In the wake of the recent Government response to COVID-19 and the unprecedented stress this is placing on the National Health Service, we have been reviewing how this impacts our ability to obtain medical evidence and our obligations as a responsible insurer.

As a result, in order to avoid placing addition workload on stretched GP surgeries, and to provide certainty for customers, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily stop requesting medical evidence as part of our underwriting process. This means that any new applications where a GPR is required will now be postponed as we will be unable to offer cover until the strain on the health service is resolved.

What does this mean for new applications?

We expect to continue to make instant decisions on the majority of applications via straight through processing, with an additional volume also being accepted after manual underwriting. Unfortunately, any new applications requiring medical evidence will not be progressed.

What does this mean for existing applications?

Where medical evidence has been received and is awaiting assessment, this will be reviewed under our current philosophy. Where evidence has been requested but not received, if returned we will assess. However, we will not be sending new requests or chasing GPRs at this time in order to avoid further strain on GP surgeries. We will continue to monitor the rate of return of existing requests over the coming weeks and what that means for cases in the pipeline.

If you need an update on a specific case, please use our ALPS tracking services. Where an application is postponed, you will receive an email or telephone call and customers will receive a letter.

Can these customers still access cover?

If the application is being referred due to sum assured, they can reapply up to our non-medical limits today, with the ability to apply for further coverage in the future. However, please note that in the event of multiple policies of smaller sums insured, each will still count towards non-medical limits. Details of non-medical limits can be found here.

What does this mean for medical evidence at the point of claim?

While GP reports are not required to pay all claims, there are instances where they might be necessary in order to make payment. We will continue to use any medical evidence our customers can provide us with and work with our own Chief Medical Officers and clinical resources to obtain the required evidence, while minimising any delays for the customer. Customers should continue to notify claims in the usual way by calling our claims teams.

We understand the serious impact these steps will have on a minority of your customers, and this is not something we have undertaken lightly. However in these unprecedented times, and as a responsible insurer, we feel it is important that we make every effort to relieve pressure where possible from the NHS – and to give certainty to customers.

Please see our FAQs for further details on these changes and information on how to contact us.