Underwriting options

Instead of completing a full medical questionnaire, you sign a simple declaration on your application form. This means that if you need treatment in the future, we will confirm whether the condition is covered at the time of your claim before you incur any costs.

We will apply a straightforward exclusion for any pre-existing condition. This is a medical condition or related condition which, in the five years before the cover start date, you have:

• received medical treatment for
• had symptoms of
• asked advice on, or
• were aware existed

However, provided you have no treatment, medication or advice for the condition or related conditions for two consecutive years after your plan starts, then the condition will become eligible for benefit - subject to the plan's normal terms and conditions. This two-year period is known as the moratorium.

Alternatively you can ask us to assess your medical history by completing a health questionnaire when applying for cover. Once we have all the information we need, we will decide whether to apply any exclusions - these will be shown clearly on the certificate of insurance included in your membership pack. You will have 14 days to decide whether these cover terms are acceptable to you.

If you currently have a private health insurance plan with another insurer, you may be able to transfer to Standard Life on the same terms that you have with your current insurer. These switch terms are sometimes referred to as Continued Personal Exclusions (CPE).

If we offer you cover on this basis, it means that any personal exclusions applying with your current insurer will continue to apply on your new plan with us. If cover on your current plan is subject to a moratorium clause on pre-existing conditions then this will continue to apply with us.

There must be no break in cover between when your current plan ends and the date that cover under your new plan with us begins. Also, your new plan with us may have different benefits, terms and conditions from your current plan.

Find out more about switching to Standard Life