The Exeter launches 'existing conditions' life cover product

Originally launched through selected networks and intermediaries in late 2017, The Exeter has also enhanced the quote and apply process for the plan.

The Exeter has also published research which shows the scale of underinsurance amongst people with existing health conditions.

The Exeter surveyed 2,000 people across the UK and found that among cancer suffers, two thirds didn’t have a single protection product. The situation was similar for sufferers of type 2 diabetes, those with high BMI or heart conditions.

Steve Bryan, director of distribution and marketing at The Exeter, said: “With an ageing population and the diagnosis of conditions like diabetes and cancer on the rise, it is worrying to see this research lay bare the scale of what we know is a growing problem.

“1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime, whilst there are currently 7 million people in the UK suffering from a heart disease, two conditions which are likely to make protection much more difficult for people to access. Our research indicates that over 65% of people who suffer either condition, have no protection in place at all.

“Making protection insurance accessible to all is an important debate that is happening right now in our industry. We’re proud that with Real Life, we have again proved our commitment to bringing quality affordable life cover to an audience that perhaps needs it the most.”

Tom Horton, managing director of The Insurance Surgery, commented: “The Insurance Surgery are really excited about The Exeter Real Life product. This provides our clients and our adviser introducers access to valuable protection that they may not have previously been able to access. Our aim is to protect more people and we expect to increase our client reach by 20% next year due to The Exeter entering this market.”