Underwriter

An underwriter is assessing how likely a claim is, and how soon. They see the whole application rather than any single answer, which is why one disclosure rarely decides an outcome on its own.

Where an application involves anything outside a standard template, a person reviews it rather than a system.

Related terms

• Underwriting The insurer's assessment of the risk you present, which decides the terms and the price.
• Adverse decision Any outcome other than acceptance on standard terms: a decline, a postponement or a loading.
• Loading An increase to the standard premium, reflecting a risk the insurer has assessed as higher.

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