Royal London is expanding its use of digital medical evidence in an effort to cut the time advisers and clients spend waiting for GP reports during underwriting.
The insurer is introducing iGPR’s Magic Service through its existing partnership with the medical evidence provider, allowing GP report requests to be issued electronically and managed digitally throughout the process.
Under the arrangement, iGPR will liaise directly with GP surgeries and follow up outstanding reports, reducing the need for Royal London’s underwriting teams to chase medical evidence manually.
The service can also handle a range of medical report types through the same digital process when additional evidence is required to assess an application.
REPORT TIMES
Royal London said electronic reports could substantially reduce the time taken to obtain medical evidence compared with traditional paper-based requests.
Craig Paterson, chief underwriter at Royal London, said: “Delays in obtaining GP reports can be frustrating for advisers and clients alike and can contribute to longer underwriting journeys.
“Electronic GP reports are typically returned significantly faster than traditional paper-based requests, helping reduce waiting times from around a month to little more than a week in many cases. Faster access to medical evidence can help applications progress more quickly and improve the experience for both advisers and clients.
“It’s another practical step in our commitment to continuously improve underwriting and make it easier for advisers to do business with Royal London.”
The change is intended to free underwriting teams from some of the administration associated with obtaining reports, allowing them to spend more time progressing applications and supporting advisers.
DIGITAL PROCESS
Royal London said the move follows wider efforts across the industry to improve the exchange of medical information with GP surgeries. Its previous process could involve several hand-offs and follow-ups before the necessary evidence was received.
Claire Reeves, co-founder of iGPR, said: “We’re pleased to be expanding our relationship with Royal London through the introduction of Magic Service.
“The service is designed to digitise and simplify the GP report process, helping insurers obtain medical information more efficiently while reducing administrative burden.
“By managing requests electronically and working directly with GP practices, we aim to create a faster and more transparent experience for advisers, clients and insurers alike.”
The introduction forms part of Royal London’s wider investment in its underwriting processes and is also intended to reduce its reliance on paper-based medical evidence requests.
