Bright Grey and Scottish Provident have warned that insurers could be "shooting themselves in the foot" by changing the way they request medical evidence from GPs.
The Royal London owned pair urged the industry to "take a step back" while suggesting the practice would worsen relations with doctors and hurt turnaround times.
As COVER previously reported, at least two insurers have been using Subject Access Requests (SARs) through the Data Protection Act to request complete medical histories of patients for just £10.
This is compared to the previous ABI and British Medical Association (BMA) agreed fee of £97.
It could also create confusion and leave clients caught between insurers and doctors as GPs must send the records to patients before they then relay the appropriate data to the insurer.
Roger Edwards, proposition director of Bright Grey and Scottish Provident, admitted the current process had problems but argued that change without considering the ramifications was foolish.
"While the current practice of requesting medical evidence through GP reports can at times seem clunky and costly, the insurance industry should take into consideration all the options before latching on to a new way of working that seemingly delivers what's required at a fraction of the price," he said.
"You may well agree that something has to change, but rushing in without thinking things through properly should be preserved for the foolish.
"As an industry we need to step back and think what is right, not only for customers, but also the potential damage to the goodwill and co-operation that has been built up with GP surgeries up and down the country," he added.
Edwards continued by warning that those continuing this practice were risking the entire industry's reputation and could sour relations with medical practitioners.
"Already the BMA is seeking legal advice," he warned.
"Of course there are instances when it hasn't gone smoothly, but let's take a step back and think about this for a moment.
"But put yourself in the GP's place, you've got a pile of requests through SARs which come with a £10 reward, which you've got to complete within 40 days, and a pile which reward you more fairly, that don't make you feel like someone's trying to pull a fast one.
"Which one are you more inclined to complete first and which would you leave till the last moment?
"Once you've answered that, consider whether this new approach may not result in slower turnarounds for everyone," he added.
Edwards concluded by urging the sector to work together to seek an effective solution.
"I think it's time we get together as an industry and think this situation through before we alienate the very people we're relying on to provide a service for us.
