Scottish Widows has launched a pre-application underwriting decision tool for advisers.
The tool can be accessed via the Scottish Widows dashboard and is designed to give an accurate indicative decision on whether the insurer would quote or accept their client across all protection products without the need for them to go through the application journey.
The tool mirrors the Scottish Widows quote and apply journey so that advisers can receive an accurate indicative decision based on the insurer’s underwriting rules.
The decision will be provided across all products, including life insurance, critical illness and income protection.
Paul Jenkin, head of protection change at Scottish Widows (pictured), said: “Advisers are always keen to use simple and efficient ways to get the best outcomes for their clients.
“That’s why our new pre-application underwriting decision tool is more convenient for them, and offers accurate indicative decisions quickly, helping provide certainty of underwriting outcome across all of our protection products.
“We will carry on building on this capability throughout the year with more enhancements already in the pipeline to better support the ways advisers deal with us.
“These improvements will be centred on simplicity ensuring advisers have more time to focus on meaningful conversations with their clients.”
Last week the insurer unveiled a trial using artificial intelligence (AI) systems to speed up life and critical illness insurance claims and underwriting, working with Sprout.ai.