Final Expense Field Underwriting: A Process Guide
Published by Agent First Contracts
Field underwriting means gathering accurate health and medication information at the kitchen table so you can choose a product the client is likely eligible for. You're collecting information, not making medical judgments, and the carrier makes the decision.
Underwriting rules differ by carrier and change over time. This guide covers the process; the rules themselves always come from the carrier's current materials.
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Use current carrier materials
- Work from the carrier's current application and underwriting guide, not memory or an old printout
- Check the guide's date or version before each appointment week
- When the guide is unclear, ask the carrier or your upline before submitting
Record answers accurately
- Read each health question as written and record the client's own answer
- Write down current medications with names and what the client says they're for
- Don't diagnose, interpret or suggest answers
- If an answer is uncertain, note it and clarify rather than guessing
- Never alter or omit information to get a better outcome
Check product eligibility and benefit structure
Based on the answers, compare products the client may be eligible for, using each carrier's own rules. Be clear about the benefit structure: whether coverage is level from the start or has a graded or modified benefit or waiting period, as the product materials describe.
Set honest expectations
- Explain that the carrier makes the final decision
- Don't promise approval, a rate or a benefit level
- Explain any waiting period or graded benefit in plain words
- Tell the client what happens next and when you'll follow up
Learn it properly
Our free training course walks through the in-home process, including field underwriting, in structured lessons.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tell a client they'll be approved?
No. Only the carrier can decide. Explain the process and what you'll do next.
Where do the underwriting rules come from?
From each carrier's current application and underwriting guide. They differ by carrier and change.
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