Income protection: BMI is an "absolute nightmare"

“That's make or break for many customers”

Jaskeet Briah
clock • 4 min read

Jaskeet Briah speaks to protection advisers and providers about the challenges with the body mass index (BMI) measurement for income protection (IP), alternative metrics and improvements in adviser training to sell IP.

As most UK workers don't having an IP policy, the first part of this series looks at the main roadblocks within the IP application process and how to bolster accessibility within the product. BMI presents another barrier as it can prevent customers who require IP from taking out cover due to affordability or being declined, according to advisers. Hanna McKallip, protection adviser, Premier Plus and member, the Income Protection Task Force (IPTF), describes BMI as "an absolute nightmare" as the increases made to premiums are "harsh". For example, the premium for one of her clients incr...

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