Iress has struck a deal with The Interesting Life Company to offer an AI-powered underwriting tool through The Exchange, giving advisers an early view of likely underwriting outcomes while sourcing protection products.
The financial technology firm said the arrangement would make the Interesting Life Agent, known as ISLA, exclusively available via The Exchange under a separate licence.
Originally launched in February, the tool uses a conversational interface to take advisers through medical and lifestyle disclosures and provide real-time indications of how those details may influence underwriting decisions.
It also produces plain-English explanations designed to help advisers understand the likely outcome and discuss it more clearly with clients.
The move is intended to bring underwriting insight closer to the start of the advice process, when advisers are still comparing products and assessing suitability. By giving an earlier indication of how a case may be treated, the firms said it should help reduce uncertainty and cut down on follow-up checks with insurers.
For advisers using The Exchange, the addition places pre-sale underwriting support alongside existing sourcing and comparison tools, which could reduce the time spent researching individual cases.
The agreement also builds on Iress’ recent work in protection technology, including the launch of its Automatic Medical Underwriting Limits Indicator.
Warren O’Connell, head of business development for sourcing at Iress, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with The Interesting Life Company and proud that they’ve chosen to make ISLA available through The Exchange.
“One of the biggest challenges advisers face is uncertainty early in the underwriting process, which causes friction and delays.
“With ISLA, advisers can get the answers they need upfront, enabling them to set realistic expectations with their clients from the outset while reducing unnecessary full underwriting journeys. It’s a win-win.”
Andrew Wibberley, director at The Interesting Life Company, added: “Pre-sale underwriting can often feel like a maze, with advisers needing to interpret disclosures and seek answers from multiple sources.
“We developed ISLA to simplify that process, helping advisers anticipate outcomes earlier, explain decisions clearly and move forward with greater confidence.
“We share a common goal with Iress of making protection advice more straightforward, so bringing ISLA to The Exchange was a natural fit.
“By making it available within a platform advisers already trust, we can help improve outcomes and enable more people to access protection.”
