Article
How long approval takes
Reviewed July 2026
The two timelines
Accelerated or simplified underwriting, where a questionnaire replaces the exam, produces a decision in anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. For a healthy applicant with a clean file, same-day is normal.
Full underwriting, with a paramedical exam, typically runs three to six weeks. Occasionally longer if records are requested from your physician.
Why the fast route is sometimes not fast
Instant decisions happen when the automated checks line up with what you declared. When they do not, the file gets kicked to a human, and the timeline stops being instant.
The usual triggers: a prescription in the database you did not mention, a motor vehicle record with recent incidents, a coverage amount above the threshold the insurer will bind automatically, or answers that are internally inconsistent.
None of these are fatal. They just move you from an algorithm to a person, and people take days rather than seconds.
What actually causes long delays
Requests for attending physician statements. If the underwriter wants records from your doctor, you are now waiting on a medical practice to respond to a paperwork request, which is the least controllable part of the process and routinely adds two to four weeks.
Incomplete applications. A missed field or an unsigned authorisation stops everything and often nobody tells you promptly.
Scheduling the exam. Some applicants take a fortnight to book a thirty-minute appointment. That fortnight is entirely yours to remove.
You are not covered until the policy is in force
This is the part worth internalising. Approval is not coverage. The policy takes effect when it is issued, delivered, and the first premium is paid.
People who assume they are covered during a six-week underwriting window are, in the worst case, wrong at the worst possible moment.
Ask about temporary or conditional coverage, which some insurers provide during underwriting for a modest cost. If you have a specific reason to need cover immediately — a closing date, a new baby — say so upfront.
How to make it faster
Have your information ready before you start: current medications with dosages, dates and outcomes of recent procedures, your doctor’s contact details, and your household financials.
Answer accurately the first time. Corrections mid-underwriting reset progress and raise questions about everything else you declared.
Book the exam immediately and take it early in the day. Fasting beforehand, if instructed, meaningfully affects the bloodwork.
General information, not insurance advice. Product details change — confirm anything material directly with the carrier.