This week as part of our underwriting focus here at Zurich we look at understanding why underwriters ask certain questions and the likely outcomes for applicants can empower advisers looking to put in place a strong financial safety net for their clients. Laura Stemp, development underwriter at Zurich, talks about how we approach drug use on applications.
We need to assess the risk of someone having a critical illness, dying or being off work. When want to know if someone is taking a certain type of drug because they could then be putting themselves at higher risk of other conditions. Someone who takes cocaine, for example, would be at higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, even for young people, because of the effect it has on their blood pressure. It can also affect heart wall thickness, stiffen the arteries and induce dangerous heart rhythms.