What to Do If Your Life Insurance Application Is Not Approved?

We despise being told no. However, we all face rejection at some point in our lives. We face rejection in our job application, credit card application or mortgage application, and this also includes life insurance. Denial of a life insurance application in the UAE might leave us feeling uneasy and concerned about our loved ones’ safety. If this happens, the essential thing to remember is that it is not rejection but rather redirection. When consumers are turned down for a mortgage, they look for another lender.

To assess premiums and general eligibility, life insurance firms in the UAE employ a procedure known as underwriting. As each company’s underwriting standards differ, a denial from one company does not always imply you won’t be able to find coverage elsewhere.

What went wrong with my application?

To calculate your risk, insurers in the UAE look at a variety of aspects, including your interests, family background, health, and age. Risks are viewed differently by each insurance provider. When you have diabetes, Company X may reject you, but Company Y may accept you. Given below are some of the most prevalent reasons for application rejection:

Chronic Illness

The insurer may reject your application if you have a chronic disease at the time of your application. If you can establish that your disease is being treated through an attending physician’s statement, your chances of approval improve.

The following are examples of health problems that might result in a refusal or increased premiums:

• Anxiety
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Blood pressure issues
• High Cholesterol levels
• AIDS and HIV
• Obesity
• Parkinson’s disease 
• Apnea (sleep deprivation)

Choices of lifestyle

Smoking or other nicotine use, skydiving, or a history of drinking will not generally result in a refusal, but premiums will be much higher. If you suffer from medical issues (asthma or lung cancer) because of your lifestyle choices (tobacco consumption) in a country like UAE, your application is more likely to be denied.

Age

Insurance becomes increasingly complicated (and costly) as you become older. Although life insurance is still accessible at any age, the plans available may not satisfy all of your coverage requirements.

Lying or concealing information

Even if you have bad health, a personal history of cancer or a dangerous interest, don’t leave anything out on your registration or during the telephone conversation that the insurance provider needs to know. Your application may be denied if you falsify anything on your application or will raise your premiums if they find any hidden information.

Income Restrictions

A person whose income falls below a specific level of economic or revenue criterion will be rejected by the life insurance company. This limit varies as per the life insurance company. The major reason for it is that it might lead to the issuance of a large number of smaller policies, resulting in lower premium payments. Another reason why a modest income may prevent you from your policy getting approved is that insurance companies require policyholders to demonstrate their ability to pay for insurance coverage. This adheres to the ‘Insurable Interest’ concept. For example, if someone wants AED 2,000 life insurance policy but has no ownership of assets to back it, there is a good chance he or she may be denied coverage.

Previous Life Insurance Application Failures

At its foundation, insurance is a risky business. In a very simplified model, the premium paid for an insurance policy in the UAE is primarily determined by the probability of requests factored in by the provider. If an individual with a history of denied applications gets accepted by an insurer, the total risk increases. However, the situations and reasons for the previous application rejection would typically play a substantial influence in the new insurer’s ultimate decision. 

Keep in mind that the information provided above is a broad overview and does not apply to just one specific insurance company. Each life insurance company in the UAE has its own set of underwriting criteria and the ultimate decision (whether to cover life or not) is dependent on a number of factors based on the risk appetite of the insurer.

When you’ve been turned down for life insurance, what can you do?

Learn why your application was rejected

When you learn that your application has been rejected, the first thing you should do is figure out why. For further information, contact the insurance company. Knowing why might help you make better decisions when registering for insurance coverage in the future.

Pre-existing ailments, lifestyle considerations (i.e. high-risk occupations, involvement in dangerous sports), age, and a criminal or driving history are also common grounds for applications being denied by the insurance company. Medical examinations may reveal dangerous conditions that the applicant is unaware of. Confirm the findings of your medical checks with your doctor. 

You may make a mistake, so make sure all of the information you give the insurer is accurate and up to date. Applicants can double-check their information with the insurance company.

Consult an insurance professional

Advisors that specialise in life insurance are well-versed in the market and can assist you in determining the appropriate plan for your requirements. They can help you compare quotations and better understand the features and advantages of each plan because they have access to a variety of products from numerous suppliers. They can tell you if you should wait to apply again or switch to a provider who uses a different underwriting procedure. 

Advisors in the field of life insurance can also explain the distinction between ‘declined’ and ‘postponed’ applications. While the term ‘declined’ indicates ‘no policy will be issued’, ‘postponed’ means ‘not just now’. Once further information is provided or your health has improved, the insurance provider will be prepared to review your application (due to recent medical diagnosis, new medications, or abnormal test results).

While you may be unhappy that your application was refused or delayed, your life insurance expert may be able to provide you with other choices. Have you explored a different coverage level, term length, or an entirely other life insurance product? They will assist you in locating the best product for your requirements.

Change your way of life

Insurance companies will sometimes not reject your application directly but will instead delay it to a later date, generally six months to a year later. For example, if you have a sudden clinical condition, the insurer would usually give your body a full year to adjust to any new drugs or symptoms before checking in with you to ensure stability.

Explore your options for life insurance

If a life insurance company considers you to be a high-risk customer, you may be able to obtain coverage by obtaining a different type of life insurance. The best alternatives are typically no-exam life insurance policies, often known as least expensive life insurance, which provide lesser coverage:

Simplified-issue life insurance

Simplified life insurance is a form of whole life insurance that covers you for the rest of your life. However, unlike most whole life insurance plans, it provides more basic coverage and is only available to those who are 45 years and older and have health problems that would prevent them from buying a regular whole life insurance policy. You’ll skip the medical test if you enrol for simplified life insurance and instead answer a few personal questions about your health on an application form and over the telephone. As the method provides practically instant coverage, insurers charge a greater premium for a lesser coverage level because the health examination isn’t as comprehensive. An insurer assumes a normal amount of risk when giving you coverage without a full examination of your medical history. However, there are still circumstances that preclude you from purchasing a simple issue policy, which might prevent you from receiving coverage. A guaranteed issue whole life insurance policy may be your sole alternative in that scenario. Final expenditure life insurance is generally not the policy type for you if your age and health justify a higher health classification, and hence, lower premiums.

Guaranteed-issue life insurance

This is a form of whole life insurance known as guaranteed issue life insurance (sometimes known as guaranteed life insurance). It’s ideal for senior citizens aged 50 to 80 or those who can’t get standard life insurance owing to a significant medical condition or terminal disease. Unlike usual life insurance, guaranteed issue life insurance does not require a medical test. It offers a modest death benefit, but it can assist your loved ones in paying for end-of-life expenditures like burial fees or hospital bills.

Inquire about group life insurance 

Many employee compensation packages include a small insurance cover called group life insurance, which you are entitled to regardless of whether you have a serious medical condition or a dangerous interest. 

An application refusal does not rule out the possibility of obtaining life insurance in the future. Each insurance provider in the UAE has its underwriting requirements, so depending on where you enrol, your age, certain health problems and dangerous interests will be evaluated differently. Comparing rates and speaking with a qualified independent broker in the UAE is the best method to ensure you’re receiving the best coverage for the lowest price. Talk to your agent about the reasons why your application got denied and what options are open for you. Following that, the insurer may need you to make certain healthy lifestyle adjustments or wait a specific period of time before reevaluating and approving your claim.