Duse Financial Group

Underwriting Cheat Sheet

Impaired-risk placement reference for DFG agents. Focused on writing Level coverage whenever possible — because full day-one coverage serves the client and the agency better than any graded product.

Revised April 2026 · Internal Use Only

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Why Level > Graded > GI

Every placement decision affects the client AND the agency. If a Level-tier option exists for the client's condition profile, take it every time. Here's a real example — a 68-year-old female with CHF, written two different ways:

Trans Level (FEX Solutions)
Royal Neighbors GI
Day-one coverage
Full face amount
Return of premium only
Waiting period
None
2 full years
Max face
Up to $30K at age 68
Capped at $10K
Client perception
Real insurance
"Just getting my money back"

How to Use This Guide

Each condition shows the top 3 carriers ranked by placement quality. Before quoting, always collect: diagnosis date, last treatment date, current meds, A1C if diabetic, tobacco use, nebulizer use, ADLs/home-health-care status, and height/weight. Small details drive big placement differences — a nebulizer drops AHL from Standard to Decline, an A1C over 8.6% drops AIG to SimpliNow Legacy Max.

Placement Tier Legend

PREFERRED / LEVEL — Best rate, day-one full coverage
STANDARD — Level coverage, standard rates
MODIFIED / GRADED — Partial benefit years 1–2
GI / GUARANTEED — Return of premium years 1–2

Carrier Strengths At-a-Glance

Quick-reference when you know the condition and need the right carrier fast

Every Impaired Case — The Workflow

1
Identify the #1 condition. What's the biggest medical issue? Look it up in this guide first.
2
Collect the UW data BEFORE quoting: diagnosis date, last treatment date, A1C, meds list, tobacco, ADLs, nebulizer.
3
Start with Level. Quote the #1 carrier from this guide. If client qualifies, stop there.
4
Run the #2 and #3 options. Compare rates — take the best Level rate, not just the first one.
5
Only drop to Graded or GI if no Level option exists. Never lead with GI when Level is available.
6
Set expectations if Modified/Graded/GI is the only option — explain the waiting period BEFORE submitting.
7
Document placement logic in InsuraCentral so conservation can reference why this carrier was chosen.

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United Home Life — One Carrier, Seven Products

UHL writes seven distinct products under one contract. The art is knowing which one your client qualifies for — not every "no" on Premier is a "no" on UHL entirely. Always try to step UP the ladder (Provider → Term → Premier → Term Deluxe → Deluxe → EIWL → GIWL) rather than stopping at the first acceptable product.

The UHL Product Ladder

Provider and Term = cleanest cases, Preferred rates. Premier and Term Deluxe = solid Level day-one with mild conditions. Deluxe = workhorse Level for diabetes, cardiac 5+yrs, controlled mental health. EIWL = graded benefit when Deluxe declines. GIWL = guaranteed issue safety net for the hardest cases. Column A of the UW guide shows the time-window acceptance — pay close attention to diagnosis dates.

Placement Tier Legend

PREFERRED / LEVEL — Best rate, day-one full coverage
STANDARD — Level coverage, standard rates
MODIFIED / GRADED — Partial benefit years 1–2
GI / GUARANTEED — Return of premium years 1–2

UHL Product Strengths At-a-Glance

All seven UHL products — know the ladder so you can step up when a higher tier says no

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Term / UL / IUL — Lookback Windows Are Everything

Term carriers use long lookback windows (3, 5, 7, 10 years) on most impairments. The same client who's an auto-decline at one carrier can be Level at another if you know the window. Columbian Safe Shield leads the 10-year-clean plays; Mutual of Omaha Term Life Express leads AFIB and controlled diabetes; UHL Term Deluxe is the only true Level term for insulin diabetes.

How to Quote Term / UL / IUL Impaired Cases

Before quoting, collect: diagnosis date, last treatment date (critical — drives the lookback window), tobacco status, current meds, A1C if diabetic, height/weight. For face amounts over $250K, expect exam-level UW at most carriers. If no Level term play exists, drop back to FEX — don't waste the client's time running table-rated illustrations they'll reject.

Placement Tier Legend

PREFERRED / LEVEL — Best rate, day-one full coverage
STANDARD — Level coverage, standard rates
MODIFIED / GRADED — Partial benefit years 1–2
GI / GUARANTEED — Return of premium years 1–2

Term / UL / IUL Carrier Strengths At-a-Glance

16 carrier families mapped to their sweet spots