and potential payouts and therefore can make quotes very specific.
But don’t be deterred. Most people can still get insurance regardless of your medical records. You just need to apply in the right way.
The right way to apply and stop being declined insurance
Here are my top 5 tips to stop being declined insurance.
#1 – Be prepared to commit time.
- The more thoroughly you complete an application form and the more information you provide will mean less chance of being declined later down the process.
- Trying to arrange insurance quickly is not something that can be done especially if you want the right cover at the right price.
- Getting a quick quote could still mean a decline later on once more information is provided.
#2 – Don’t waste time with lots of application forms
- You don’t need to apply to each individual insurance company.
- A good Financial Adviser will ensure you only complete one application that gets sent to multiple providers to bring you back the best quote.
#3 – Don’t go for the cheapest
- Beware of ‘top of the table’ cheapest quotes. They usually add on extra costs once the medical data is provided.
- Not all providers add costs for certain conditions.
- Different insurance providers prefer different types of cases.
#4 – You may not need all the cover options
- One way an insurance company tries to differentiate itself is by covering a bigger and bigger list of conditions.
- This usually comes with extra costs.
- You might not need all the conditions.
- According to Defaqto in 2018, 95% of all critical illness claims were paid out on just 10 conditions.
#5 – Even if you are declined insurance – speak to the provider
- To save time and use their data, a lot of insurance underwriting is done by computers.
- But if you believe your condition is not as bad as made out it is best to pick up the phone, speak to your Financial Adviser who can liaise with a human underwriter who may take a different view.
- Even if your medical history is particularly bad from an insurance point of view, if you are still desperate for the insurance there is usually a provider out there.
- This will be for a cost which could still be worth paying.
Remember insurance is not just for younger people with mortgages. Insurance could be a really low risk way of:
- Providing a guaranteed lump sum for your loved ones once you’ve gone.
- Protecting your investment value from a stock market crash.
- Topping up your spouse’s income in retirement.
- Recovering or providing future care fees.
- Getting rid of Inheritance Tax.
If you would like more information on how insurance could work for you and how to arrange it then take advantage of our free 15 minute call. You can speak to a Chartered Financial Planner who will listen to your situation, give you an outline of what you need to consider and guide you in the right direction.
Risk warning:
Stock market linked investments and any income from them, can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. Any figures quoted are for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as a forecast or guarantee. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future returns and clients may get back less than they have invested.
