Manulife removes need for nicotine testing for some life insurance applicants
TORONTO — People looking to secure health insurance from Manulife may no longer be subjected to nicotine testing, as the company looks to streamline the application process.
The insurer (TSX:MFC) says nicotine tests will no longer be required for individual policies for eligible applicants aged 18 to 40, on policies that pay up to $1 million in benefits.
Manulife says data analytics allow it to predict the likelihood that somebody is a smoker based on application forms, without meeting with a paramedical professional who tests for nicotine.
“We know that there are significantly fewer smokers than there were 20 years ago,” said Karen Cutler, vice-president and chief underwriter for Manulife.