Underwriting Guidelines

Home > Underwriting > Underwriting Guidelines

The Underwriting Advantage at
John Hancock

You work hard to prospect and sell new cases. You need an insurance company that works just as hard to underwrite them. We take pride in our progressive, competitive and flexible underwriting guidelines. Our team ofmore than 100 underwriters will help you place your business as easily and promptly as possible, working with you every step of the way.

Underwriting Guidelines
The resources below can help save you time in the application and underwriting process by giving you details on the underwriting requirements needed with your application and the information the underwriter considers when assessing the case.

Routine Underwriting Requirements
APS Guidelines
Guide to Retention and Reinsurance Capacity
LifeCare Agent and Broker Companion
Preferred and Super Preferred Criteria
Standard Plus Underwriting Criteria
Smoking Classifications
Standard Plus: Available on more products than ever!

Agent Broker Companion (ABC) - Your guide to underwriting impairments
Use this tool to access the information needed with each case to get the best possible offer in the shortest amount of time. The guide is also available in print; ask your John Hancock representative for a copy.

Financial Underwriting Requirements
John Hancock's financial underwriting requirements focus on ensuring that we have a comprehensive picture of a client's financial situation.

Financial Underwriting at John Hancock
Eliminating the Traditional Inspection and Third-Party Verification Process
Frequently Asked Questions

Underwriting Guidelines for Foreign Residents
John Hancock Life Insurance recently updated its underwriting guidelines for foreign residents, making it possible for more clients living abroad to qualify for coverage and potentially qualify for better rates.

Life Insurance Preferred Vendors
Use this reference for a list of John Hancock Life's Preferred Vendors for underwriting requirements.

Difference Between ECG and ECHO
This flyer outlines the differences between two tests used to assess heart impairments -- the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and the echocardiogram (ECHO) -- and shows why these tests are not interchangeable.

Practices Regarding the Payment and Sharing of Attending Physician Statements
This flyer outlines the practice of John Hancock Life New Business regarding the sharing and payment of Attending Physician Statement vendor fees.

Interested in LifeCare?

John Hancock’s LifeCare allows your clients to address the need for Whole life insurance and long-term care insurance in a single policy with a streamlined underwriting process and a single payment.
The following information provides further details about the application process:

LifeCare Application Process Overview

Your Guide to LifeCare Application Process – provides details on the 10 steps to navigating the solicitation and application process for LifeCare

LifeCare Agent and Broker Companion – a guide to underwriting impairments for LifeCare

LifeCare Pre-Qualifying Questionnaire – determine if your client may qualify for LifeCare

LifeCare Personal History Worksheet for Proposed Life Insured – the LifeCare application is completed by a representative of John Hancock through a telephone intereview. This worksheet will help your client prepare for the interview.

To apply for LifeCare online or to download an application kit, click here.


Insurance policies and/or associated riders and features may not be available in all states. LifeCare is single-premium whole life insurance policy with long-term care benefits. Replacement of LifeCare for a different John Hancock insurance product will require full underwriting. LifeCare and the Acceleration rider, may not all be available in some states. The Acceleration rider is automatically included with every LifeCare policy. There are additional costs associated with this rider that are included in the single premium. For all John Hancock policies offering the Long-Term Care (LTC) rider, it is an accelerated death benefit rider. Maximum face amount is $5 million with the LTC rider. There are additional costs associated with this rider. These riders may not be available in some states and are not considered long-term care insurance in some states. When the death benefit is accelerated for long-term care expenses under these riders, the death benefit is reduced dollar for dollar, and the account value is reduced proportionally. For prospective policyholders in New York, this product is a life insurance policy that accelerates the death benefit for qualified long term care services and is not a health insurance policy providing long- term care insurance subject to the minimum requirements of New York Law, does not qualify for the New York State Long Term Care Partnership program and is not a Medicare supplement policy. The Long-Term Care rider and the Acceleration rider have exclusions and limitations, reductions of benefits, and terms under which the riders may be continued in force or discontinued. Please contact the licensed agent or John Hancock for more information, cost, and complete details on coverage. Insurance products are issued by: John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA 02116 (not licensed in New York) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York, Valhalla, NY 10595. Policy Form Series:09SPWL & ICC09 09SPWLRider Form Series:09WLLTCR MLINY12151116019