Cutting through complexity: How AI is transforming Medical Evidence review
Robert Morrison, Chief Underwriting Officer at Aviva, shares how AI-powered medical evidence summarisation is transforming underwriting with speed, accuracy, and care.
In the world of underwriting, accuracy is everything. For advisers and customers alike, the journey from application to cover can be fraught with complexity, nowhere more so than in the review of medical evidence. Traditionally, underwriters have faced the daunting task of sifting through lengthy GP reports, sometimes running to nearly a hundred pages, to extract the information needed to make fair and robust decisions. This process, while essential for accuracy, has often been time-consuming and a source of frustration for advisers and clients waiting for outcomes.
The challenge: Navigating complexity
Manual review of medical evidence is a painstaking process. Each report is unique, filled with medical history, test results, and notes, much of which may be irrelevant to the specific risk being assessed. For underwriters, the challenge is not just about finding the right information, but doing so efficiently, without missing critical details. For advisers, these delays can mean longer waits for clients, uncertainty, and sometimes, the risk of disengagement.
The latest AMI Protection Viewpoint research highlights just how important these moments are. It found 39% of advisers see AI as a valuable tool for managing the application-to-completion pipeline, 44% remain neutral, with only 17% negative. This signals an open mindset and opportunity for further engagement as confidence continues to grow. Advisers recognise the pivotal points where delays or complexity can lead to dropouts or lost trust.
The innovation: AI-Powered summarisation
At Aviva, we believe technology should serve to enhance, not replace, the human expertise at the heart of underwriting. That’s why we’re proud to be launching an industry-first AI-powered summarisation tool for individual life insurance applications.
This tool uses generative AI to analyse and summarise GP medical reports. Instead of underwriters having to read through every page, the AI filters out irrelevant information and highlights the key details that matter most for the decision at hand. What once took hours can now be achieved in minutes, turning a 96-page document into a concise, actionable summary.
Our generative AI innovation tool has been designed with customer care and robust decision-making at its core. After eighteen months of rigorous testing and controls, the tool has already processed more than 1,000 cases, delivering tangible improvements in turnaround times without compromising the integrity of outcomes.
The impact: Faster, accurate outcomes
For advisers, the benefits are immediate - helping to maintain engagement and trust throughout the process. Not only do reduced waiting times mean clients get decisions faster, it also helps strengthen the adviser’s role as a trusted guide, as they can keep clients informed and reassured at every step.
For customers, the risk of dropping out due to delays or confusion is reduced. As the AMI research shows, consumers value both speed and clarity, but, as we know, this cannot come at the expense of accuracy or care. Our approach ensures that technology supports, rather than shortcuts, the robust assessment that underpins fair pricing and appropriate cover.
The adviser perspective: Clarity and confidence
Advisers consistently rank among the top sources of information for customers considering protection insurance. By streamlining the most complex part of the process, AI summarisation empowers advisers to focus on what matters: building relationships, answering questions, and guiding clients to the right outcome.
Technology as an enabler of clarity and care
The future of protection underwriting lies in harnessing the best of both worlds: the speed and analytical power of AI, and the empathy and judgement of experienced underwriters and advisers. At Aviva, our commitment is to use technology responsibly, to remove friction, reduce complexity, and deliver better outcomes for customers, without ever losing sight of the importance of accuracy and care.
As we roll out our AI-powered summarisation tool, we invite advisers to join us in this next chapter. Together, we can move from complexity to clarity, ensuring that every customer receives the protection they need, delivered with the speed, accuracy, and confidence they deserve.
Sources
1. Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, Protection Viewpoint: The Next Chapter- November 2025.