VitalityLife is improving the way protection applicants undergo blood testing by introducing ‘finger-prick testing' to the UK life insurance market.
Finger-prick testing means that when blood samples are required during underwriting,they are obtained via a finger-prick test rather than by hypodermic syringe.
The test is held at a place convenient for the client, such as their home.
VitalityLife is the first insurer to introduce this to the UK life insurance market.
The insurer said that the benefits to customers of finger-prick testing are:
• Improved customer experience because there are no big needles.
• Test results are available within seconds. Previously the samples would have to be sent to a lab, which would take 4-5 days to produce results.
• No risk of ‘spoilt samples'. This is a common problem for life insurers when a blood sample is delayed reaching the laboratory and often means a re-test is needed.
Darren Lee, director of underwriting & claims at VitalityLife, said: "We believe we are the first life insurer in the UK to introduce this type of blood testing. The next stage in our mission to improve the customer experience around medical underwriting is in the automation of underwriting decisions where a screening examination has been undertaken.
"Our aim is for the underwriting decision to be available within seconds of the nurse submitting the client's results and we are on course to launch this next phase later this year."
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