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# UnderwriteMe says up to 84% of diabetes cases get instant decisions
- URL: https://thecoverwire.com/underwriteme-pulse-immediate-decisions-health-conditions/
- Published: 2026-10-21T12:05:54.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-02T11:34:47.000Z
- Description: The share of diabetes cases getting an immediate life cover decision rose from 71% in 2024, the Pulse Report shows.
- Author: CoverWire
- Tags: Life and Health, #desk-markets

Up to 84% of applicants disclosing diabetes received an immediate life cover decision on UnderwriteMe's Protection Platform in 2025 and the first half of 2026, up from 71% in 2024, the company's Protection Platform Pulse Report 2026 shows.

Immediate decision rates rose to up to 95% for raised blood pressure, from 87%, and to up to 91% for raised cholesterol, from 80%. Applicants disclosing depression, anxiety or stress saw rates of up to 99%, from 90%.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by UnderwriteMe found only 21% knew people with common physical or mental health conditions could get an immediate decision online. Some 68% were not aware of this at all. A further 38% thought a diagnosis such as diabetes would make a decline more likely, and 21% were unsure. Almost a quarter (24%) said they would be more likely to consider applying if insurers had improved their approach to common health conditions.

"Many people still assume a health condition will make protection difficult to obtain when the reality is often very different," said Andrew Doran, chief executive of UnderwriteMe.

Income protection made up 12% of applications on the platform, up from 10% in 2024, and its straight-through processing rate rose from 62% in 2024 to 66% in the first half of 2026\. Life cover held at 65% of submissions and critical illness fell to 23%, from 25%. Across the latest 18 months, critical illness had the highest straight-through processing rate at 84%, against 83% for life cover and 64% for income protection.

The data covers anonymised, aggregated applications from insurers on the platform including Beagle Street, Guardian, Holloway, LV=, Royal London, Scottish Widows, The Exeter, Virgin Money and Vitality. The rates are "up to" figures across those insurers, so individual insurers' acceptance rates will differ.

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## Sources

- [Mortgage Soup, 21 October 2026](https://mortgagesoup.co.uk/immediate-protection-decisions-increase-for-applicants-with-common-health-conditions/?ref=thecoverwire.com)
- [IFA Magazine](https://ifamagazine.com/immediate-life-cover-decisions-on-the-protection/?ref=thecoverwire.com)