Evidence for underwriting

This is the most important piece of underwriting evidence, as it forms the basis of the contract. Please make sure answers are precise and accurate so we can get your client on risk as soon as possible.

The Declaration of Health (DOH) is an opportunity for your client to tell us about any changes to their health or other relevant circumstances since their application was submitted.

The information is valid for 3 or 6 months depending on the amount of cover. After this period, a DOH can be used to extend the validity of the application, provided the application date is less than 12 months old. A new application will be needed if the application is more than 12 months old.

• A DOH is only valid for two months from the date the client signs the form
• Once the underwriting decision or validity date has expired
• When the requested policy start date is beyond the validity date
• When the direct debit is not collected within 60 days of the policy start date

You can complete an Electronic Declaration of Health on behalf of your customer in OLP Connect.

This form allows your client to give us information about existing cover, earnings, net worth and last year's profits (for Key Person cover).

A financial questionnaire that gives information about your client’s income, concurrent and existing cover, and details relevant to their personal needs.

For higher sums assured or complex applications, this form may need countersigning by a third party such as an accountant, solicitor or bank manager who is independent of the application.

A financial questionnaire that gives information about income, concurrent and existing cover and details relevant to your client’s business needs.

For higher sums assured or complex applications, this form may need countersigning by a third party such as an accountant, solicitor or bank manager who is independent of the application.

A specially trained nurse or underwriter contacts your client to speak to them about a medical condition they have disclosed on the application form, or about their general health for age sum assured purposes.

This is a short questionnaire that’s sent to your client’s GP, instead of a General Practitioner’s Report. It asks specific questions relating to a condition that has been disclosed by your client.

A maximum of two targeted reports will be issued per customer; above this a Patient Health Report (PHR) will be issued. A PHR will always be requested over age sum assured limits, irrespective of the disclosed conditions.

This is a report based on your client’s medical records. The report covers:

• The current health of your client, including any treatment that has been prescribed, any outstanding investigations and any certified time off work
• Any relevant past medical history, including details of any investigations that were undertaken

The report can be requested either as part of the age sum assured evidence or due to medical disclosures made by your client.

These are based on your client’s medical records and are completed by your client’s GP. The reports cover:

• Cardiovascular – Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance
• Lifestyle – alcohol, smoking and drug use
• Mental health
• Recent referrals for further investigations

This is a standard industry format report, based on your client’s medical records and is completed by your client’s GP. The report covers:

• The current health of your client, including any treatment that has been prescribed, any outstanding investigations and any certified time off work
• Any relevant past medical history, including details of any investigations that were undertaken
• Details of any medical conditions that have occurred within the immediate family

It can be requested either as part of the age sum assured evidence or due to medical disclosures made by your client.

This is a report based on a screening performed by a nurse at a convenient place for your client such as at work or home. It can be requested either as part of the age sum assured evidence or due to medical disclosures made by your client.

Information collected during the screening includes:

• Your client’s medical and family history
• Drinking and smoking habits, height and weight, blood pressure
• Urinalysis (including cotinine test if your client is a non-smoker), peak flow reading

Your client must supply a telephone number so that the nurse can contact them to arrange the appointment.

This is a report based on a screening performed by a nurse at a convenient place for your client, such as at work or home. It can be requested either as part of the age sum assured evidence or due to medical disclosures made by your client.

Information collected during the screening includes:

• Height and weight
• Blood pressure
• Urinalysis (including cotinine test if your customer is a non-smoker)

This is a report based on a medical examination completed by your client’s GP or an independent doctor provided by a third party.

It can be requested either as part of the age sum assured evidence or due to medical disclosures made by your client.

Information collected during the examination includes:

• Your client’s medical history
• Medical details about your client’s immediate family
• Drinking and smoking habits
• Examination of your client’s heart and chest function
• Blood pressure
• Urinalysis
• Cotinine test (if your client is a non-smoker). This is sometimes performed as a saliva test or sometimes as part of the urinalysis

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The body's immune system is damaged by the virus and results in opportunistic infections or rare types of malignancy.

Despite advances in treatment HIV and AIDS remains extremely relevant to the underwriting process.

Customers with late stage HIV are currently declined by Legal & General. However, we will consider offering cover to customers who tell us that they are HIV positive (on interactive applications only) due to an improvement in therapy which has led to an increase in life expectancy.

Interactive applications in OLP Connect will request additional information which will be assessed. A point of sale decision will advise if cover is not possible or if additional medical information will be needed to assess the application further.

Customers who do not apply through our interactive application route will continue to be declined at point of sale.

The following circumstances will result in a HIV test being requested:

• Evidence request for customers under age 60 applying for life cover, where their total cover is £1,500,001 or above
• Routine evidence request for customers aged 40 or older applying for an Income Protection policy where cover is £4,001 or above
• Routine evidence request for all customers of our Income Protection policies where cover is £6,251 or above
• Being resident or visiting in a non-UK country with high HIV prevalence within the last five years
• Having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease(s) with long-term health implications
• Intravenous drug use over five years ago (if within five years the case will be declined)

• The application form asks whether a customer has ever tested positive for HIV or whether a result is outstanding
• The customer is not asked whether they have ever had a negative HIV test
• If a customer refuses to undergo a HIV test we will be unable to offer cover