Life of the Southwest: Critical Foreign National Underwriting Update

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization declared a health emergency around the Coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan City in Hubei province of China.  Effective January 30^th, the U. S. State Department updated the travel ban list to now restrict travel from this part of the world into the United States (Level 4 Travel Ban).

Due to these evolving announcements and the progression of the epidemic, the life insurance industry has begun to take action to enact restrictions associated with the U.S. State Department’s travel ban.

Effective immediately, National Life Group will postpone any pending and future applications for coverage of Proposed Insureds residing in or visiting countries affected by the Coronavirus. This change includes China and Hong Kong. National Life is taking the following precautions for all applications dated on or after January 30^th, 2020:

1. If the proposed insured lives/resides in the US and is traveling from one of the areas which has a level 4 travel ban, underwriting will postpone that case for 30 days from the date of their return.
2. Any proposed insured who is planning to travel to or back to a country with the level 4 travel ban will be postponed until they return to the US and have met the 30-day postponement period.
3. Proposed insureds who are currently (residing or otherwise) in a country with a level 4 travel ban will not be eligible for coverage until the ban has been reduced/lifted regardless of nexus connection to the US.

We will be closely monitoring the evolution of this situation and we will advise all parties involved when this moratorium has been lifted.  We are committed to your business and will get back to our normal underwriting practices as quickly as we are able.

If you have any questions regarding this topic or on specific cases please feel free to reach out to your underwriter or the underwriting leadership team

Here is a link to the formal announcement: CLICK HERE