Medical underwriting is an essential part of how health insurance works. You may come across medical underwriting when buying a new policy or renewing your cover. Simply put, it is the way your medical history is taken into consideration by health insurance providers to evaluate your application, determine your cover and calculate your premium.
If you’re looking for health insurance, it’s useful to understand the different types of medical underwriting offered by insurance providers. To help you in this process and equip you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about your health insurance. We have put together this guide that explores the most common medical underwriting options.
Moratorium Underwriting
Moratorium underwriting, is a favoured choice among applicants because of its smooth application process. Unlike other underwriting options, you don’t need to provide detailed medical information. Instead, the insurer automatically excludes any pre-existing conditions if you have undergone treatments, sought advice, taken medication, or experienced symptoms within the five years before the policy’s inception date.
After two consecutive years of steering clear from such treatments, advice, medication, or symptoms, you may become eligible for cover of the pre-existing conditions. However, during a claim, the insurer may review your medical history and consult with your GP for additional information. This approach helps streamline the application process, however, it might slightly extend the claims process.
Full Medial Underwriting (FMU)
Opting for full medical underwriting (FMU) entails a thorough application process. You will have to disclose your complete medical history by answering questionnaires, providing medical records and sometimes conduct medical exams. This process allows health insurers to determine your health insurance terms, pinpoint any exclusions or limitations on the policy and calculate your premium.
Truthful and accurate answers to the questions are crucial. If you do not answer honestly, this may impact future claims and you may be at risk of policy termination. Ensure the information you provide is honest to safeguard your coverage.
Switch Moratorium Underwriting
If you’re looking to switch health insurance providers, you may be able to retain your current coverage depending on your existing underwriting type. If you currently have a moratorium underwriting policy, switching to a new insurer is possible through switch moratorium underwriting. This means the new insurer takes over the existing moratorium period.
Continued Personal Medical Exclusions (CPME)
If you have fully medically underwritten coverage with another insurer, you can apply for Continued Personal Medical Exclusions (CMPE) underwriting. This allows you to transfer to a new insurer on the same terms, and pre-existing exclusions from the previous policy will carry over, with the new insurance company continuing to exclude coverage for these conditions.
For policies involving CPME underwriting, it’s advisable to discuss the details with your insurance provider or broker for a clear understanding of its impact on your policy.
Get Expert Advice for medical underwriting and other health insurance aspects
Medical underwriting is crucial for assessing health risks and determining coverage terms. Understanding different methods can help you make informed decisions regarding your private medical insurance.
Our knowledgeable team provides bespoke advice, carefully reviewing your needs to help you find the right policy with the best underwriting terms based on your unique circumstances. Contact us today or use our enquiry form to request a free, no-obligation quote.
If you prefer navigating the world of health insurance by yourself, check out this health insurance jargon guide or our frequently asked questions.