Integrated Medical Screening
Frequently Asked Questions
General questions which relate to the launch of integrated medical screening on 10th December 2007.
- Why have you introduced integrated medical screening for Travel?
- When will integrated medical screening be introduced?
- What will I need to do?
- Is there any training available on how to navigate the new screens?
- What will happen about any existing quotes I've issued?
- What is the new process for medical condition referrals?
- What do I need to do if my customer is over 80 years of age?
- What if I can't find the medical condition on the database through e-services?
- What will happen to my existing customers policies?
- What should I do if I need to do a Mid-term Adjustment?
- Do I still need to complete a medical certificate?
- Does my client need to be present to answer the medical questions?
- What if my customer is unhappy with a decision?
- Will the underwriting decision differ between an Annual Multi-trip and Single Trip policy?
- Can I still use 'switch product' if medical conditions have been added?
- Who should I contact if I have a technical query about e-services?
- Who should I contact if I have an underwriting query or referral?
- Interested in starting to trade Travel policies - How can I process Travel policies?
- What are the standard commission levels for Travel?
- I don't have a Norwich Union agency reference - what should I do?
- Can I quote for Travel using my full-cycle EDI system?
- Do I need to complete an application form for a Travel policy?
- Who produces documentation?
- How do I order new documentation?
Q. Why have you introduced integrated medical screening for Travel?
A. When we re-launched our improved stand-alone Travel product in March 2006, we committed to developing our e-trading system so you could add medical conditions online and get instant underwriting decisions. Integrating medical screening questions into the Travel quote process will enable you to get decisions on the majority of cases and reduce the number of referrals you need to make.
Q. When will integrated medical screening be introduced?
A. New quotes processed from Monday 10th December 2007 will be required to go through the new integrated medical screening process both on e-services and if you process a quote through the Norwich Union Travel team.
Q. What will I need to do?
A. The medical screening process must be followed for travellers with medical conditions and for anyone else upon whose good health their trip depends e.g. a customer's parent who is not named on the policy but who has a serious, chronic or recurring illness, injury or disease which could affect their decision to take or continue a trip.
If you are already transacting Travel through e-services:
This will now be the easiest way to get underwriting decisions on medical referrals. The integrated medical screening screens will automatically appear when you process a travel quote. The following simple steps outline what you'll need to do.- On the Travel Client Summary screen you will need to ask the underwriting criteria questions. If any answer is YES you will need to add the medical condition(s).
- ALL medical conditions disclosed must be searched for in the database. You can search using 'starts with' or 'contains' using as few as 2 letters of the full or part of the name of the medical condition e.g. using 'starts with' entering 'as' will allow you to find asthma and using 'contains' entering 'bl' would allow you to find 'high blood pressure'. You will then be directed through a question set (if relevant) for that condition and any linked conditions, after which you will be shown either an ACCEPT or EXCLUDE decision for each condition.
- Once all conditions have been screened, the decisions applicable to each medical condition can then be advised to your client. It is important not to advise your customer of a decision before this time as the underwriting result for individual medical conditions may change during the course of a screening due to the affect of other conditions disclosed.
- If you are unable to find the correct medical condition please telephone the Norwich Union Travel team on 0845 601 4042.
It is essential that all medical conditions declared by your customers are screened. When you declare that a traveller has a medical condition the policy summary screen will display that medical screening is outstanding. You will then need to add each medical condition to be declared for travellers and non-travellers and enter your customer's answers to the questions displayed relating to their condition.
If you don't currently use e-services:
You can continue to use the Norwich Union Travel team to transact Travel business, however, the medical referral process will change. Your customer will now need to be present when you telephone with a medical referral as each question set is specifically related to the condition declared and each medical question depends on the previous answer given. The paper medical fact-finding form won't be used anymore as the travel team will input answers directly onto the system and give you an instant underwriting decision.
If you intend to process travel business with medical conditions we encourage you to get access to e-services - to register, please contact your account manager or register online.
Q. Is there any training available on how to navigate the new screens?
A. Yes, there is a short userguide which you can access on our e-broking site. You will need to click on e-trading (along the left-hand side of the screen) then e-services. You should see an option to select User Guide. Click on User Guide to access the Travel Medical Screening Userguide. The current Travel New Business Demo will remain available for separate guidance on processing standard quotes.
Q. What will happen about any existing quotes I've issued?
A. As there is a 30-day quote guarantee period for Travel quotes, we will honour guaranteed quotes so long as no material facts have changed. If any material facts have changed, for example a change to the travel destination, trip details or traveller age/medical conditons, you will need to enter the changes onto the system and generate a revised quote - however doing this will require medical screening to be completed.
Q. What is the new process for medical condition referrals?
Using e-services:
A. If you are able to select the condition you are searching for then you will not need to refer a quote. The integrated medical screening system will require you to answer questions relating to the medical conditions and will provide a decision which either ACCEPTS or EXCLUDES the condition.
If you are unable to find the condition you are searching for online you will need to add the condition in the free format fields and your customer will be required to answer some generic underwriting questions instead. This will generate a referral to the Norwich Union Travel team for assistance. They will 'pick up' the quote to assess it and then refer the quote back to you to complete. Please note you must save the record to enable it to be accessed by them. Unlisted conditions are likely to be rare so additional information may be needed - the Travel team will advise you if you need to provide a medical certificate.
All other referrals are unchanged and will follow the usual referral processes.
Not using e-services:
A. You will need to telephone the Norwich Union Travel team with your customer present to answer the specific questions related to the medical conditions declared. Unfortunately the Travel team will not be able to assess the medical condition over the telephone if your customer is not present.
Q. What do I need to do if my customer is over 80 years of age?
A. You can process the quote as usual. If you are able to find the condition you wish to select on the system then you won't need to complete a medical certificate. However, if you are unable to find the medical condition then you will need to add the medical condition details into the free format fields and refer these cases to the Norwich Union Travel team who may request that a medical certificate is completed.
Q. What if I can't find the medical condition on the database through e-services?
A. Our database includes around 3,000 medical conditions and is being continually improved and revised. This means that for the majority of medical conditions you will be required to answer the questions set and complete the screening without referral. However, here are some tips you can try:
- Check the spelling of the condition with your customer and use the 'contains' function to search for it, some conditions have long names and by searching for part of the name you should be able to find the condition.
- Symptoms cannot be screened, for example breathlessness (a symptom of both respiratory and cardiovascular conditions). You must ensure that the diagnosed condition is selected. If your customer is unsure ask them to check with their GP.
- Some customers may disclose a procedure, rather than a condition. In these cases it is essential that you also screen the underlying condition, for example a colostomy is a procedure which can be performed for many reasons, it could be due to Crohn's disease, Cancer, etc and the customer must be asked why this was performed.
- Complex, unusual or severe conditions or pending diagnosis situations will not appear on the database, this is because they will need to be underwritten on a case by case basis, and you will need to enter the details in the free format medical screening section.
Q. What will happen to my existing customers policies?
A. Existing policies prior to the introduction of integrated medical screening will honour the underwriting decision given at the time the policy was issued. At renewal integrated medical screening will only need to be completed if there are any material changes to the policy such as change of travel area or medical condition.
Q. What should I do if I need to do a Mid-term Adjustment?
A. Process this as usual. You will be required to complete the integrated medical screening process if there are any changes to the material facts such as a change in the status or control of a declared condition, the diagnosis of a new condition or a change to the area of travel.
Q. Do I still need to complete a medical certificate?
A. Yes, in some cases. If you are able to find the condition you wish to select on the system then you won't need to complete a medical certificate. However, if you are unable to find the medical condition then you will need to add the medical condition details into the free format fields and refer these cases to the Norwich Union Travel team who may request that a medical certificate is completed.
In cases where a Travel Insurance medical certificate is requested by NUI, the underwriting questions on this form must be answered and the form signed and dated by the customer. If this is not done the Norwich Union Travel Team will be unable to deal with the referral.
Q. Does my client need to be present to answer the medical questions?
A. Yes. As the medical questions are specific to the condition being declared you will need to make sure your customer is present. If you intend to deal with clients over the telephone, you will need to enter the medical condition details onto e-services yourself as due to FSA regulations your client will not be able to speak to the Norwich Union Travel team directly.
Q. What if my customer is unhappy with a decision?
A. Unfortunately, as the system is designed to apply standardised underwriting decisions according to the level of medical risk presented, we will not be able to reconsider EXCLUDE results.
Q. Will the underwriting decision differ between an Annual Multi-trip and Single Trip policy?
A. Yes, as a customer's trip details will be taken into account when assessing their medical condition. Some medical conditions will be excluded on an Annual Multi-trip policy however you may still be able to quote for a Single Trip policy.
Q. Can I still use 'switch product' if medical conditions have been added?
A. Yes, you can still switch from a Single Trip to an Annual quote if medical conditions have been added, however, you will be required to re-screen the medical condition(s) to confirm if they will be ACCEPTED or EXCLUDED under the different policy criteria.
Q. Who should I contact if I have a technical query about e-services?
A. You should contact the e-broking support team on 01603 687666 or nuie-services@norwich-union.co.uk for assistance with technical and navigation queries.
Q. Who should I contact if I have an underwriting query or referral?
A. For underwriting queries and referrals please contact the Norwich Union Travel team on 0845 601 4042.
Q. Interested in starting to trade Travel policies - How can I process Travel policies?
A. With a boom in the number of holidays being taken the UK travel insurance market is expected to grow by an estimated 23% to £823m by 2011 (Source: Mintel). If you want to start offering Norwich Union travel insurance to your customers then speak to your account manager or register online. It usually takes around 5 days to set up but best to register early if you can. For standard risks (without medical conditions) you can use the quick quote calculators to work out indicative premiums.
Q. What are the standard commission levels for Travel?
A. The commission levels for Travel are 30% for Annual Multi-trip policies and 25% for Single Trip policies.
Q. I don't have a Norwich Union agency reference - what should I do?
A. Please contact your account manager if you need a Norwich Union agency reference to be set up for you. Please note this normally takes around 5 days.
Q. Can I quote for Travel using my full-cycle EDI system?
A. No. Travel is only currently available electronically through e-services or by telephoning the Norwich Union Travel team on 0845 601 4042.
Q. Do I need to complete an application form for a Travel policy?
A. No, however, a fact-finding form is available from the e-broking website to help you collect the relevant information to process a standard quote or policy. As a statement of fact document has replaced the proposal form there is no need for a signature. By accepting the policy documentation your client confirms the details are correct and true.
Q. Who produces documentation?
A. Documentation can be produced in your own office (using the immediate local print option on e-services) or Norwich Union can print documentation on your behalf. Please refer to the e-services userguide Travel New Business Demo for further information.
How do I order new documentation?
A. You can order supplies of policy documentation through the e-broking website or by faxing Norwich Union supplies on 01603 680463.
If you have any further questions please contact your Account Manager.
