The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the British Medical Association (BMA) have signed a new agreement relating to the quality and price of medical reports submitted to insurers by GPs for the next five years.
The price for standard GP reports, which insurers require for underwriting an individual’s health policy, is set to increase by 6% per year for the next five years. The new agreement also includes an assurance from the BMA that reports will be accurate and of high quality.
The ABI said that the news is good for customers and insurers. The pledge includes making sure that doctors fill in forms personally and accurately, rather than simply sending printouts of medical records which may not give the insurer the information it needs.
Richard Walsh, the ABI’s head of health insurance, said: This agreement is good news for all customers, because again the BMA has pledged to uphold high standards of work from doctors. It’s also good news both for the medical profession and insurers, as the five-year deal provides both stability and certainty.