In extended care planning, what happens before the application is submitted often determines whether a case is approved, delayed, rated, or declined. Field underwriting is not about being overly conservative or acting as the carrier; it’s about setting realistic expectations, protecting your time, and ensuring clients are positioned for success from the very first conversation.
In today’s underwriting environment, where carriers are more selective and clients are older, managing multiple medications, or they have complex medical histories, strong field underwriting is essential.
Read More: How to Initiate Meaningful Conversations Around LTC Planning
What Is Field Underwriting and Why Is It Critical?
Field underwriting is the agent’s responsibility to gather, assess, and pre-qualify relevant health, lifestyle, and financial information before an application is submitted. When done well, it allows agents to:
- Avoid preventable declines and withdrawals.
- Place cases with the right carrier the first time.
- Shorten underwriting timelines.
- Reduce client frustration and sticker shock.
- Protect credibility and referral relationships.
Just as importantly, it helps agents shift the conversation from “Will I qualify?” to “What planning options make sense for my situation?”
Common Mistakes When Field Underwriting Is Skipped
When agents rush to application without proper field underwriting, the results are predictable:
- Submitting to the wrong carrier for a known condition
- Overlooking medications that trigger automatic declines
- Underestimating the impact of cognitive red flags
- Not preparing clients for APS requests or phone interviews
The outcome? Delays, declines, lost momentum, and disappointed clients, often after weeks or months of waiting.
Key Areas Agents Should Always Field Underwrite
At a minimum, effective field underwriting should include health history, medications, cognitive and functional indicators, and lifestyle and build.
Health History
- Chronic conditions (diabetes, heart disease, COPD, arthritis)
- History of cancer, stroke, or neurological diagnoses
- Recent hospitalizations or surgeries
- Family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s
Medications
- Names, dosages, and how long they’ve been taken
- Multiple medications for the same condition
- Cognitive-related drugs or pain management therapies
Cognitive & Functional Indicators
- Memory concerns, falls, use of mobility aids
- Assistance with daily activities
- Family observations or hesitations
Lifestyle & Build
- Tobacco or nicotine use
- Height/weight concerns
- Alcohol history if relevant
These details don’t disqualify a case, but they help determine which product and which carrier offers the best path forward.
Field Underwriting Resources Available to Support Agents
Agents are not expected to navigate underwriting alone. Today’s extended care marketplace offers strong support tools to help field underwrite effectively and confidently.
- Health questionnaires available through carriers and with us
- Informal inquiry or pre-qualification programs and intake forms
- Dedicated support from Krause Agency staff
- Product and carrier positioning guidance
- Carrier underwriting guides, built charts and medication knock-out lists
- Condition specific underwriting expectations
Using these resources upfront saves time and dramatically improves placement ratios.
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Field Underwriting and Client Education
In addition to protecting agents, strong field underwriting improves a client’s experience. When expectations are set early, clients are more prepared for:
- Medical record requests
- Cognitive interviews
- Longer underwriting timelines
- Possible premium adjustments or benefit changes
This transparency builds trust and reinforces your role as an advisor and not a product pusher.
The Bottom Line for Agents
In extended care planning, the application is not the starting line—field underwriting is. Agents who master this skill:
- Write cleaner, stronger cases
- Protect their time and reputation
- Increase approvals and persistency
- Create better outcomes for clients and families
With the underwriting resources available today, agents don’t need to guess. They just need to use the tools provided and slow down long enough to ask the right questions. After all, when it comes to extended care planning, doing the work upfront is what makes everything else easier.
For more information on field underwriting for extended care planning, register for our webinar on January 22, “Cracking the Code: Field Underwriting for Extended Care Planning.”