"We believe the changes to our HIV rules will result in a smoother and faster journey for an estimated 50% of people who apply who are living with HIV."
- Caroline Froude, head of underwriting strategy and development at Guardian
Subject to meeting certain criteria in terms of age, CD4 count and viral load, Guardian will now offer terms for life cover to those living with HIV, without requiring further medical evidence.
All HIV cases will still require assessment by an underwriter, but in light of these improvements, Guardian estimates that roughly 50% of HIV-related disclosures could be accepted based solely upon the answers given on the application. This eliminates delays associated with requesting specialist medical letters.
These improvements extend to income protection, subject to meeting certain criteria which advisers can view in Guardian’s Underwriting Guide. Medical evidence will be required in all instances for income protection.
Commenting on these improvements, Caroline Froude, head of underwriting strategy and development at Guardian, has said:
“We’re delighted to announce these improvements today as we continuously seek to improve outcomes and the underwriting experience for everyone that applies for a Guardian policy.
“We believe the changes to our HIV rules will result in a smoother and faster journey for an estimated 50% of people who apply who are living with HIV, improving this group’s experience of applying for protection and making the process as a whole much more inclusive.”
