iPipeline has extended its advanced underwriting feature to all advisers using its SolutionBuilder platform, following a trial with the Openwork Partnership.

The upgrade is designed to deliver faster protection quotes, more accurate underwriting and greater transparency for clients.

The service draws on data from the 20 most common medical disclosures, which account for around 80% of typical changes to terms. By showing the likely impact on coverage and cost upfront, advisers are able to manage client expectations more effectively and reduce the risk of delays or abandoned applications.

Leading insurers including the Exeter, Vitality and Zurich are already live on the platform, with three further providers due to join shortly. The tool was developed in consultation with advisers and addresses what many see as one of the most persistent obstacles in protection sales – uncertainty at the outset of the process.

Scott Taylor-Barr of Barnsdale Financial Management said the technology had enabled him to give clients realistic quotes from the beginning of their journey, even in more complex cases.

He added that being able to see how different insurers respond to the same disclosure meant he could recommend standard terms much earlier than would otherwise be possible.

Rachel Edwards, senior vice president and UK managing director at iPipeline, said adoption had reached almost 50% within two months. She described the development as a “step-change”, marking the first major transformation of the quote-and-apply journey in two decades.

The firm expects the new feature to improve conversion rates, raise customer confidence and increase the number of people securing protection cover.