Updated March 30, 2020
As you know, most life insurance applications require an in-person medical examination. The exam includes blood and urine samples collected, measurements taken, and in-depth medical questions in order to obtain a decision from underwriting. For your clients in the life application and underwriting process, we wanted to provide you with important updates about new developments due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Please discuss the following points with your clients and call us if you have any questions.
Ongoing State and Local Area Changes
The following states are not currently scheduling exams due to new state regulations related to lockdowns/shutdowns:
Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia, certain areas of Texas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Kansas City, certain counties in Missouri.
NOTE: These change daily; please call us for current state and local regulations.
What to Do About Medical Exams
Many exam offices, at both state and local levels, are continuing to operate to date. But for states and local areas which have been shut down, we have challenges which we are endeavoring to navigate. We have a growing number of examiners opting out of work until orders are lifted; and we also have clients who wish to defer their exam appointments.
Please encourage every client to schedule appointments anyway. Please have your clients schedule their appointments for a timeframe in the future that they anticipate the state or local orders may be lifted. If the timing changes, the examiners will contact applicants to reschedule appointments and Quantum’s staff will keep you updated on your clients’ exam schedules. Case statuses will continue to be updated on your Advisor HQ portal.
(If you don’t already have an Advisor HQ account, you can request access at: https://thequantum.com/advisor-hq-login-request/)
Exam Safety Precautions
There are new, strict protocols required by state examiners which the examiners will explain to the applicant.
On the phone:
The examiner will state that in the last 14 days, they have had no signs of fever, cough, or respiratory ailments, nor had close contact with anyone who has, nor have they traveled outside of North America or had close contact with an individual who has.
The examiner will ask the applicant whether or not they have had any signs of fever, cough, or respiratory ailments, or had close contact with anyone who has, or have traveled outside of North America or had close contact with an individual who has.
If the applicant responds yes to either question, the examiner will not meet with the client and will call back in 15 business days.
At the appointment:
During the examination, the examiner is required to:
- Stay at least six (6) feet away from the applicant to the extent possible.
- When drawing blood and taking measurements, it is understood that examiners have to get closer to applicants than six feet. However, they do so with both the examiner and applicant agreeing not to speak during that time.
- When the examiner is speaking, such as when they are asking the medical exam questions, the examiner does so from a distance of at least six (6) feet apart.
Quantum is managing and assigning cases, updating statuses, answering phones, and fielding and responding to questions. As this evolves, we will continue to provide updates during this very fluid situation.
Contact your Quantum consultant for more information at 800.440.1088.
Kim is life/health licensed and has worked in the life insurance industry since 1995. Kim spent 16 years at Northwestern Mutual and New York Life working her way from a field assistant to office manager. Because of her extensive experience, she brings a wealth of skills to Quantum. She has acquired the ability to analyze complex alternatives to meet client needs, find efficiencies in application processing, fulfill stringent insurance carrier compliance, and has built strong relationships with numerous carriers top underwriters. Learn More
